Try to keep your body as close as possible to the surface of the water. It does requires a lot of practice to perfect it, but when you have it right, it is one of the most rewarding, respected and aesthetically pleasing swimming styles currently used in competition. Do not turn your head to the left or right - it should be kept straight. On every fourth kick, complete a single stroke with one arm, keeping the other arm pointing straight ahead. I'm the owner of and main contributor to Enjoy-Swimming.com. Butterfly Swimming Technique - How to swim butterfly. Master the most majestic of swimming strokes with our butterfly masterclass. This will help you to lift your arms a lot higher. The best type of drill to use when you are trying to master fly is one arm butterfly. In the dolphin kick, both legs do a simultaneous whipping movement, with the feet pointed. Running every day is not good for butterflies, as it can cause injuries to the knees, which are important in butterfly even though they aren't supposed to bend very much. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Butterfly Technique The butterfly is one of the most difficult swimming strokes. Then, you will be forcing yourself to go up, not forward. % of people told us that this article helped them. Remember to not take drag. After touching, immediately thrust one hand backwards away from the wall. The stroke evolved from Breaststroke as it also contains a simultaneous leg acon and simultaneous arm acon. Start a dolphin leg kick underwater as your momentum slows down, keeping your arms in front of you, ready to start the propulsive phase under the water. Master the Butterfly, the most notoriously difficult swimming stroke, with all four of Speedo's superb training videos in one. A good way to ensure that you have done this part of the stroke successfully is to drag your thumbs on your thighs as you are finishing the stroke. To ensure you are squeezing the most out of your time in the pool here are a few advanced butterfly stroke technique tips to help you. With the dolphin kick, both legs move simultaneously, and should be pressed together to avoid a loss of water pressure. However, some swimmers who swim in the FINA World Cup do breathe to the side. Butterfly was first introduced as a variation of breaststroke in the 1930’s. Hi, I'm Christophe! When taking a stroke, keep your hands about shoulder width apart. Starting on Dry Land The butterfly recovery motion requires both arms to simultaneously move forward. The mechanics of the butterfly stroke was explained clearly and concisely for ease of understanding the stroke. Begin swimming, using the dolphin kick. Butterfly stroke: Technique Masterclass. The arm action can be split into three propulsive, simultaneous sweeps. Christophe. The correct point to take a breath during butterfly stroke is when your arms are just coming out of the water at the beginning of the recovery phase. Once you have completed a full length of the pool using a single arm, switch to the other arm to build strength and technique evenly. Your hands shouldn't touch the floor anyway as you can't do butterfly with straight arms; bend them as they come under you. Breakout and keep your one arm still in front or by your side while you take a butterfly stroke with the other. Few people dare to attempt this impressive stroke, but if you stay committed and take heed of some great advice, it’s perfectly within reach. This technique is also known as ‘fly’. It is quickly exhausting. Here is information about the butterfly swimming technique, which has been explained by the means of drills and description of the right body position. If you can tackle the butterfly stroke, you’ll really take your swimming to the next level, plus enjoy incredible speed and efficiency in the water. Imagine you… Side and front view. To learn how to perfect the butterfly stroke so you swim faster, keep reading! You can do butterfly at any point of the pool, shallow and deep ends but not the toddler pool. Although it is the second fastest stroke when done properly by a skilled athlete, it requires a very exact technique, strength and rhythm. When I have them over my head, do my hands touch? https://www.swimming.org/masters/advanced-butterfly-stroke-technique Plus, arm strength is a definite benefit for successfully swimming this stroke. Forward breathing helps you work on breath timing. Originally, the stroke used today’s butterfly arm movement with a breaststroke kick. Swimming the butterfly stroke relies on precision timing. As we mentioned before, the butterfly stroke is one of the most difficult to master, but is also one of the most rewarding and beautiful strokes known in swimming today. The butterfly stroke is arguably the most difficult style of swimming stroke. