{"id":68188,"date":"2022-05-23T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2022-05-22T22:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.arenaswim.com\/uncategorized\/butterfly-training-plan-beginners-amateurs\/"},"modified":"2022-05-24T15:34:57","modified_gmt":"2022-05-24T13:34:57","slug":"butterfly-training-plan-beginners-amateurs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.arenaswim.com\/en\/training-technique\/butterfly-training-plan-beginners-amateurs\/","title":{"rendered":"Butterfly Stroke for Beginners: Tips and Drills"},"content":{"rendered":"

There\u2019s nothing quite like watching a swimmer use the butterfly swimming style to propel themselves across the surface of the water gracefully. The butterfly stroke technique requires power and coordination. When you bring these elements together and create a mechanically sound stroke, you\u2019ll feel like you\u2019re flying through the water while harnessing all of your body\u2019s strength and agility.<\/span><\/p>\n

The butterfly can be challenging to learn for amateur swimmers, so today, we\u2019d like to give you some tips and drills for how to start swimming the butterfly stroke for beginners. We\u2019ll start by breaking down each element of the butterfly stroke for you to understand how your body should move. Then, we\u2019ll provide you with a set of butterfly drills that you can use during your next training session.<\/span><\/p>\n

Butterfly Technique Tips<\/b><\/h2>\n

With any swim stroke, practicing good technique is crucial to your performance. So, for the butterfly stroke, you must practice the correct method for each part of the stroke. With consistent training, you\u2019ll be able to master the butterfly stroke.<\/span><\/p>\n

Let\u2019s go over the technique required to swim the butterfly stroke for beginners. We\u2019ll look into the correct body position, arm pull, kicking, and breathing pattern.<\/span><\/p>\n

Good Body Position<\/b><\/h3>\n

Like with all other swim strokes, you should aim to keep your body near the surface of the water. Keeping your hips high in the water is the most important aspect to focus on. If you allow your hips to drop, your legs will also sink and end up dragging through the water, which slows you down. The closer you are to the surface of the water, the less drag you\u2019ll experience throughout your stroke.<\/span><\/p>\n

The next part of your body you should pay attention to is your head. The position of your head should remain in a neutral posture. Avoid looking up while swimming butterfly because it will create resistance and slow you down. Your hips will likely drop if your head comes too high out of the water, slowing you down.<\/span><\/p>\n

When you swim butterfly, your body moves in an undulating motion. You will move through the water in an alternating up and down motion. However, it is essential to focus on moving forward as well. A common error in butterfly stroke for beginners is that amateur swimmers try to move up and down too much. Instead, think of your undulation motion as a means to propel you forward through the water.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Perfect Arm Pull<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"Butterfly<\/p>\n

The butterfly arm pull involves a catch phase, pull phase, and recovery phase. The catch phase is when your hands enter the water, and you prepare your body for a strong pulling motion. The pull phase is when you harness power and generate speed to propel yourself forward. The recovery phase begins when your hands exit the water and ends as you start your next stroke. Let\u2019s look at some tips for each of these phases.<\/span><\/p>\n

First, we have the catch phase. Your hands should enter the water slightly wider than the width of your shoulder. The palms of your hand should face the bottom of the pool. Once your hands have entered the water, you should bend your elbows to put your arms in a strong position for the pull phase.<\/span><\/p>\n

From this point, you\u2019ll begin your pull phase. You want to pull back toward your hips to execute an efficient pull. Avoid pulling away from your body or straight down toward the bottom of the pool. Pulling away from your body and then back toward your hips in an \u201cS\u201d arm movement is an old technique that is no longer recommended due to its inefficiency. Pulling straight down can lift your body too high out of the water and results in little forward motion.<\/span><\/p>\n

Focus on a consistent and powerful pull through to your hips to provide the most speed. <\/span>A study found<\/span><\/a> that, during the butterfly stroke, swimmers exert different forces between the dominant hand and non-dominant hand. This imbalance during the pull can lead to a lack of efficiency in the stroke, so try to do your best to focus on pulling evenly with both arms.<\/span><\/p>\n

The final phase is the recovery phase. Your pinky finger should be the first part of your hand to exit the water. Keep your arms relatively straight and near the surface of the water as they come through the recovery phase. Ensure you supply enough momentum for your arms to make it through the entire recovery phase back to the catch phase. Keep your shoulders and back muscles as relaxed as possible during the recovery to avoid muscle fatigue.<\/span><\/p>\n

An Excellent Butterfly Kick<\/b><\/h3>\n

The kick used in butterfly is the dolphin kick. It is the same style of kick that is used during the underwater phase of freestyle. The body position for this kick involves keeping both your legs and feet side by side throughout the motion. Your toes should point straight back.<\/span><\/p>\n

During the butterfly stroke, you will perform two kicks per arm stroke. The first kick is how you generate enough forward momentum to initiate your recovery phase. The second kick adds additional momentum during your catch phase before you begin the pull.<\/span><\/p>\n

The butterfly kick consists of a strong downward motion in which you displace water using your legs and feet. Then, you kick upward as well to create even more forward drive.<\/span><\/p>\n

A Great Breathing Technique<\/b><\/h3>\n

\"Swimmer<\/p>\n

Butterfly breathing<\/span><\/a> is an essential part of the stroke. You have an option of how often you want to breathe during the butterfly stroke. When swimming the butterfly stroke for beginners, you might want to breathe every stroke you take. You can work toward breathing once every two or three strokes as you <\/span>increase your lung capacity<\/span><\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n

The benefit of breathing less often is that it allows you to keep your head down and reduces your drag through the stroke. The distance you are swimming can also help you decide how often you breathe:\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n