Mastering The Butterfly Stroke: Techniques For Speed And Efficiency

The butterfly stroke is one of the most challenging swimming strokes to master, requiring extra energy, advanced technique knowledge, and a baseline level of strength. It involves a continuous up-and-down wave-like movement through the chest, hips, and feet, with power generated from the whole body. Here are some tips to improve your butterfly stroke:

- Maintain a high hip position and keep your body close to the water's surface to reduce drag.

- Focus on the undulating body action and let your arms follow naturally.

- Generate the kick from your hips, not your knees, to maintain a streamlined position.

- Improve your breathing technique by lifting your head and taking a breath when your hands have completed the stroke and are in the beginning phase of the recovery.

- Practice drills such as the single-arm butterfly and the 3+1 drill to improve your strength and technique.

Keep your body close to the water's surface

Keeping your body close to the water's surface is a crucial aspect of the butterfly stroke. Here are some tips to help you master this technique:

Firstly, focus on maintaining a streamlined body position. As you glide through the water, ensure your body is in a straight line, with your head, torso, and legs aligned. Avoid any excessive movement or twisting, as this will create drag and slow you down. Keep your hips close to the surface, preventing them from sinking or rising too high.

Secondly, practice proper breathing technique. In the butterfly stroke, it's essential to breathe in a way that minimizes disruption to your body position. Aim for a short and controlled breath, turning your head to the side as you recover your arms, then quickly returning your head to its original position. Avoid lifting or bobbing your head, which can cause your body to sink or move away from the water's surface.

Additionally, engage your core muscles to maintain stability and control. A strong core is key to keeping your body streamlined and preventing unnecessary movement. Focus on activating your abdominal and lower back muscles to stabilize your torso and maintain its proximity to the water's surface throughout the stroke.

The timing and strength of your arm recovery also play a significant role. Aim for a smooth and quick recovery, keeping your arms close to the water's surface as you bring them back. Avoid excessive splashing or lifting them too high, which can cause your body to sink. A controlled and powerful recovery will help maintain your body's position just above the water.

Lastly, a strong and efficient kick is essential. The dolphin kick provides the main propulsion in the butterfly stroke, so work on perfecting its strength and timing. Keep your feet close to the surface during the kick to generate forward momentum while minimizing drag. Practice kicking drills to improve your efficiency and maintain a smooth and fast swim.

By incorporating these tips into your practice, you'll master the technique of keeping your body close to the water's surface in the butterfly stroke, resulting in improved speed and overall performance.

Improve your breathing technique

Breathing is a crucial aspect of the butterfly stroke, and getting it right will help you swim more efficiently. Here are some tips to improve your breathing technique:

• Breathe at the right time: The most common breathing cycle is once every two arm cycles, but this can vary depending on the swimmer and the race distance. Some swimmers breathe every cycle for longer races or every three cycles for shorter races. Another common technique is breathing twice every three cycles. Experiment to find out what works best for you.
• Breathe to the front or side: The most common way to breathe during the butterfly stroke is to the front. Your shoulders should lead your head out of the water, and your front should rise naturally with the undulation of your body. Keep your chin in front of your forehead and inhale quickly through your mouth. However, some swimmers prefer to breathe to the side. This involves turning your head to the side for inhalation, which can help keep your body closer to the water but may be uncomfortable for your neck.
• Reduce chin lift: When breathing, bring your head out of the water with your chin just above the surface. Avoid arcing your head outwards and upwards; instead, point your face forward. This will help eliminate wasted up-and-down movement and reduce excess undulation in the stroke.
• Breathe late in the stroke cycle: Breathing too early can cause your hips to sink and disrupt the rhythm of your pull and kick. Aim to breathe when your hands pass under your chest and abdomen during the pulling motion. This helps you take advantage of a hydrodynamic glide position and increases the efficient rhythm of the stroke.
• Get your head back down quickly: After taking a breath, tuck your head back into a streamlined position before your hands reach your shoulders on the sweep forward. This helps return your body to a horizontal line.

Minimise up-and-down movement

Minimising up-and-down movement is essential to saving energy in the butterfly stroke. Here are some tips to achieve this:

When your arms enter the water, avoid throwing them down. Instead, gently lay them on the surface to direct your energy forward, not down. Keep your arms high, just under the surface of the water, while pressing your chest down. This will help raise your hips and return you to a horizontal line, which is crucial for conserving energy.

A low recovery, right over the top of the water, will help you stay flatter and enable a softer landing. This technique will also save you a lot of energy. Try a one-arm butterfly, skimming the thumb of your stroking arm on the water's surface, locking your elbow, and performing a straight-arm recovery.

Additionally, when breathing, bring your head out of the water with your chin just above the surface. Instead of arcing your head outwards and upwards, point your face forward. This will help minimise excess undulation in your stroke and eliminate wasted up-and-down movement.

Keep your arms straight

Keeping your arms straight is an important aspect of the butterfly stroke. When recovering your arms, keep them straight and just above the surface of the water. This will help you maintain a more efficient body position and reduce the amount of energy needed to complete the stroke.

To achieve this, focus on recovering with a straight-arm recovery. Avoid bending your arms during the recovery, as this can disrupt the flow of the stroke and increase energy expenditure. Aim for a smooth and effortless recovery by keeping your arms relaxed and close to the water's surface.

Another tip is to ensure your arms are led into the water by the thumb. This helps set up the correct positioning for the arm sweeps that follow. As your hands enter the water, they should be shoulder-width apart, with elbows bent and slightly higher than your hands.

Additionally, pay attention to the timing of your kicks relative to your arm movement. The first kick occurs when your arms are out front, and the second kick happens as your arms exit the water from your pull under your body. This second kick is crucial for helping your arms break the surface and elevating your hips at the end of the stroke.

Practising drills such as the Biondi drill or the chest press drill can also help improve your technique and timing, specifically regarding arm placement and recovery.

Improve your kicking technique

The kicking technique performed in the butterfly stroke is called the dolphin kick. It involves two kicks per stroke cycle, with the legs moving in sync and performing movements similar to a dolphin's tail. Here are some tips to improve your kicking technique:

• Perform the downbeat and upbeat correctly: The downbeat is the propulsive phase where the legs move downward to provide forward propulsion. The upbeat is the recovery phase where the legs move up in preparation for the next downbeat. During the downbeat, push your hips down and allow your thighs to follow. Flex your knees and continue to move your lower legs up, initiating a whip-like movement. Then, extend your knees to bring the lower legs down quickly and forcefully. During the upbeat, your knees should extend, and the hips should move up. Keep your legs extended until the next downbeat.
• Improve ankle flexibility: Flexible ankles are crucial for an effective dolphin kick. They allow the top of the feet to face downward and backward during the downbeat, enabling you to push water backward and create propulsion. If you have stiff ankles, consider ankle stretching exercises and using short swim fins to improve flexibility.
• Kick twice per arm cycle: The first kick propels your arms out of the water for recovery, and the second kick occurs as the arms enter the water. Ensure both kicks are equal in size and intensity.
• Maintain proper body position: Keep your body close to the surface of the water, minimising excessive up-and-down movement. Focus on a narrow amplitude near the surface, aiming for a "dry back" where a large portion of your back remains visible during the stroke.
• Improve core strength: A strong core helps maintain a streamlined body position and powers consistent and strong dolphin kicks. Incorporate core exercises such as back extensions, bridges, planks, and Supermans into your training regimen.
• Practice kicking drills: Drills such as vertical kicking, fish kicking, and dolphin kicking on your back can help develop a more fluid and well-rounded dolphin kick.

Frequently asked questions