Turns - Tennessee Turns

we do these, but we do them for flip turns as well. and you don't get to pull down until you are about to turn. we focus more on getting into a small tuck and doing an actual race like turn. unlike your swimmer here, we don't pull down for flip turns until you would on the last stroke of swimming normal, so we have to kick in to the wall, just like you should in a race. also if we were doing open turns under the water, we probably wouldn't allow a pull down, and we definately wouldn't touch with one turn. you talk about doing great turns in pratice, but this looks like a lazy turn to me. i would want to see/do a race pace turn, and one that mimics exactly how you would do it in a race. i think that you are focusing too much on just the no breathing, when you should be using it to help teach the kids more efficent turns, use it to motivate them to have tight tucks and quick push offs.

i don't think it should be just for college swimmers, is a pretty simple drill. it works on a concept thats important to most swimmers. slow turns are going to hurt an age grouper just as much as a college swimmer. i wouldn't use it with beginners, but higher level age groupers definately.

You can do this drill with just about any age group. I have done it with my 9/10s as well. Yes, some have a problem making it back out of the flags after the turn without coming backup for breath. However, they keep improving.

I coach HS kids and here is a varriation of the set that I use with my sprinters.

10 sec. of fast veritical kicking at the flags. I blow a whistle. they do a complete flip then dive underwater, do a Tennesse turn and sprint no breath to the 12.5. We normally will do anywhere between 4-6 of these followed by 4 x 50 Build with Tenessee turns followed by 1 x 50 ALL OUT for time.

We see and the kids feel awesome on the last 50. I don't know if the're excitted that the set is over or if they really realize that their turns are so explosive.

i tried these and had a terrible headache but will continue to practise them, as you really pick up speed and conseve energy with a good turn

On my old team, we used to do this. It was challenging but good in training yourself especially for those who tend to breath the first stroke off the wall.

I debated getting into this section… too many memories from those battles in the mid 70’s… still have a hard time saying Tennessee without gritting my teeth. No offense to anyone out there, but my kids know better than to wear anything orange around the house.

Anyway, I’ll add one extra feature or note that I think is important. You’re using the underwater environment to increase the feeling of drag, and thereby teaching the athlete how to execute efficient turns based off their increased level of sensitivity to speed and motion underwater. Especially with open turns (br & fl) you take out the breathing option, and so focus on the mechanics that make a fast turn. The area that really kills turns on the surface (be & fl) is when the brain pushes for an early breath and that pretty much blows up the athlete’s ability to execute a tight tuck, and subsequently a fast turn. It’s a key element that kids need to understand.

The second item is the fact that when we use the wall to execute the turn, we become dependent on the wall as a source for leverage. I’d recommend doing turns in the middle of the pool with no wall for leverage and just the anchors created by the limbs to effect the turn. I’d work on this two focusing on these two elements. The amount of leverage applied by the limbs, and the angle of push off when the turn has been completed. So when I ask kids to do this midpool, I’m looking for a fast execution, but beyond that, I want them in a streamlined position at the right angle below the surface to affect a perfect pushoff… at this point in a totally connected streamlined position. When they can do that, the last thing I do with the midpool drill, is to have them do this with their eyes closed. Become very good at effecting the perfect turn with no visual cortex involvement.

So would follow this midpool progression:
Execute the turn working on leveraging the anchors and getting the body around with the correct motor movement… so establish the pattern of movement at a very slow to moderate pace. With younger kids I’d even break the turning section into two to three separate sections in order to develop correct neuronal patterns of movement.
As that develops, add the streamline position at the right angle to the skill… so end up in the right position
Follow that by increasing the speed of the combined movement
Once that has been solidified, add the element of doing it with their eyes closed. You can also do this along the way to develop a better sense of feel as they develop the patterns.

The progression of that kind of drill teaches kids to get better at this area, and makes them much better when they get on the wall. Plus it will go a long way in developing the sensory and motor cortices with regards to developing the perfect turn.

