Open Water Swimming: Buoy Turns
The corkscrew turn is the fastest way to change direction, and this drill can help you master it
Tight buoy turns in open water races are critical to maintaining momentum around the course. But they can be challenging to master, as many of us slow down to find the buoy, get around it, and then get back up to racing speed.
Enter the corkscrew buoy turn, a specific kind of open water turn that incorporates a stroke or two of backstroke to preserve much of that momentum as you make a tight turn around the buoy.
To learn how to perform a basic corkscrew turn, practice rotating on your centerline axis from freestyle to backstroke. Take a few freestyle strokes then keep going with your rotation and move seamlessly into a few backstroke strokes. Rinse and repeat until it feels natural to swim in this corkscrew fashion.
Once you’ve got the hang of that movement, you can set up a corkscrew duel to learn how to corkscrew around a buoy. The corkscrew duel requires you to work with a partner, but it’s a fun way to practice your open water buoy turns.
Have your partner stand in one place. You should start about five meters away and swim toward them using your regular open water freestyle stroke.
As you approach, corkscrew onto your back to make a 90-degree turn. Take another one or two freestyle strokes, then corkscrew again to make another 90-degree turn. Then swim on, as you’re now headed back to where you came from.
Always corkscrew toward the buoy and in the direction of your turn, so practice on both sides to be prepared for how the course buoys are set up. I like working in a figure eight for both left and right buoy turns.
