How to Do Fast Open Turns for Breaststroke: Step-by-Step Technique
Nailing your open turns in butterfly, breaststroke, or the individual medley can make a huge difference in race speed — and this video walks you through the exact steps to master them. First, you’ll learn the importance of two-hand wall touches, followed by how to use your arm and foot positioning to rotate 45 degrees efficiently. Timing the breath, maintaining a tight streamline, and snapping your feet sideways onto the wall are all critical to execute a fast push-off. The tutorial also includes a helpful variation for the butterfly-to-backstroke transition, where rotation timing changes slightly to suit the stroke rules. With simple visuals and expert cues, this is a must-watch for swimmers aiming to sharpen their transitions and drop time. Want to learn the trickiest turn of all — backstroke to breaststroke? Drop a comment and subscribe for more swimming tips!
Takeaways:
• Always touch with both hands simultaneously for legal and fast transitions.
• Rotate 45° during the turn using arm motion and foot speed.
• Keep a tight streamline and fast foot placement for explosive push-offs.
• For fly-to-back turns, push off facing up without rotating during the turn.
Core Points
Techniques for Fast Open Turns:
Emphasis is placed on three critical components for proficient open turns in swimming styles such as butterfly, breastroke, or individual medley.
The initial step involves both hands touching the wall simultaneously.
Arm and Body Positioning:
Once the hands make contact, one hand remains on the wall while the other initiates a movement back underwater.
This combination of arm motion and foot action is intended to facilitate a 45-degree body rotation.
Breathing Coordination:
The second arm waits for the swimmer to take a breath; following this, the arm exits the water and aligns with the other hand to create a streamlined position.
Foot Positioning:
Feet play a crucial role in the execution of fast turns, requiring the swimmer to bring their feet sideways to the wall swiftly.
Knees should bend immediately upon the hands touching the wall to prepare for the next move.
Streamline Techniques:
For optimal speed, it is recommended to hide one foot behind the other during the execution of the turn.
The swimmer should position themselves with their feet flat against the wall, ready for a powerful push.
Body Orientation:
The swimmer’s chest should face the side of the pool as they prepare to push off.
A crucial moment occurs here when the swimmer is to push sideways while simultaneously rotating an additional 45 degrees into a tight streamline.
Variations for Specific Turns:
For a butterfly-to-backstroke turn, the technique slightly differs; the swimmer should pull their feet from underneath without additional rotation and push off facing upwards.