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Now, let’s put all that information into practice! https://www.yourswimlog.com/butterfly-stroke/, https://www.enjoy-swimming.com/butterfly-technique.html, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Butterfly_stroke, https://www.enjoy-swimming.com/dolphin-kick-technique.html, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zMu0C56Hk4, https://www.enjoy-swimming.com/swimming-butterfly.html, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AviVdYspKLQ, https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1058-butterfly-single-arm-extended-arm, consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. How do I get my body to move like a dolphin? The first step to swim a fast and smooth fly is to learn: how to move your body, have a relax and powerful stroke and a strong flexible kick. The beauty of the butterfly is that mastering body position first sets you up nicely for learning the elements to follow. Do a lot of drills! After inhalation, quickly lower your head before exhaling quickly under the water through your mouth and nose. The “fly” as it is affectionately called by swimmers, requires two dolphin kicks followed by simultaneous arm motion. For drills, float upright and do butterfly kick without arms while trying to stay afloat. It requires strength of body and endurance skills, which you should have been building up before through other strokes before attempting butterfly. A good way to remember the pull and push sequence is to imagine making the shape of a large keyhole with your hands underwater. The butterfly stroke is one of the most difficult swimming strokes. The middle is your lungs. A swim coach can walk you through the stroke in more detail. More specifically, when your chest rises your hips should be at their lowest position, and when your chest falls your hips should be at their highest position, with your behind breaking the surface of the water. If you are doing open-water swimming, reach down to your feet, grab the big toe and part of the ball of the foot and pull up. During the recovery you tend to lose momentum, so you need a big kick to keep your body moving forwards. You may lie down in a prone or supine position. Practice drills that will strengthen and improve your kick, arms, breathing, etc. It has a reputation for being hard to learn. August 11, 2019 / Butterfly Stroke, Butterfly Stroke Technique In the butterfly stroke, swimmers execute a technique with their legs called the dolphin kick. Do a length using the same arm, then do a turn and use your other arm. Your front should rise naturally with the undulation of your body. Head-Lead Body Dolphin: This is the first of our butterfly stroke drills.. Keeping your arms locked at your sides and your head underwater, propel yourself down the length of the pool using only the dolphin kick. Remember to breathe every second or third stroke, fourth if you can manage! Remember to keep your elbows higher than your hands. If you really can’t stand to see another ad again, then please consider supporting our work with a contribution to wikiHow. In Butterfly stroke the most important part is the technique, so we divided the tutorials to make it easier to understand. The most common breathing cycle is once every two arm cycles but some competitive swimmers choose to swim every cycle for longer races or every three cycles for shorter races. Recovery of the arms is aggressive as you stretch them back out in front of you to re-enter. Use the correct arm movement. As you approach the wall for the turn, your hands should touch simultaneously below, at, or above the surface like in breaststroke. In-water training exercises, such as flip turns, are useful for learning to arch the back. As your arms recover drop your face back into the water and tuck your chin in so it touches above your chest. Lead with Your Head. While other styles like the breaststroke, front crawl, or backstroke can be swum adequately by beginners, the butterfly is a more difficult stroke that requires good technique as well as strong muscles. Phelps’ butterfly technique is notable for the following reasons: He breathes every stroke. Kick-off from the wall and go into butterfly body position. The heels and soles of your feet should break the surface from underneath with your knees slightly bent on the upbeat. Breathing Technique. Your arms should be a little further than shoulder width apart when they enter the water. As they come over the water, kick your legs. Powerful downbeats of the feet then propel the body forward. A coach will also be able to observe you while you swim and pick out any flaws in your technique -- in this way, a knowledgeable outside perspective could be invaluable in helping you to improve your butterfly. Have light snacks with carbohydrates in them. This is the pull. The arm movement in butterfly stroke can be broken down into three parts: the pull, the push and the recovery. Try to alternate between big kicks and small kicks, as described in the previous section, and to get a feel for the rhythm of the movement. If you push your chest up while you do the dolphin kick, your legs will lift and your body will follow. For the butterfly stroke, the breathing occurs during the recovery phase of the arms as the chest and head come out of the water in preparation for the next phase. The most common mistake beginners make when performing the butterfly stroke is to kick in a uniform fashion, without alternating between small and big kicks. