Most candidates spend forever on the walls.  They grab the lip of the pool with one hand, then grab it with the other hand, then pull themselves up and nearly halfway out of the water.  Then they drag their legs to the wall, get turned around and grab the wall AGAIN and then finally push off.

This wastes so much time!  

Compare the last turn to this turn, where the swimmer glides into the wall on his side… touches with one hand… gets the legs into a tight tuck, gets the hands in position to streamline, and gets both feet on the wall for a solid push off.

The difference in time is huge.  If you do your 500-yard screening test in a 25-yard pool, that’s 24 turns.  If you can learn to turn in 3 seconds rather than 6 seconds, you’ve just saved yourself more than a minute – and that can mean the difference between passing your test…and failing.

Practice your turn in stages, and start with the last part first.

Start by hanging on to the wall with one hand.  Place your feet on the wall with the toes pointed toward 10 o’clock or 11 o’clock rather than straight up.

Memorize how this foot position feels, then sink down and do what’s called a “drop push.”  Push off not on your back, but just slightly on your side.

If you’re more comfortable on the other side, your toes would be pointed at 1 o’clock or 2 o’clock rather than 10 o’clock.   

This is the position you want to get to on every wall, just before you push off.

Once you know your foot position, go out to the backstroke flags and start kicking into the wall in Extended Balance – Nose Up.  

Keep one arm fully extended as you approach the wall.  Look up with your eyes, lean in at the top part of your back, and keep kicking so your legs don’t sink.

If you can come into the wall with your body in a horizontal position, like this swimmer is doing, you’ll shave seconds and even minutes off your PST swim time.

When your hand touches the wall, make sure your palm is DOWN so that you can quickly grab the ledge and pull yourself in.  

Tuck up into a tight ball and get your feet on the wall, pointed at either 10 or 2.  

Now you’re ready for the push off. 


Sign In to watch video

BONUS - Turns