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Swimming - what about a proper tumble turn ?

Discussion in 'Duathlon and Triathlon' started by 007fair, 13 Dec 2011.

    007fair Executive Member

    Location:
    Glasgow Brr ..
    My swimming is improving and I can now swim 750 meters in a pool .
    It will be a different animal in open water though and I wondered if, in preperation, it would be beneficial to learn to tumble turn at the end of each length to keep the stroke and breathing more even - ie more like open water where there is no rest, however brief. Anyone mastered this and is it
    A easy
    B worth it!

    jay clock Senior Member

    Location:
    Hampshire UK
    I wouldn't bother. Personally I find OW swimming so much easier due to being in a wetsuit that I am much better than in a pool.

    xxmimixx Executive Member

    I want to learn to do this just to show off :whistle:, seriously when I tried I felt seriously disorientated! But if you do a Triathlon in a local pool most dont allow tumble turns anyway so not much benefit apart from self gratification

    007fair Executive Member

    Location:
    Glasgow Brr ..
    :smile:I tried once too - was all over the place!

    Arsen Gere Member

    Location:
    North East, UK
    Apart from looking cool, being able to splash the hangers on at the edge of the pool and chasing floaters from your lane a tumble turn is not that much use in triathlons. Some pools don't have clear edge markings so you can't judge where the edge is. Some tri's ban them so you don't hit other people. Tumble turns in the sea/river/lake are pointless.

    Nothing wrong with mastering extra water skills though. I find that I am more out of breath on tumble turns so do a few and then forget it.
    I'd put it on the bottom of the list of skills you need for triathlon.
    Have fun.

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    Flying_Monkey King of All Wild Things

    Agreed that they are not much use in triathlons with open-water swims. However, if there are some tris, especially earlier in the season, that use pools, and if you're going to swim in a pool for any other reason, it is a useful little skill to have. Tumble-turns done well just feel great!

    zizou Executive Member

    I wouldnt like to have to swim front crawl over any distance without doing tumble turns. Open turns break up rhythm and feel quite awkward to do in comparision to a tumble turn once you get the technique right.

    Didnt realise they were banned in pool based triathlons...a ridiculous rule! Another example of the tri conspiracy against swimmers :biggrin:

    fimm Executive Member

    Location:
    Edinburgh
    I think it varies from race to race whether tumble turns are banned or not - I'm pretty sure I've done races where they are allowed (though I'm not certain, as I can't tumble myself). The arguement for banning them would be that you could be a hazard to other swimmers in your lane, I think.

    gambatte Middle of the pack...

    Location:
    S Yorks
    I've practiced them, not used them in a race though. My kids are learning to swim and on Saturday I was watching the next level up class. They were practicing tumble turns. First what they did was to swim and then effectively do a forward roll in the middle of the pool and carry on swimming.

    xxmimixx Executive Member

    Im going to try this just for fun when I go swimming next! Seems simple in the video LOL

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