# Swimming - what about a proper tumble turn ?



## 007fair (13 Dec 2011)

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!


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## jay clock (13 Dec 2011)

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.


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## xxmimixx (13 Dec 2011)

I want to learn to do this just to show off , 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


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## 007fair (13 Dec 2011)

xxmimixx said:


> I want to learn to do this just to show off , 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


I tried once too - was all over the place!


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## Arsen Gere (13 Dec 2011)

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 (14 Dec 2011)

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!


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## zizou (18 Dec 2011)

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


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## fimm (19 Dec 2011)

zizou said:


> 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


 
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.


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## gambatte (9 Jan 2012)

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.


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## xxmimixx (25 Jan 2012)

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


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