SBR Utopia - OPEN (Page 102)

Is this a stationary somersault or are you just trying it away from the wall while swimming?  I find a stationary one harder to do than while moving forward as that momentum helps bring your legs over quicker.

Neil, the only thing I can share is that I was determined to get somewhere with them, so I set aside 5-10 minutes at the end of every swim at the beginning of last year. I went down to the end of the pool, started from treading water and swam a strong 10 yds, then flipped at the wall, pushed off and just let it flow. It took a few (OK, more then a few) sessions, but I just kept doing them. I don't feel completely comfortable now, but I continue to work them here and there and it is getting better. Keep working on them, it'll come to you.

Stationary.  I can get the somersault okay, but it's the clogged nose that's driving me nuts.

I hope so - cause right now, I'm not so sure.

I'm still trying to figure out flip turns myself.  I think I could get them down if I simply stuck to practicing them.  Seems like everytime I sort of get them down, I have one with a total fail and go back to open turns.

As far as the nose issue.  You don't actually need to blow out a lot of air.  You just need to create a little bit of pressure to keep from water going in.  Try it but just wading in the pool and slowly lean your head back.  Try to find the minimum amount of pressure you need to blow out of your nose to keep the water from coming in.  You actually should be able to push out so little that no bubbles come out.

And that is why I wear nose plugs.  Honestly I have to use nose plugs regardless cause otherwise my nose runs allllll day long, flip turns or not.  I have no shame in using the nose plugs in training.  I find I have no issues going to open water and no plugs, doesn't affect my breathing or rhythm at all

I'll echo what Arend said about taking a little momentum into the wall.  Get your last glance to judge the distance to the wall, then tuck your chin downward *before* the turn.  Keep your normal stroke (one arm at your side, one forward).  Then bring the forward arm down and start the roll.  You won't have that much movement with your head - it's already most of the way there, and your arms are now pointing the other way.  Just gotta get the legs over smoothly.

I exhale a little but not completely.  Start out trying it with your "forward" arm opposite your breathing side.  That way you get one last breath just before the turn.

Hard to describe on a forum but it just takes some repetitions.

Hmmm...  http://www.ironman.com/triathlon/events/ironman-70.3/luxembourg.aspx

Anyone ever done a European 70.3 event?  That falls right into when I'd like to do a second HIM this year and would also fall under my race-cation preferences.

Hope everyone had a great weekend! Mine was great!

Friday rode 45 mins avg 20.3

Sat. Crossfit workout aobut 60 mins

Sun - Spin class. First time back to spin class since PF, I was hesitant at first but felt good heel was sore that evening

today going for massage

Enjoy!

Lord, if I only did things in training that I do on race day then I would hardly do any training at all!

Neil, it will probably make the swimmers in the group just die, and not sure if it is the right way to go, but honestly when I started doing flip turns about 20 years ago I did them wrong although I didn't know it - I just did what it looked like the "real" swimmers were doing. I basically started my rotation in the middle of the flip, which pretty much solved the bulk of the water up the nose problem for me and let me focus on the timing coming into the wall. Later when it was pointed out to me what I was doing wrong it it was really easy to adjust. And just last year I got called out by my coach about my poor streamlining off the wall and worked for a couple of sessions on that - again, that was really easy to pick up after just a little bit. So what seemed to work for me is to break it down into one piece at a time - just don't take 20 more years to do it!

About 3 years ago I focused on learning them around Thanksgiving time and had them in pretty good shape by January 1.  I would start and end my workouts working on the flip turn just how you are now.   Eventually I started to incorporate them into my Warm-up and cooldown, and then into my easier sets and finally into all my swimming...which the threshold sets were tough at first but eventually I got better at slowly exhaling on my flip so I was not hustling for breath following my turn.

It would have been easy to give up for sure although I really enjoy swimming a bit more with the flip turn and makes it a more continuous effort.  It also makes it easier to swim with a group.

Not essential, but I think it was worth it for me.

Meaning your feet don't hit the wall while you are completely on your back?  If that's what you mean, neither do I - I'm probably at about a 45 degree angle by the time I push off.  The only exception being when I am doing backstroke.

Arend - never done a European race, but we are a big fan of the race-cation and usually try to one a year or so with all of tri friends. We almost bagged IMLP for IM Switzerland this year which is on the same date, but our group of friends that we race and travel with opted out of IM this year. Very interested to hear what others have experienced as well, because if we do another IM anytime in the near future it will probably be France, Austria, Switzerland, or UK just based on timing. Sort of leaning toward the (non-WTC) Alpe D'huez Long Course Triathlon for next year as part of a longer trip to France that would include watching a couple of TDF mountain stages, but we are in the very early stages of considering it. Gotta get through IMLP one more time first...

Yeah Neil, like James says I think you just have a bad attitude about the whole thing.

Arend - that is where I am now as well, when I first started doing flips I was almost all the way back to my belly when pushed off. It was very hard on the knees and It was exposed last summer when I suffered a pinched meniscus. I basically flipped sideways instead of over, I think. I still need to work on my flip to the backstroke - I do a regular flip and then roll over to my back as I breach the surface. So now I guess I am the one with bad attitude!

I had an interesting conversation with my swim coach on this.  He is always preaching at the kids to do dolphin kicks off of every single wall and after practice one day I asked for more details on what he suggested.  Specifically, should the kicks start right away vs a short glide and should they be bigger or smaller.  Anyway, his first question to me was whether or not I flipped straight over or a bit on my side.  When I said I was on an angle, he thought that was fine and that there was apparently some study done that suggested that was faster for the dolphin kicks anyway (being on your side vs back).

So, long story short, I am going to keep doing the angled flip and my swim coach is all good with it!  

Well, do what you want, but if you don't fix it you are always going to be a sh*tty swimmer.

One of my training partners has been going to Europe the past couple of years for IM.  He did Austria last year and is doing Switzerland this year.  I think he's done a couple more in the past but he absolutely loves it.  The roads are super wide and smooth, the courses are beautiful and challenging, and the vacation time afterwards is great.

Something I'd love to do one day.

Been too long since we say you post James.

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Happy Monday guys! This is my last week before Spring break (2 weeks off)!

I went back to the dermatologist today because I was not happy with how my foot was healing. I can still only wear a couple of pairs of shoes and it hurts a lot. They were not real happy with it either and gave me some cream for it that might speed up the healing process (why didn't they give me that 5 weeks ago??). I am so sick of my foot hurting, and sick of wearing ugly shoes! I know it's not a major injury but it has become a real nuisance

Grrrrrrrr

I really hope it gets better soon ... I know what it's like to be held back from being as active as you are!

Amusingly enough, I just had breakfast with an ER doc here in Taupo who's on BT (leftrunner) ... he's awesome! I'm healing up well myself ... and already looking forward toward the next race ...