The fundamental butterfly skills, located in one place for your reference.
Swimmers who perform the strokes with apparent ease do so because they execute the fundamental skills well. Their strokes are clean, direct, fluid, continuous, and harmonious. There are no unnecessary movements, no unwanted pauses or interruptions, and the parts fit together nicely and beautifully.
Below is a breakdown of the fundamental butterfly skills. Performing these skills well and at the right time in the stroke will ensure you are on your way to a seamless, smooth, well-executed stroke.
Body Position and Timing Position Elements
Head follows the hands during the breath
Hands initiate the pull, then head initiates breath
Hands exit the water, head returns to submerge
Stay low, drive forward (every stroke is performed on the same horizontal plane)
Soft Entry, buns up (chest presses down and body is in a "downhill" position)
Double Explosion out the back - hands and legs finish the pull at the exact same time (body straight as an arrow)
One up, one down breathing pattern - no first, no last
The recovery should be easy and relaxed, as the arms fling forward and the body stays at an even level. The should be no lifting of the head, shoulders, or chest.
Pull - The propulsive force
High Elbow Catch and Pull
The swimmer grabs the water at the top of the stroke by pressing down with the fingertips and rotating the elbows to be positioned higher than the hands.
The hands and forearms press against the water, and the hands accelerate and move diagonally underneath the navel.
The swimmer accelerates into the finish, exploding out the back and into a ballistic recovery.
Kick - The stabilizing element
Each stroke cycle has two kicks, and each kick has 2 beats - a recovery beat (upward), and a power beat (downward).
The first downward power beat occurs at the hand entry. The following upward recovery beat occurs during the pull phase of the stroke.
The second power beat occurs at the finish of the pull. The following recovery beat occurs during the recovery phase of the stroke.
When we say "work all four beats of the kick", we mean perform each beat of the kick well and at the appropriate time. It's crucial to maintain this aspect of the stroke, especially when fatigued.
A Note on Connection
The lats and pecs should be the primary muscles used to power the body forward during the pull phase of the stroke.
The glutes engage during the recovery beat of the kick and are used to pull the legs up. The quads engage during the power beat of the kick and are used to forcefully drive the legs downward.
The kick serves as a timing mechanism that keeps the stroke rhythmic and harmonious, while also playing a key role in stabilizing the body.
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