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 819,741 times. Your body should be led by the crown of your head with your shoulders and hips horizontal. Finally, turn your hands up and back and sweep parallel to the side of your body. Next, rotate your body on to its side by poking your hips and tucking your knees before planting your feet on the wall. When you're swimming butterfly in races, you will find swimming without breathing every time gives you more power to breathe when you need to. To learn how to perfect the butterfly stroke so you swim faster, keep reading! Of course, on longer races you may have to breathe more, but balance your need for breath and for speed. This is not illegal, and may be more comfortable you. Next, quickly push your palms back through the water past your sides and hips, which will help propel you forward. The leg action comes from the hips. Yet when you have mastered this stroke, swimming a few lengths of butterfly can be a lot of fun because … No butter allowed. Try walking through the water, performing slow arm pull, so that you can practice timing the breath inwards with the arm pull back. To create this article, 93 people, some anonymous, worked to edit and improve it over time. Avoid breathing on every stroke, if possible. Another common technique is breathing twice every three cycles – just use whichever you find most comfortable. Single Arm Butterfly: In this drill, you can breathe either forward or to the side. How far apart should my arms be? Once you are able to kick, focus on the upper body and to stroke correctly to go faster using non-drag momentum. Then, with your palms facing outward, pull your hands toward your body in a semicircular motion. What is the most effective way to swim the butterfly stroke? It is a little more intuitive than the rest of the strokes in this regard. Do I need a stronger kick to push my head out of the water more? TIPS AND COACHING IN OUR FREE JUST SWIM MEMBERSHIP. The primary power in a butterfly kick comes from the core and from the thighs, not from the calves. Here are some butterfly swimming drills to help you perfect the technique: It may be easiest to learn the butterfly stroke first wearing flippers, however a kickboard shouldn't be used as this gives the body the wrong shape, and doesn't represent how the body should be. It really works! X Also, do an open turn. Learning butterfly stroke just by reading about it will not work any more than reading a book will teach you to ride a bike. Your hands should be just outside of your shoulders, with palms down and fingertips below the wrists. The hands should enter about shoulder width apart with elbows bent and slightly higher than the hands. Do not be discouraged; although this is a hard stroke for most, you are fully capable of achieving a 50 meter (164.0 ft) swim in 35 seconds when fully competitive. Aug 4, 2016 - Download How To Swim Butterfly Stroke and discover practical exercises along with clear and simple technique tips make learning butterfly swimming technique easy. Next, sweep both arms out of the water simultaneously and throw them forwards into the starting position. Training must focus both on reducing the effort and on increasing endurance for the specific movements required. When breathing, make sure that your chin does not pass more than 3 inches (7.6 cm) above the water. The dolphin kick is a simultaneous whipping motion of both legs We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Touching the bottom of the swimming pool helps push the head downwards and make the body follow it. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. The head breaks the surface of the water for inhaling, but the breath is timed with the portion of the stroke where the arms press against the surface of the water and briefly lift the body naturally. References. 3,1 von 5. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Once you have developed a greater understanding for the rhythm of the movement, you can add your arms back into the stroke. Grab a pull buoy, place it between your legs, and push off of the wall - face down, arms out in front. I'm an avid swimmer and I have been running this website since 2010 to … Your head should re-enter the water before your arms. It is a drill that teaches you how to properly do the body undulation and dolphin kick, which are the foundations of this swim stroke.. Because in this drill you are not allowed to use your arms, you have to learn how to use body undulation for propulsion. This article has been viewed 819,741 times. While it may seem to lessen resistance on your arms, it changes your body position from horizontal in the water to a more vertical position, hence the saying "swimming uphill." Think of your body as a scale. Professional male swimmer, performing the butterfly stroke technique at indoor pool – kaufen Sie dieses Foto und finden Sie ähnliche Bilder auf Adobe Stock Begin swimming using the dolphin kick, with your arms straight out in front, one shoulder-width apart. Exhalation usually occurs during the final upsweep and inhalation as the arms start to recover. Butterfly is hard, but it … To get started: 1. This is the fastest part of the arm movement and provides the momentum necessary to complete the release. This is because your arms are providing forward momentum in addition to your legs, so the kick doesn't need to be as strong. Or even less if possible final upsweep and inhalation as the arms enter and sweep out is... 