Turns are a great time to make a move, push your pace, and try to break away from the pack.  But there’s more to working the turn than simply getting around the buoy.

To set up a great turn, you need to start far in advance -- sometimes as much as five hundred to a thousand meters from the buoy.  

The key is to set up your position so you have the inside track.  Sometimes this isn’t possible, but if you can position yourself on the inside edge of the pack, and then hold that position and not get push around by other swimmers, you’ll swim less yardage and gain valuable seconds over the rest of the pack. 

In a race, I swim right at the buoy, while at the same time I’m trying to be on the inside edge of the pack.

As I come to the buoy -- and let’s say I have to turn on my right shoulder -- I try to hit the buoy with my right shoulder.

Then, I leave my right arm extended and take a couple of strokes with my left arm.  I swim only with my left arm as I’m turning to my right side.  I can’t swim with my right arm because it’s literally right ON the buoy.

If I have to turn on my left shoulder, I hit the buoy with my left shoulder, leave my left arm extended, and swim only with my right arm.  

Sometimes, you can even try to dive under the buoy a little bit.  As long as you turn on the correct side of the buoy, you’re OK.  

If you’re not on the inside edge, you should still single-arm the turn.  And you should still try to get really close to the buoy.  This gets physical, and you have to keep your bearings because you don’t want to get hit.  

For a fast turn, it’s important to swim through the turn.  Keep swimming.   Once your shoulder hits the buoy, start swimming immediately with one arm and then start swimming with both arms as soon as you make the turn.  You want to start swimming a normal stroke as soon as possible.  

Some swimmers take it kind of easy around the turn.  They pause and don’t continue their stroke.  

If you have a small buoy and something to anchor it with, you can practice turns in a pool or in open water.

Start by going single file, getting your shoulder right on the buoy and swimming with one arm around the turn.

Then go two at a time, with each swimmer learning how to battle for the inside position.  Swim through the turn and keep going.  

Then try it with four or more swimmers approaching the buoy as a pack.  This can be a lot of fun and will build your confidence and skill for an actual race.


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Skills for Open Water - Turns