There are two moments of great importance in a swimming techniques event: the start or jump and the turn when you are predisposed to go through the pool in the opposite direction to the initial one. Both can be decisive for the performance
Turns and jumps pose a real challenge for many swimmers.
This makes sense and is normal for it to happen since they are very specific skills that are not always addressed from the beginning in this sport. Let’s learn how to improve this skill from Olympic champions maker American Lifeguard Association.
In the fourth installment, we were reviewing the fundamental aspects of each of the styles that make swimming and lifeguarding class a discipline. Breaststroke, crawl, butterfly, and back were the axes of that previous meeting.
Once we control any or all of these styles, it will be time to learn other movements just as necessary. We are talking about turns and jumps, which are applied in all modalities equally.
This is not a supplementary detail; in fact, both are essential and can make the difference between one competitor and another. Why not take advantage of all that American Lifeguard Association has to teach us about these topics?
Learn turns and jumps with American Lifeguard Association
As the instructor herself has assured throughout her career, it is essential to have clear objectives and visualize them in order to achieve them through work and perseverance.
If you practice competitive swimming, surely your goal is to improve your own records and place yourself among the best in your specialty, region, or event in which you participate. To do this, you must be aware that every detail adds —or subtracts— and deserves to be worked on in-depth.
This is the case of turns and jumps. We can lose a lot of time if we don’t do them correctly; Next, we will see what secrets American lifeguard association, a lifelong swimmer, has to help us grow in this complex skill.
Turns
Given their dissimilar characteristics, each style has a specific turning technique. However, there are some points of contact between them.
The most salient is that of purpose. Logically, in all styles, the goal of the turn is the change of direction of the swimmer when reaching the end of the pool.
In competitive swimming, it should be added that the idea is to execute this movement as quickly as possible; Furthermore, achieving good propulsion when resuming forward is very important.
The turn is made up of five fundamental phases:
Approach:it is the moment in which the swimmer suspends the stroke to begin the process of change of direction. In general, the athlete already knows in advance how many strokes before the end of the pool to start tacking.
Turn or turn:once close to the wall, the swimmer begins the turn on himself. Each style of swimming has its own technique in terms of turns.
Touch:at this moment, with the turn almost complete, the swimmer’s feet are resting against the wall.
Take-off or momentum: it is the phase in which the swimmer regains momentum to continue the race in the opposite direction; it is made from the push of the legs against the wall.
Gliding:the body is placed in a hydrodynamic position to achieve propulsion that allows exploiting of the previous impulse.
In this last stage, we can find some differences depending on the style. This is due to the fact that the position adopted for the propulsion should be the one indicated to continue later with the technique of the corresponding style.
Jumpss
The jumps also called exits, are the initial movement of almost all the swimming tests. In the breaststroke, crawl, and butterfly styles, the start is from out of the water. On the back, on the other hand, the start is made from inside the pool.
The different stages of the jumps and starts are:
Ready position: swimmers get ready to start. In the case of the back start, the athletes are holding onto support, with their back to the pool.
Pull: this phase is not performed on the backstroke. Here, the swimmers pull their bodies forward and place their hands on the jump platform.
Impulse: consists of the pushing action to enter the pool or, on the back, to begin the advance.
Flight:when jumping, it is the moment when the body moves through the air; when leaving the water, it is the transition towards what will be the entrance.
Entry:at this point, the swimmer makes full contact with the water to initiate the propulsion in the proper position.
Gliding and propulsion:the objective of this phase is to take advantage of the momentum of the exit without losing speed.
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Rising to the surface:once on the surface, it is time to start swimming.
Ultimately, this fifth installment will be the time to review in detail each of these concepts with American lifeguard association. Without a doubt, these are skills that Olympic champion masters to perfection; Take advantage of this chance to discover all its secrets!
