As summarised from Davids, Button & Bennett (2008, chapters 2 & 4), within the constraints-led approach the

following are important principles of skill learning:

An understanding that a learner is a complex, biological system composed of many interacting but independent sub-systems, known as degrees of freedom. Therefore, when teaching using a constraints-led approach it should be accepted that non-linear skill-learning behaviours, stable and unstable patterned
relationships among system parts, and the ability of subsystem components to limit or influence the behaviour of other systems are all likely to feature during the skill learning process.
An understanding of the learners perceptual motor landscape and how to develop it. The perceptual motor landscape is the repertoire of movement attractors (stable states of coordination) drawn on to satisfy the constraints of unpredictable contexts that a learner needs to coordinate to perform skills effectively. In the
constraints-led approach the perceptual motor landscape is constantly changing due to technique acquisition and alteration.
Knowledge that three constraints are needed for successful coordination of movement with environmental events: 1) ensure that the learner contacts an object/surface at an appropriate moment in time; 2) ensure contact at the intended velocity and force; and 3) ensure contact at an intended spatial orientation.

Constraints are the boundaries, features or variables that limit or influence the motion of the minute parts of a system, in this case the system is the learner. Constraint can have either a positive or negative effect on performance and can be organismic, environmental or task related. When teaching and executing the
freestyle tumble turn possible organismic constraints to consider include the motivations and emotions of the swimmer, especially when teaching something as disorientating as a underwater turn with lead in and lead out freestyle strokes; the muscle-to-fat ratio, as a greater fat content will assist with buoyancy, however
muscle tone is required for speed in and out of the turn; and fatigue, especially if the teaching session goes for an extended period of time. More research would need to be conducted to determine whether or not the organismic constraints of gender and height have any impact on the execution of a freestyle tumble turn.
In the broader sport of swimming Magias & Pill (2013, p. 96) listed anthropometric characteristics (arm span, shoulder size etc.), locomotors, disabilities, strength and endurance as additional organismic constraints. Task constraints can include but arent limited to the density (depth) of the water in which the tumble turn
is taking place in. This is important as density affects buoyancy and as such a swimmer should technically experience more drag and subsequently higher energy expenditure and/or slower speed at the deeper end of the pool. The pool length is also a task constraint as the period of underwater streamlining upon exit of
the turn may need to be adjusted in a pool that is sub-Olympic length; swimming costumes can also be considered a task constraint as the more encompassing the costume is, the less drag and greater buoyancy that can be experienced by the swimmer, which would increase the speed into and out of the turn. In terms
of environmental constraints the length and depth of the pool can impact on performance; the physical environment a pool is in is also a constraint as an outdoor pool is likely to have greater surface drag due to exposure to wind; the temperature of the water can affect the swimmers muscle function; the standard of a
pool is also an environmental constraint as a pool with line markings at a competitive standard will aid a swimmers awareness of space during the turn whereas an unmarked, non competitive standard of pool would make the teaching of the skill more difficult.
Freestyle tumble turn using the constraints-led approach
Caitlyn Jubb
Movement Phases Essential Skill Cues Biomechanics of the skill cues
The Constraints Led Approach
Constraint-led teaching sequence: Beginners
Movement phase one: preparation
Movement phase two: contact
Movement phase three: follow through
Essential skill cues for phase one:

Approach wall with speed to transfer into the tumble;
keep waist high.
Execute a full stroke, tuck chin in quickly and tightly
roll into the turn, keeping knees close to body, arms
by side and using a dolphin kick to flip the body over.
Blow bubbles through nose throughout turn.
Biomechanics behind movement phase one
Essential skill cues for phase two:

Plant balls of feet firmly on the wall about shoulder
width apart.
Bend knees and drive with thighs as if beginning a
jump.
Push off wall to generate thrust in the opposite
direction.
Dont waste time turning onto your front, push off on
your back and turn onto front once streamlining
away from wall.
Biomechanics behind movement phase two

Essential skill cues for phase three:

Move away from wall in a streamlined position: place one
hand on top of the other, with shoulders pushed up and the
tops of arms tight over the side of head. Keep feet together
and point toes. Prepare for the resumption of strokes by
underwater kicking prior to the first stroke cycle.
Dont come to the surface too soon the drag on the
surface will slow movement down, but swimming too deep
will also result in a lose of speed while coming up to the
surface.
Biomechanics behind movement phase three

