Swimming drills for butterfly stroke
Learning butterfly can be difficult because this swim stroke has several peculiar features. Synchronized moves of arms, breath, hips and legs are crucial for a perfect technique and for a smooth swimming stroke. So the best way is to learn each part of the butterfly technique separately and then do a combination of all together to create the butterfly stroke.
Here are some tips and exercises to make your learning process of butterfly more comfortable.
1) Practice the propulsive underwater phase of your arms and learn the correct timing of breathing in the butterfly stroke.
2) Head-Lead Body Dolphin , lets you practice the body undulation and dolphin kick. (with your hands down,on the side of your hips).
3) Hand-Lead Body Dolphin: You’ll continue to practice the body undulation. This time however you’ll keep your arms extended in front of you.
4) Slide to the Corners: Now you’ll practice the right setup of your arms and body at the catch, just before your arms start to push backward against the water for propulsion.
5) Body-Dolphin Butterfly: with a combination of right and synchronized breathing as well as right dolphin kick and movement of the arms the butterfly stroke is already getting easier to learn and execute .
Execute the whole butterfly stroke easy with some helpful drills:
a) At the water surface, lie on your stomach, face down, extend your arms in front of you, and hold a kick board. Execute butterfly kick starting the movement from the hips to the toes of your legs.
b) Underwater dolphin kick: with your hands to your side or in front of you very tight together and with your head in between. Take breath to the surface whenever you need it.(perform at least 3-5 dolphin kicks before it’s breath).
c) Use fins, they help to demonstrate easier the butterfly stroke without causing to much energy exaustion.
d) At the water surface, do 1 stroke on its hand with breath and 2 strokes of butterfly without breathing(at the front).
e) Underwater do 5 dolphin kicks, then come up to the surface and do 2 cycles of butterfly with breathing. Continue doing it for at least 50 metres.
f) Swim butterfly with one arm at least for 25metres. Then change to the other hand and do the exact same thing.
Learning butterfly can be tricky because of the big number of movements of the whole body. Don’t let it discourage you even if you can’t make it with the first attempt.Being focused on the drills , your body movement and the right technique will help you reach your goal in no time.
Don’t forget to enjoy what you do and always put goals in every swimming practice that you perform!!
