How To Flip Turn | Freestyle Swimming Tips For Beginners

Flip-turns, or tumble turns are an essential freestyle swimming how-to skill. The flip turn has caused a lot of frustration for many swimmers and triathletes over the years. In this video, we’re going to explain the advantages of the flip turn and more importantly, how to do it!

When learning to flip turn, we need to build our confidence, and for that, we’re going to do it away from any walls. That way you can practice and get used to somersaulting 360 degrees without the worry of colliding with anything.

For this we’re going to lie horizontal in the water, or as best as you can. To start the flip movement, just pull forwards ever so slightly to give yourself a little momentum. Then draw your nose and chin towards your chest. By doing this, your head will actually direct your body and begin the rotation. At this point, you should bring your knees into your chest as tight as possible. By being in this compact position it will make the flip a lot easier and quicker.

Complete as many of these turns as you need until you feel confident enough to almost do them eyes closed. Once you’re at that point and you’re feeling braver, you can gradually begin moving closer to the wall. You still don’t need to touch the wall, but it’s a great way to increase your spacial awareness and confidence of the skill.

Follow along with the rest of this video and with a little practise, you'll be turning like a pro!

If you enjoyed this video, make sure to give it a thumbs up and share it with your friends. 👍

Submit your content here:

Watch more on GTN...

Music: Epidemic Sound
Bang On - Johnny Berglund
Comfort Zone - Nebulae
Etiqueta - Bassio
Hopeful Heavey Rock Trailer No6 - Johnny Berglund
No Limits - Matt Large

Photos: © Triathlon / Getty Images

The Global Triathlon Network (GTN) is the best triathlon YouTube channel, with videos for anyone who loves triathlon: from seasoned Ironman racers to first-timers – and everyone in between.

With the help of our pro and Olympic medal winning team, we’re here to inform, entertain and inspire you to become a better triathlete; including videos on:

How to swim, bike, and run faster with expert knowledge
Beat your PB with record-breaking expertise
Get the best from your bike and gear with pro-know-how
In-depth, entertaining features from the heart of the sport
Chat, opinion and interact with us across the channel and on social media every week

Join us on YouTube’s best triathlon channel to get closer to the sport and to become a better, faster and fitter triathlete.

Welcome to the Global Triathlon Network.

Thanks to our sponsors:

[stayhomewearamask]

Everytime I see the olympics I always get this burst of energy and determination to become an Olympian 😭😭

[hurricane]

Miraculously, when I was on my school swim team, we all managed to learn flipturns just fine. I always found them fun once I got the hang of it. But even after YEARS of friendly competition (I swam from grades 6-12 and so did many teammates), our coach still made us work on our dives every year. It was so bad that our (very German) coach either yelling “KATASTROPHE” or muttering it in disappointment became a running joke, and one year our team chant was “KATASTROPHE! KATASTROPHE! Good times! :D

[sabbatv]

For people who doesn’t know how to breathe while the tumble turn, you just have to breathe out gently :)

[nearestyoutube]

I don't bother with flip turns. I just break through the wall.

[janiestephens]

My phobia is I'm SO SCARED I'm going to hit the wall with my head! Also when I do the flip I feel like i'm almost out of breath...Even if I've just breathed!!

[HenriqueGMaio]

I'm a lifeguard, I always get fascinated by the "professional" swimmers at the pool I work at, I always try to stand by the edge when they make the flip-turns xD
I was "taught" how to do it some years ago but never used it on my swimming practices so I don't know how to do it. I guess I have to start practicing but it really looks hard doing it.

[rightgirlwrongplanet]

Using this video as a guide for 3rd attempt. So far water up the nose, toes stubbed off the wall-ooft - and rotating side ways instead of feet over the top of my head! Will keep practicing

[sashas_eaten_potato]

This is actually helpful, as a swimmer myself I find this very helpful cause I’m not the greatest at flip turns 😅, and watching how you guys do it definitely helps, THXSSS

[cieskidar]

Appreciate the video. I swim as part of my fitness routine- a mile at minimum and have been trying to figure out the flip turn because of its efficiency. I’ve watched other videos and made many failed attempts. I appreciate the tidbit about feet at a 45 degree angle. That is what was happening and I shoot off face down. Many videos have swimmers staying face up and that was where I struggled. The pool is shallow at the ends and I’d crash I to the bottom. This works for me! It does take time to get the breathing, but worth it. Thanks.

[danielcaldwell]

I have never been able to do a flip turn right. I have always used my hands out to the sides to flip and then had to take time to get them out front. Then last week the coach of my masters swim team said after pulling with your hands down and starting your flip turn your hands over pulling water up driving your head down. I had a little time to practice and think I'm beginning to get it. I noticed both Mark and Heather did this. I am 68 years old and never noticed or heard that before. Great video guys.

[Libertarian_Neighbor]

Now if I could just do this without getting 4 gallons of water up my giant nose!

[abhishekkaushik]

You didn't stress on the importance of breathing out while doing the turn, else most beginners would just load a bagful of water in their lungs ! 😂

[pauleohl]

I am 80 y/o. I learned to flip at age 70. I swim for fitness and would not like to swim without flipping.

[anuptejasvi]

Thanks guys !! I always wanted to do it. Will try it today. Though have failed miserably plenty of times before ! Of all the other reasons I believe flip turn looks very stylish as a swimmer 😎

[s_ramos]

Hi! Just wanna say thank you for this video! I learned to do flip-turn just by watching this video tutorial a few times. I started my swimming lessons last June and I got frustrated with this flip-turn stuff! 😂 I told my coach after a few weeks of trying that "sorry it's not happening!" Lol and he kindly tells me that "it's ok, the beginners don't need to learn this. They just want us to try if we can do it or not. My classmates can do it easily but not me and I don't want to be left out so I simply find a way to learn these. I try to do it while floating on my front and it's been so easy! Later I'll try to do the freestyle with flip turn. 😆

[tonyjablonski]

Great tip when she mentioned: it should be like your sitting in a chair facing the ceiling when your legs are on the wall. Outstanding video.

[strugglingcollegestudent]

The tip about your feet being at a 45 degree angle is really helpful. I’m going to keep practicing the landing

[echomjp]

I have been swimming (on and off) since I was a little kid, and I'm now 31 years old. Yet whenever I lap swim in recent years, I have never enjoyed doing a Flip Turn. Instead, I would just turn myself around, maybe take a quick breath, and then continue my lap. Now that I have been improving my swimming again though and swimming more regularly, I wanted to ensure I am improving. This video was helpful - I was already able to do a "Flip Turn" just naturally if I wanted to, but this showed me a more proper technique and will help me adjust with some practice.

[KrishnaManchikalapati]

It is creating one body distance difference when one switches from touch-turn to flip-turn.👌 Thanks for the comparison part at the end of the video and rationale for practicing it even for Open water event preparation. Very useful 👍

[amberkennedy]

Thank you so much for showing this video this is my second year on a swim team my first year I couldn’t dive or do a flip turn, but this year which is my second year I can dive now, but still no flip turn. Even though I’m on a swim team I still like triathlons better.