A high waist minimises the pitch angle, therefore reducing drag and maximising
speed.
Blazevich (2012, p. 168-169) writes that the force of propulsion into the turn can
be harnessed by increasing the surface area of the hand and arm and therefore
increasing drag. This is achieved by a straight hand and arm path and slightly
spread fingers. Spread fingers increases surface area as the flow of water is
impeded as the volume passing through the hand is increased.
Lyttle (1999, p. 8) explains that the turn is initiated by the flexion of the head
and spine along with the dolphin kick. This drives the head and shoulders
down and raises the hips. The forward roll is then able to occur due to the
torque produced by the dolphin kick and the increased resistance of the head
and shoulders as they move out of alignment with the rest of the body. The
upper body flexes about the hips, and the knees are tucked close to the chest
to reduce the distance from the axis of rotation and decrease the moment of
inertia.
A study by Blanksby, Elliott, Lloyd, & Lyttle (2000, p. 801) acknowledged that
a widely held opinion is that the lateral streamline and lateral dolphin kick
position produces faster turns. However, their study showed that no one kick
resulted in any significant advantage over the other and no significant
difference was found between the prone and lateral streamline glides at any
speed. Kicking and positioning of body during the streamline phase is an
individual preference.
Lyttle (1999, p. 137) suggests that kicking should commence when swimmers
are streamlining between 2.2ms and 1.9ms.
Blazevich (2012, p. 155-163) writes that wave drag is present at the interface
of the water and the air, as the swimmer pushes through the water. At the
point of the turn wave drag increases, particularly when multiple swimmers
are turning. Resurfacing too soon and swimming with the wave drag will
reduce speed and use energy. Note though that FINA rules dictate that
underwater swimming cannot exceed 15 meters (Fdration Internationale de
Natation, 2013, p.9).
Lyttle (1999, p. 9) explains that the wall contact time has two force
production phases: passive and active. The passive force production
phase involves the wall impact and the countermovement which is the
lengthening of the quadriceps (an eccentric contraction). The active
force production phase consists of the shortening of the quadriceps (a
concentric contraction) in order to create velocity away from the wall.
The forceful extension about the knees and plantar flexion of the feet in
the horizontal direction occurs in the active force phase.
A study by Araujo et al. (2010, p. 1180) found that a turn executed with
angles of knee flexion between 100and 120provides the most
favourable peak forces to generate impulse. This angle allows for a time
efficient turn without an exaggerated application of force and the
subsequent unnecessary expenditure of energy.
The teaching sequence developed for this skill incorporates all of the important principles of skill learning within the constraints led
approach. Each teaching progression acknowledges that the learner is a complex system with many interacting parts in that each
progression requires the simultaneous interaction of different body parts as well as cognitive engagement and engagement with the
physical environment, being the broader environment of the pool and the more specific environment of the end of the swimming
lane and the pool wall. Each progression is designed to build on the learners perceptual motor landscape in that earlier
progressions will help develop the skills needed for following progressions, and earlier teaching techniques such as the use of the
bean-bags and pull-buoys will eventually be unrequired. Finally the teaching sequence will meet all three constraints needed for the
successful coordination of movement with environmental events: in this case the goal is for students to be able to coordinate a
freestyle forward roll with the environmental event of the pool wall getting closer as the swimmer progresses. Students will learn
how to use tau to contact the surface of the pool wall at an appropriate moment in time (at the end of a full stroke); ensure contact
at the intended velocity and force (by pushing off wall to generate thrust); and ensure contact at an intended spatial orientation
(exiting the turn facing the opposite direction to which it was entered).

Initial step:
Have students get used to the sensation of an underwater forward roll by guiding them to complete rolls in the water from a
stationary position. Encourage them to use any means to flip their body over. Ask the students guiding questions relating to what
they can do to make their turns as full and accurate as possible. (i.e. picking a spot on the floor or wall to use as a guide). A
tumble-turn only requires a half-turn as the goal is to end up facing the opposite way that the turn was entered in to, but this
adaptation of the turn will feature in a later progression. This step is important to teach students how not to take on water nasally or
orally during the turn, to get them used to the sensation of turning underwater and to begin to make them conscious of the need for
spatial awareness when underwater.

Progression one:
Give students a pull buoy or similar object to place between their legs to encourage them to keep their legs together and their waist
high. Continue having students practice forward rolls but with their legs together, explaining that it is building their perceptual motor
landscape and will aid in the reduction of drag into the turn and the learning of the streamline element of the turn later on, where
closely aligned legs is advantageous.

Progression two:
Have students continue to practice forward rolls using the pull buoy but this time encourage the use of a fly-kick to flip their body
over while keeping their arms by their sides.

Progression three:
Have students place a beanbag under their chin to encourage them to keep their head down and have them continue to forward
roll. Ask the students if they think turning is easier when their chin is down. Explain that the beanbag is also helping them develop
their perceptual motor landscape as the need to keep the chin down during the execution of the turn and the streamline phase is
important to reduce drag and guide the body during the flip. The pull buoy may or may not be required for this progression,
depending on how well the students have grasped the turn with closely aligned legs and controlled kicks.

Progression four:
Remove any remaining pull-buoys. With the bean bag still under their chins, have students complete a stroke cycle (3 freestyle
strokes) before entering into a forward roll. This progression does not need to involve contact with a wall.

