In freestyle events, some portion of the swimmer's body must contact the end wall. Free stylers usually do a somersault in the water and push off the wall with their feet. Backstrokers can touch with their hands and then do a backward somersault off the wall, or may flip to their stomachs before doing a freestyle flip turn. In breaststroke and butterfly events, the swimmers must touch the wall with both hands before executing the turn. The two-hand touch at the turn and the finish must be simultaneous.
Every race begins with a starting signal given by the starter.
This is usually a gun shot or a horn signal. All freestyle, breast stroke, and butterfly races begin with the swimmers standing on the starting block and then diving into the pool. When all swimmers are motionless, the starter fires the starting signal. The starter's job is to see that every competitor gets an equal start. Any swimmer who leaves before the starting signal is charged with a false start.