I am with Jonty. I debated whether to get involed in this. I don't have a dog in this fight but I did spend 3 years at UT under Bussard in the late 70s and early 80s.
There is no question that Bussard was one of the early innovators of our sport by introducing extensive dryland, reaction drills, and "outside" physical activities to further his swimmers.
But there is another side of Tenn Swimming that is not talked about, or not well known. Bussard was one of the greatest recruiters of any sport in NCAA history. He would have much better been suited as a NCAA football or basketball recuiter and nothing else. He was a salesman as well demonstrated by his flashy and excentric behavior.
We were "tutored" in which classes to attend. I remember taking such garbage classes as miltary planning where to get an A you had to bring in a plastic model for the instructor, "Economic conditions in the Yantaze Valley". When I transfered after 3 years at UT, I barely had enough to be a freshman at any other school.
How many of you swam in college? Imagine being told that you were forbidden to go to the trainer? If you did you were automatically off the team. Or if you missed a practice, due to being sick you were automatically off the team. If you got a cold or the flu, Bussard said it was was your body's and mind's inability to handle stress. We were not allowed to schedule a class during practice, even if it was the only time it was offered. Sometimes classes were delayed for 2-3 quarters because you were not allowed to attend that class before you took this prerequistite
But how many know that in my class that graduated in '83 that there were 2 Seniors. There were no "survioring" members of the 79 class, the recruiting class after they won the '78 NCAA Champs. I am saying that the ENTIRE class recruited the year AFTER Tenn won the NCAAs did not stay due to Bussard. Not 1 or 2 or 3 people but the entire recruited class. Imagine going to a school which won the NCAAs the previous year and NO ONE stays.
The 1980 incoming class featured Bart Schineder, National high school record holder in the 50 free, already an NCAA finalist before he ever set foot on UT. Bart also had extensive shoulder problems and under Dick Schoulberg, who is a hard ass is his own right, only trained Bart 1500 yards a day to prevent further problems. Bussard threw Bart into 20,000 yards a day, full Nautilus and dryland with the "reasoning 'We won the NCAAs with our program and nothing is going to change'". God, I heard that crap until I puked. Bart tried to explain to Bussard his shoulder problems. Bussard would not even listen to him. Several swimmers/and captains attempted to try to talk to Bussard to allow Bart some consideration. He would not even listen.
Bart would go back and fall asleep with ice on both shoulders. Finally he had enough and walked out. Bussard in a team meeting said Bart was done at Tenn and would not even let the other swimmers talk to him.
I also vividly remember Andy Coan telling the team he was not coming back his SR year due to the pain and rehab he was going through with his wrist after being involved in a tremondous auto accident. He had several screws and pins placed in his arm just to have use of his hand again. We were at the campus track. Andy made his announcement and left to walk across the track home. When he was 1/2 across Bussard stood up, called him a p and said he was not willing to sacrifice for UT and not worthy to be a "VOL". All the while as we watched Andy walk across the field. All Andy had done was win 5-6 NCAA titles for Tenn and 3-4 American records to boot. And that is what Bussard thought of Andy when he could not continue due to injury.
I remember that class, 1980. 28 swimmers coming in the fall, loads of talent. 8 swimmers were still there at christmas. One swimmer who was a great breast stroker and IMer who came from a rinky dink program who had never lifted weights in his life struggled. He couldn't do one dip, but was a National qualifer in several events. His potential was not even realized. But I have to say he took everything Bussard gave him while trying to get him to quit. He lasted his freshman year, transfered to another school and as he told me later, delighted in kicking Bussard's butt every chance he had the rest of his career. Out of 28 swimmers, 2 swam as SRs. 2 out of 28 lasted in one class alone.
In the spring after we won the 78 NCAAs, the team took a trip to Gatlinburg. Sat night we were all sitting around. Someone asked the question, " Even though we won the NCAAs, was what we had to go through worth it". I remember it clear as yesterday, not one person raised their hand or said yes.
Bussard knew his swimming, but as one swimmer said later after he left and this sums it up best, "The only worth Bussard placed on you was what you could do for Tenn swimming."
My only regret was that I wish I had signed with Alabama when Coach Gambril offered me the chance.

This drill is really hard! I mean you have to hold your breath so long! Fun though!