| Butterfly Techniques & Tips |
| ABOUT THE STROKE |
| ARM PULL |
| ARM RECOVERY |
| KICK |
| BODY POSITION |
| BREATHING |
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| The stroke of butterfly requires use of the whole body to swim such a difficult stroke. Elements of rhythm and timing are essential for a good performance. Keeping the body tight, but not tense is important for this stroke as well. While swimming butterfly, remember that when the hands enter the water, the hips should come up. |
| - Hands enter the water together above the shoulders - Palms face out - Press wide and then down (hips come up) - Pinky finger exits the water - The arms draw a "keyhole" shape |
| Drills: ~ Use a bouy ~ Fist ~ Use one arm and watch it ~ Use one arm, hold, glide, kick ~ Push only and kick ~ Triple kick with left arm, right arm, both ~ One arm stroke, keep at side, glide, kick ~ Jump, throw hands back |
| - Back of hand leads - Arm is straight with relaxed elbows - Keep elbow high and hand low - Pinky comes up |
| - Like a big fin - Bend....Finish....Recover Up - Hands push down as legs bend up - Large kick = knees apart - Small kick = knees together - First kick = at entry, as arms outsweep - Second kick = at upsweep underwater |
| Drills: ~ Use Fins ~ Lay on a skateboard ~ Toss a ball on back ~ Use a kickboard ~ On back: arms folded, crossed, streamline, by side ~ On front: arms by side, on back, doing breatstroke ~ Vertical kicking ~ Side kick with hands up ~ Single arm lifts ~ Alternating arms ~ Backstroke arms |
| Defects: Kick = Straight on downbeat, bending on upbeat, poor ankle flxiblity, feet breaking surface, too deep, flutter kick |
| - Relaxed body while tight, not tense - Undulation |
| Drills: ~ Stand in streamline and dive forward ~ Use rope or hula hoop |
| - Exhale on push (head &shoulders reaching high point at back of pull) - Inhale as hands exit water - Head faces straight ahead (don't lift) - Head lowers before arms enter water - Keep a low chin |
| Drills: ~ Hypoxic ~ Lay on floor with chin on ground ~ Single arm, breathe with arm extended/at side ~ Double arm and breathe |
| Defects: Breathing = Too late, excessive head lift |
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| BUTTERFLY |
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| Defects: Hand Entry = Entering too wide or too close together, slapping water, rising to the catch Pull = too wide or too narrow, not sculling sufficiently, arms too straight Recovery = arms too straight, elbow bent too much, not recovered simultaneously, not clearing surface Catch = too soon, too rapidly Follow-Through = stroke not completed, lack of acceleration, pull finishing into thighs Elbow/Wrist = dropped elbow, dropped wrist |
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| START/FINISH |
| - See Freestyle and Breaststroke for more details |
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| TURN |
| - See Breaststroke for more details |
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| Y Karen A. Everson |