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turnin' in da pool

Hopefully not too dumb couple of questions here... (but very numpty nonetheless!)



Pool based triathlon swimming legs...



1) are tumble turns accepted in pool based triathlon swim legs? I seem to recall reading that they weren't.. but am not sure now!



2) If the pool at the shallow end is only 0.9 metres/2'11.5" deep what strategy/tactic/whatever do people take when turning around ... tumble turn (see above); touch the end, squidge around, push off; touch, stand, turn and push off?



I train sometimes in a pool with a 0.9m shallow end and that pool happens to be my first A race for next year. I find it really difficult in training to turn around at the shallow end so typically end up standing and moving off from there, but it doesn't strike me as being very efficient, and potentially difficult if of course sharing the lane with up to 3 others.!



cheers for any help/thoughts.



didds

Comments

  • TommiTriTommiTri Posts: 879
    1) whether tumble turns are allowed seems to depend on the event, some allow them, some don't.

    2) in regards to the shallow end, i think you can do down to about 1m shallow, I am rubbish at TTs though, so I wouldn't attempt it in 0.9!

    3) In competition I tend to do open turns, youtube it and it comes up with some nice videos, they are fairly simple, put you lead arm on the edge of the pool, tuck in your legs and fire them under your body to the wall, as the arm thats not holding the edge goes underwater, pointing back along the direction you are going to be going. As your legs get to the wall, let go of the edge and take put that hand on top of the one underwater. At this point you should be horizontal, with legs bent, feet on the wall, arms overhead, then just push off hard.

    If you practice it a bit they can actually end up quite fast. Not as fast as tumble turns but not bad!
  • Tumble turns are sometimes legal, check with the organisers, they should know.



    One of the things I intend to master this winter are tumble turns, I'm sick of been left for dead by people who swim the same speed as me, but seem to gain about 4secs a length on the turn.



    I'm not sure i could TT in less than 1m, (i'm about 6'4''), but when i turn in that depth, i tri to keep as much in the swim stoke as possible. No standing or stopping. I kind of touch the end and bring my legs up from underneath / the side, turn and push... mind you it's rubbish compared to all those TTers.

  • transittransit Posts: 163
    I tumble turn in a pool with that depth of water, sometimes my arm naturally comes out and touches the bottom of the pool to ensure I don't slide along it but works well. If the end of the pool is busy with other swimmers then turn like mentioned in post above. I've never done a pool swim where TTs haven't been allowed but have heard this is the case sometimes
  • bennybenny Posts: 1,314
    Go to the race briefing, there they'll tell you if it's allowed or not. Otherwise ask the people who give the briefing about it.

    There used to be a thread about it, can't find it though,...
  • bennybenny Posts: 1,314
    STP2
  • diddsdidds Posts: 655
    benny wrote:


    STP2



    que?



    didds

  • bennybenny Posts: 1,314
    ignore it didds, its past time hopefully.
  • nivaghnivagh Posts: 595

    It would never have occurred to me to ask whether a tumble turn was permissible in a tri!



    I have done two pool tris in the last month - Southwell and Brigg, and tumbled in both. Though as I get more tired I tend not to, or if my stroke length doesn't work out right.



    Why would an event object to it? You're still covering the same distance.
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    You should try Stratford..particularly in May...carnage in the pool at the best of times with so many bodies, tumble turning would be lethal.
  • It would be if I tried, half the time I end up going off at 90 degrees...
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    Its the pool water still draining out of my nose the next day that puts me off...doesn't seem to charm other folks either...
  • nivaghnivagh Posts: 595

    The next day??



    Have you tried not breathing in while you're underwater? [:D]
  • A good technique for TTs is sight the end of the pool from about 5m out, judge your stroke going in and start your tun just over 1 1/2 strokes away. Time your turn so you breathe in 1 or 2 strokes before the turn and then on your last stroke follow you hand as it enters the water to pull you into the turn (don't glide in!). Flick your legs over (best to start with bent legs if you are a beginner as the wall is quite hard when you hit it with legs outstreched!!) and swivel so that you are facing the floor of the pool and push off.



    The trick to avoiding water in the sinuses for days is that last breath - you need it so you can breathe out through the turn. Other tips keep one hand (the hand on the catch at the turn) by your side and stabilise the turn with it (this takes some practise), thus avoiding the 90 degree push off!



    Hope these help



    Iain.
  • BritspinBritspin Posts: 1,655
    Hi Nivah..I am not breathing in, but upside down & twisted in the water just fills my sinuses nicely. Combat...sounds easy...looks more like drowning when I do it..I shall persevere, another winter objective.
  • WilkoWilko Posts: 23
    Like anything, being able to TT effectively is down to practice. I am 6'4" and can easily turn in 0.9m of water (although I have to admit swimming is my background).



    I found a good technique to help with training for TT is to wait until the end of a session and the lane ropes are taken out, or find a portion of the pool where the walls are close together (Like a joining piece of pool between the diving pit and the main pool). Push off the wall and just glide between the two walls, taking a stroke to breathe if you need to. Do say 3/4/5 turns or whatever you are happy with then take a break and repeat.



    By repeating the action in quick succession you can develop your technique by making small changes each time.



    Incidentally, my old swimming coach said to try to touch your knees with your forehead TT'ing - that way your head ends up pointing in the direction your legs are coming from.



    Current thinking is it is more efficient to hit the wall square with you feet and spin onto your front in the glide out from the wall. So perhaps doing some 50m crawl to backstroke so not worrying about the twist is a good place to start with TTs.
  • WilkoWilko Posts: 23
    Have a look at this link, not bad u/w shots of some strokes and turns:



    It is an advertising vid so here are some guide times:



    Strokes start at about 3 mins

    Turns start at about 4 mins 45s



    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IOSagnhDA9c
  • We tried a TT session at the Swim Class I go to the other week. Tips to avoid a head full of water are to hum. It maintains pressure in the sinuses and you shouldn't run out of air, even if you get breath timing all wrong. The way we where taught to start was with the push off the wall, glide, bring your legs up to a tuck and turn from there. When that's going OK try swimming at a wall and doing the same. One thing we where cuationed is that most people (over 90% apparently) try to turn too soon. We were told to turn at 1-1.5 stokes away. (How i do that whilt my face is looking at the bottom TI style is yet to be mastered). After all that though, I still can't successfully manage a turn reliabley enough to consider attempting one in a race. Still I have a few winter months to get it all sorted.

  • WilkoWilko Posts: 23
    aztechnology, sounds good.



    Like anything it comes with practice, so stick at it and u'll soon be turning like a pro!
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