The butterfly stroke is the perfect combination of three main elements:
For each element, the key is to always move forward, and to avoid any unnecessary ‘up and down’ movement of the body during the swim.
But let’s get specific:
First of all, push the water backwards. In this way the body will move forward.
Secondly, be sure to have palms facing backwards and the fingers pointing down. But in the end, the single most important thing to remember (because it connects with the press phase), is to ALWAYS have the elbows bent, so that the forearm is at a vertical angle.
To help you get this crucial phase right, remember that if you swim the 100m and 200m distances, always look forward in order to make the movement easier and to have a wide entrance/extension, rather than if you swim the 50m distance.
Always feel that you drive the body forward. To get this right be sure to press forward with the chin (without using the head in this movement), but don’t force the face to go down!!!!!! Never forget, that during the press momentum, three things are supposed to happen at the same time:
So, let’s now enter into the last main topic…
Try to do this every day when you swim alone or with your coach and you will be an efficient and fast flyer!!!!!!!!!!!!