Top benefits from learning and practicing flip turns

I am definitely not the fastest swimmer in the field but I work hard, smart and persistently to improve my weakest discipline: swimming. Since I started triathlons, I had one and only one motivation line:

"If you want to get better in a sport you have to be an athlete of the sport".

Do you want to be a better swimmer? Then, you need to do what swimmers do. 

Simple and straightforward.

I understand that there is a lifelong debate whether triathletes gain benefits from learning how to flip turn or not. I am not a high-performance coach nor a high-performance triathlete to make definitive claims here but this is what I have gained over the years of practicing and doing flip turns consistently and constantly.

Practicing flip turns will make you incredibly faster on race day!

1. You maintain the continuity, the momentum and the rhythm of your swim. To give you an example: comparing flip turns with open turns or with stopping at the end of each lane is like trying to run a mile around the track and having to stop momentarily every 200 meters!

2. You actually get more rest. This is because when you flip turn you streamline and you rely on momentum getting in and out of the wall!

3. You practice breath control. This way you get more efficient on maintaining high intensity speeds in the water during the race!

4. You get a better feel for the water and gain better awareness of your body and speed. You become more efficient overall!

5. It is an awesome workout for the core ~ why spent hours at the gym when you can just practice flip turns and execute them while swimming?

Good luck!

Here is my little flip turn here: