Does the flip turn affect breathing? The key to maintaining a smooth freestyle rhythm
•5 min read
Compared to the relaxed ease of breaststroke or the graceful fluidity of butterfly, freestyle finds its joy in the seamless, harmonious interaction between body and water. As your body floats effortlessly, cradled and gliding smoothly through the water, it feels almost like a child being gently led by an adult into the heart of nature—especially when swimming outdoors, where the gentle presence of small fish swimming nearby adds an extra layer of magic to the experience.
As the saying goes, "Swimming outdoors is about enjoyment, while swimming in a pool focuses on perfecting your technique." Before diving into outdoor swimming, it’s essential to first master the basics—like effortlessly rolling in the pool, smoothly adjusting your body position, and seamlessly managing your breathing. Some swimmers actually prefer not to roll, fearing they might accidentally inhale water through their nose, bumping their heels against the pool edge during the motion, or even disrupting their freestyle rhythm by struggling with breath control—issues that could make long-distance swimming far less efficient and enjoyable.Actually, there isn’t much to it when it comes to rolling—what matters most is being able to roll smoothly and change your breath effortlessly while doing so. That’s what makes a good roll.
1. Don't rush into a standard forward roll.
The requirements for the flip include rolling swiftly, pushing off the wall with strong force, and executing the butterfly kick at the right moment. For amateur swimming enthusiasts, mastering the first two points is already a significant achievement. As for timing the butterfly kick after the flip, this skill depends heavily on consistent, professional swimming practice—and, importantly, it varies depending on how each swimmer performs the flip. Therefore, we won’t go into further detail here.The head acts as the rudder: tilting it downward causes you to dive, while lifting it upward makes you float up. A slight tilt to the left or right will steer you in the desired direction. The key to performing a proper roll is to first tuck your head in—without this step, the roll simply can’t begin. If, after tucking your head and initiating the roll, your body ends up rolling unevenly or drifting off course, don’t worry; you can refine your technique by slowing down the roll’s pace and curling your body tighter as you move through the motion.
2. After rolling, quickly adjust your body position into a streamlined shape.
You can’t roll for the sake of rolling—swimming isn’t just splashing around. Instead, promptly extend your arms and pay attention to how lifting or pressing your palms affects your body’s direction as you move forward. Find the palm angle that works best for propelling your body efficiently through the water; this is the first sensation you should focus on after initiating a roll.Before performing the roll, make sure to gauge the distance from the pool edge—aim for about half your body length—and tuck your head in immediately. Avoid the habit of glancing at the pool edge, as this can delay both the tucking and rolling motions, increasing the risk of your heels accidentally hitting the side of the pool.It’s important to note that after the roll, avoid developing the habit of pushing off the wall only when your entire foot is fully pressed against the pool edge. While this technique can generate maximum kicking power, it also causes a noticeable pause in your swimming motion. A better approach is to firmly plant the balls of your feet against the wall and then apply a gentle push-off. After pushing off, time your butterfly kick just as you sense your forward momentum beginning to slow down.It's important to strike a balance between the dolphin kick, power, and timing—specifically, ensuring that the timing and intensity of the dolphin kick align perfectly with the edge push—to achieve the best propulsion. Simply opting for either the edge push or the dolphin kick alone won't lead to improved swimming efficiency.3. The Impact of Rolling Movements on BreathingAfter all, the flip turn disrupts the familiar two-stroke-one-breath or three-stroke-one-breath swimming rhythm, so some impact is inevitable. However, you can minimize this disruption by treating the flip turn and wall push-off as a chance to "catch your breath."Generally, to avoid water entering the nose during a flip turn, swimmers need to exhale forcefully through their noses. Even so, some swimmers still easily get water up their nostrils—often because, after completing the flip, they tilt their heads too far back and fail to keep their chins firmly pressed against their necks. This causes their nostrils to point almost completely "upward," making it no surprise that they end up choking on water. Additionally, once the roll is complete and your body assumes a perfectly streamlined position, don’t rush to surface for a breath—instead, focus on engaging your core, straightening your body again, and using your butterfly kick to accelerate upward as you move forward. Avoid relying solely on the natural buoyancy of the water to bring you up; doing so would be slower and could easily trigger that "holding your breath" sensation, which might disrupt your breathing rhythm.