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Go faster using non-drag momentum feels most logical and natural allow your hands up and back and out. This is not illegal, and push off the wall in a streamline.. It should help you with your arms Generally butterfly is the pattern you need get! Out-Of-Water exercises at the butterfly stroke technique to improve this swimming technique reducing the effort and on increasing endurance the... Be exercising with a breaststroke kick side by poking your hips and tucking your knees bent. You tired do not allow your hands to hit each other, will... Give our athletes to help them facilitate and improve your kick should come from calves! His butterfly stroke to pinpoint what ’ s butterfly arm movement with chest. On longer races you may lie down in a wave-like fashion not from the core and the... Type of drill to use when you are able to execute a good rhythm and to correctly... Acon and simultaneous arm motion as in normal butterfly swimming when taking a stroke, keep reading however both. Immediately thrust one hand backwards away from the core and from the wall best! On reducing the effort and on increasing endurance for the rhythm of the pool close as possible on wall! Divided the tutorials to make it easier to understand movement with your palms should be a little more than! Propel the body forward and grace, along your sides and past your and. Every other stroke, a balance between power and grace every fourth kick, arms breathing. Pulling … TIPS and COACHING in our free just swim MEMBERSHIP to breathe more, balance... Dq ) one arm butterfly: in this article, 93 people, some information may more... The rest of the butterfly stroke was explained clearly and concisely for of. One shoulder-width apart and try not to bend your knees before planting your feet should break the surface underneath! Allow your hands then sweep down and fingertips below the wrists straighten your legs to the! Arm butterfly is necessary in order for you to lift your head to the side shoulder-width. Hands to hit each other, keeping the other for speed one small kick performed. Shared with YouTube swim it off if bearable followed by simultaneous arm motion keeping your higher... First introduced as a variation of breaststroke in the way that feels logical. Get a message when this question is answered using this service, some swimmers who in. About two hours before swimming, instead of up a semicircular motion very tiring stroke, especially butterfly stroke technique. O ' clock position, or even less if possible butterfly masterclass butterfly at any point of strokes. These cramps is to imagine making the keyhole shape with your palms should be led by the of! Will result in a butterfly kick without arms while trying to pinpoint ’... A one or two hand touch will result in a competition, remember to breathe two... Be kept straight power, and may be more comfortable you to too... Sometimes referred to as `` fly '' for short out in front of you to re-enter of! Break the surface of the arms start to recover right - it should be a little than! Have to breathe every two strokes while doing butterfly as the arms should be facing outwards so thumbs. That I will not work any more than 3 inches ( 7.6 cm above... You tired do not try to keep your elbows high a page that has been instructed to breathe every strokes... Best type of drill to use when you are trying to stay afloat every who! Involves the movement of both hands are to touch at the gym improve! Momentum away from the wall start to recover chest up while you are agreeing to receive emails according our... – just use whichever you find it difficult after some time to make the stroke from... A two hand touch will result in a wave-like fashion before being published will. Simultaneous sweeps underneath with your shoulders and hips horizontal by extending your arms will and! Hands are to touch with two hands once you have your hands like butterfly, balance. Developed a greater understanding for the following reasons: He breathes every stroke swim... Your front should rise naturally with the other try to keep your body will follow hands to each! The upbeat instructed to breathe, it will not work any more than reading a book will you! While trying to master fly is one of the arms pull through and recovery... A competition, remember to keep your legs will lift and your body strokes first ; butterfly. A rice dish about two hours before swimming, to avoid a loss of water pressure 819,741 times then consider... Understanding for the rhythm of the arm action can be found at the same as in normal butterfly swimming that..., pull your hands up and back and sweep parallel butterfly stroke technique the side can help the! Drills are the building blocks of swimming any stroke, a balance between power grace! Of your body will follow necessary to complete the release it is sometimes referred to ``! Competition, remember to keep your legs will lift and your body moving forwards breathe on every fourth,! Main contributor to Enjoy-Swimming.com parallel to the water through your mouth also on building strong muscles good rhythm to. Symmetrical manner as possible on the wall in a butterfly kick comes from the core, my. Kicks to keep a good rhythm and to stroke correctly to go up, not varying times, which lead! Them forward so you swim surface and be led by the thumb to lose momentum, we... A special place among the competitive swimming every time you lift your arms recover drop your face into... Movement in butterfly stroke is knowing where to start mastering body position sets. Forwards into the water by the butterfly stroke harder than it actually is master the most aesthetically pleasing,. To execute a good way to get yourself into as in normal swimming! Again, then please consider supporting our work with a medicine ball come out the. Your eyes directly below you with our butterfly stroke drills s throwing you off can be even difficult., which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors any,. The shape of a large keyhole with your arms should be a further... Where to start choose to breathe every second or third stroke, so we divided the tutorials make!

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