Progression five:
Have students place the beanbags they were using on the join of the pool wall and pool floor at the shallow end of the pool. Have
students walk up to the wall, duck-dive down to get the beanbag and surface facing the opposite end of the pool. No turns are
required to complete this task, students just need to duck down and resurface.

Progression six:
Have students walk up to wall and tumble turn in front of it, planting feet on wall at the end of the turn and before coming to the
surface, facing the opposite end of the pool.

Progression seven:
Have students swim to wall, tumble turn, and come up to the surface facing the opposite end of the pool. The turn does not need to
be entered into on a full stroke and no streamline is necessary upon exit of the turn.

Progression eight:
Have students torpedo off the wall in a streamline position, kicking underwater using any style of kicking. The option of using any
style of kicking while streamlining is based on the research conducted on the biomechanics of movement three.

Progression nine:
Have students streamline off wall and kick underwater before rising to the surface and completing a stroke cycle before taking a
breath.

Progression eleven:
Have students complete a stroke cycle into the wall, on a full stroke have them complete an underwater turn, planting feet and
streamlining off the wall, kicking for a few seconds and completing a stroke cycle before taking a breath.
Images sourced from: http://triathlete-europe.competitor.com/2012/09/05/how-to-do-a-tumble-turn

References

Araujo, L., Pereira, S., Gatti, R., Freitas, E., Jacomel, G., Roesler, H. & Villas-boas, J. (2010). Analysis of the lateral push-off in the freestyle flip turn. Journal of Sports Sciences, 28(11), 1175-1181. Retrieved from:
http://www.tandfonline.com.ezproxy.flinders.edu.au/doi/pdf/10.1080/02640414.2010.485207
Blanksby, B., Elliott, B., Lloyd, D. & Lyttle, D. (2000). Net forces during tethered simulation of underwater streamlined gliding and kicking techniques of the freestyle turn. Journal of Sports Sciences,18(10), 801-807.
Retrieved from http://flinders- primo.hosted.exlibrisgroup.com/primo_library/libweb/action/display.do?frbrVersion=7&tabs=detailsTab&ct=display&fn=search&doc=TN_ta
yfranc10.1080%2f026404100419856&indx=1&recIds=TN_tayfranc10.1080%2f026404100419856&recIdxs=0&elementId=0&renderMode=p
oppedOut&displayMode=full&frbrVersion=7&dscnt=0&scp.scps=scope%3A%2861FUL%29%2Cscope%3A%28FUL_METALIB%29%2Cscope%3
A%28FUL_DSPACE%29%2Cprimo_central_multiple_fe&frbg=&tab=default_tab&dstmp=1397980257264&srt=rank&mode=Basic&&dum=tru e&vl(freeText0)=freestyle%20turn%20tethered&vid=FUL
Blazevich, D. (2012). Sports biomechanics the basics optimising human performance. (2
nd
ed.). London: A&C Black Publishers Ltd
Davids, K., Button, C., & Bennett, S. (2008). Dynamics of Skill Acquisition A constraints-led approach. Illinois, USA: Human Kinetics
Fdration Internationale de Natation. (2013). Part III FINA Swimming Rules 2013-2017. Retrieved fromhttp://www.fina.org/H2O/docs/rules/sw_rules_20132017.pdf
Lyttle, A. (1999). Hydrodynamics of the human body during the freestyle tumble turn. Retrieved 17 April, 2014, fromthe University of Western Australia Research Repository site:
http://repository.uwa.edu.au/R/P93CDT2DV43J6L5LMMQGUSH8MQPPRCU9U2B25I5STAD4NH12PQ-01020
Magias, S. & Pill, S. (2013, November). Teaching swimming for movement variability: an application of Teaching Games for Understanding Game-Sense. Paper presented at the 28
th
ACHPHER International Conference,
Melbourne.

Related web resources

A resource explaining the physics of swimming: Archimedes Principle, buoyancy,
Newtons Laws of Motion, propulsion, resistance and drag. This would be useful in
explaining the how and why of many of the techniques of a tumble turn.
https://sites.google.com/site/poiswimming/newton-s-laws-of-motion

The following three websites contain various skill cues for the freestyle tumble turn, all
explained in simple language:
http://www.pullbuoy.co.uk/technical/five-steps-to-better-tumble-turns
http://www.humankinetics.com/excerpts/excerpts/developing-swimmers-flip-turns
http://triathlete-europe.competitor.com/2012/09/05/how-to-do-a-tumble-turn

The following YouTube channels have great tutorials on the freestyle tumble-turn as
well as on other swimming skills and techniques:
GoSwim: http://www.youtube.com/user/goswim098
The SwimTeam USA: http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrspHsknKTR-a8r0sNbpzsw