i'm really new to fly stroke,i don't have a coach,but have watched others doing fly,when i tried i could do it but seemed to take loads of strokes per length,also it tired me to do just 25m,i can do 2500 breastroke without stopping,maybe about 100 free before getting very tired,any suggestions ,workouts with weights etc to assist me to getting better.perhaps a simple explanation of the fly stroke would be of help too.
Without going into a long description of fly, I would suggest you find someone who can watch your stroke and give you tips. My suggestion is to use only one arm at a time until you know the stroke better. When I teach fly to my team I usually teach it in the following way.
1. 2x25 work on breathing. keep your chin on the water, it is almost as if you are putting a golf ball with you chin when you breathe.
3. 2x25 do freestyle arms and dolphin kick. This will help you maintain small, fast kicks.
4. 4x25 right arm down, left arm back. Breathe looking forward. On the first two, keep your opposite arm in front of you. On the second two, have your opposite arm at your side.
5. 2x25 3 right arm strokes, 3 left arm strokes, 3 full strokes. Make sure you stay on the surface, you don't want to be diving under the water too much.
Anyway, these are just some ideas to help you. I would also see if you can find some books or films which will show you how to learn fly.
Good luck,
SJ
Sparx,
That is one school of thought. Here are a couple of articles laying out a different approach:
www.h2oustonswims.org/.../slip_sliding_away.htmlwww.h2oustonswims.org/.../vive_le_papillon.html
Try both styles, and see what works best for you. You also might be interested in a previous discussion thread on training for the 200 fly.
Good luck. Welcome to the few, the proud, (the demented)…the butterflyers.
Matt
The total immersion video on "fly and ***" is very good. Go to the Ti website: www.totalimmersion.net
Get some fins as it makes it much easier to learn the 'body dolphin'. I love to teach fly and i beleive that most kids can learn fly. If they can wear fins then 90% of them will 'get it'. Trying to learn it without using fins makes it very difficult.
The TI drill progressions are good and will also improve your breaststroke. Then go on to 1 arm fly, "arms lead into legs" or "kick the hand into the water' and "kick the hand out of the water". This helps to get the timing which is so important.
Then progress to 3 left arm, 3 right arm, 3 whole stroke with fly kick of course. Then there are other drills - 3 whole stroke , 6 kicks, rpt.
Just don't try to swim to where your stroke collapses.
The 'fly away' video by Monika Schloder is excellent. It is at the 'Human Kinetics' site.
They gave you good suggestons. If you can get some lessons from somone else or private lessons that how I learn it as a kid . Also, you may want to use a breaststroke kick with the fly arm pull. You amaze me on breaststroke I can't swim it that far and I do a 1:43:31 as a 46 year old woman. You must be a natural or do you swim with your face up. Another secret with fly is conditoning, I'm a lot better than last year because my conditioning is better.
my coach also had me doing breaststroke pull with dolphin kick; fly pull with breaststroke kick and recovering the arms underwater. I felt the correct timing for the first time with the underwater recovery... when you get the timing right you will know it, it feels right, just like the breaststroke timing feels right.
I've read this numerous times and for those of you who do not read German, like Ion, there is an English translation.
www.svl.ch/.../butterfly.html
I always had trouble with fly until all of a sudden this year, I became quite good at it. I realized my problem was that I wasn't doing enough of a body dolphin with the stroke. I didn't have the correct technique and "fluidity" with the kick. I would end up just floundering. But I tried entering the water with my hands, then using my hips and kick to "pop" myself back up out of the water. I found this was not only less tiring but a lot faster and better looking too. Just don't go too deep. Stay on the surface.
Also, if anybody sees anything that doesn't settle right, let me know. Because I'm only pretty sure I'm doing it right as well.:cool:
Just a footnote to Gareth's message from yesterday - the Total Immersion butterfly/breaststroke video is available in PAL format from ther TI UK website.
In the US it's just now out of stock but is being rereleased on a reduced price DVD which also contains the Free/Back video as well. It should be available in November, although you may still be able to get the back/*** tape through USMS sponsor Kastaway Swimwear.
For me, getting the body dolphin right was a bit frustrating when it was introduced to me in group instruction with masters team, but the first time I was shown the TI short axis drill progression, it fell right into place. Aas an added bonus I can finally do a decent (and legal) breaststroke.
