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Tip: Rowdy Gaines on improving your flipturns at every wall
By Rowdy Gaines
 Rowdy Gaines was one of many American Olympians, who saw their moment in the sun - the 1980 Olympics - dashed. Gaines, however, stuck out another four years and earned three Olympic gold medals. He is one of America's greatest sprinters. Now Rowdy can be seen on the TV airwaves as a commentary. He has been on the NBC broadcast team for the past three Olympic Games.
Improving your flipturns at every wall
Tip #1 - Accelerate
Never slow down going into the wall. One of the big mistakes young (and old) swimmer make is, when they approach the wall, they begin to "measure" and their speed begins to decelerate. The more speed you have going into the turn the more momentum you will have coming off it.
Tip #2 - Head down
The best swimmers in the world never lift their head up at any point in their race and that includes the turn. Jenny Thompson is a good example on this tip. When she arrives at a big competition and new pool, she practices going into her turn and making her initial flip, looking at the cross on the bottom of the pool, not at the wall. This takes a lot of experience, so if you can't do that then ...
Tip #3 - Tuck your chin
As you make your initial tumble throw our chin to your chest. The head is very heavy. It's like a bowling ball sitting on top of your shoulders. The weight of the head can sometimes be a detriment during the stroke, but in this case, use that mass to your advantage by going into a nice tuck "throwing" your chin to your chest.
Tip #4 - Feet shoulder-width apart
Simple, yet many come over feet together (bringing the weight of a lot of water on the back of their legs). Or their feet are too far apart. Visualize a standing broad jump coming off the wall with knees bent, but not too much.
Tip #5 - Bottom arm first.
"When coming of the wall, you should initially be on your back, quickly rotating to your side. Your first stroke (which, by the way, is the single most important stroke you take), should be taken with the arm facing the bottom of the pool. Anthony Ervin might do this better than anybody.
Tip #6 - Streamline
The most important word in all of swimming, at least from a technical standpoint, is streamline. It is impossible to swim faster then when you push off the wall. Why not take advantage of that by streamlining correctly, in three easy steps:
> One hand on top of the other
> Thumb clasped around your bottom hand
> Biceps squeezed against the back of your ears.
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