Every-Stroke Turn Circuit
A rotating circuit of the turn for each stroke – touch turns for breaststroke and butterfly, tumble for front crawl, backstroke turn with flags – so every wall is practised.
- Stages
- Swimming – Stage 10
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Skills
- Streamlining, Turns
- Equipment
- None
- Age
- 9–99 years
- Group size
- 2–16 swimmers
- Time
- About 8 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2, Game / Consolidation
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
Safety notes
- Tumble and backstroke turns only in adequate depth; stagger swimmers so only one approaches a station at a time.
What it develops
- Link strokes in individual medley order
- Starts, turns and finishes as part of a swim
How to run it
- Set four stations along the wall, one per stroke (or rotate strokes in one lane).
- Swimmers swim in from about 10 metres, turn using the correct turn for that stroke, and push off into streamline.
- After two goes, they move to the next station.
- Finish with a short swim that includes two different turns.
Teaching cues
- Right touch for the stroke.
- Turn tight, feet high on the wall.
- Streamline before you swim.
Make it easier
- Use open turns for every stroke.
Make it harder
- Add the finish touch on the last wall.
- Hold a stroke count into each turn.
Common faults
- One-hand touch on breaststroke or butterfly.
- Backstroke swimmers lose count of strokes from the flags.
- Push-off without streamline.
Corrections
- 'Two hands for breast and fly.'
- 'Flags, count, turn.'
- 'Push, squeeze, glide.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Supervise one station, confirming it is clear before each swimmer approaches and reminding them which turn the station uses.