Hello, I'm a UK swimmer (41) who took up swimming following a running injury 4 years ago. A familiar scenario to many. My freestyle and breaststroke is OK and infact I do fairly well in a breaststroke set at the club.
My butterfly is like a stone in the water however. I have chatted to other members , the coach, and watched the good guys, but it does not seem to happen. I get no real leg power on a kick in, kick out rhythym for each arm pull. I know the power comes from the stomach as well as the legs and I know rhythym is important. Has anybody had any great moments of enlightenment. No amount of drill work seems to make a huge difference. Any ideas ?
Alastair,
Emmett Hines has written two fabulous articles on butterfly. Go to this web site http://www.h2oustonswims.org/
Click on the Articles tab.
Read the articles "Slip Slid'n' Away" and "Vive Le Papillon" (in that order).
Get yourself a pair of fins, and follow his advice. Some essential points to remember:
- Swim fly with your body, not your arms.
- I actually think of initiating my kick at my shoulders (versus the knees or the hips).
- Keep your head in a neutral position (i.e. don't tilt your head up to breath), and breath as early in your arm recovery as possible, then get your head back down. If you have really good body udulation and head position, you can breath every stroke without messing up your stroke.
- Try putting a little glide in your stroke after your recover your arms. Pause a split second before initiating the next arm pull.
When you are ready to try a little whole body swimming, try this drill. Swim two strokes of breaststroke, then two strokes of fly, and keep alternating by 2's. I use this to make my breaststroke somewhat...less offensive than it would be otherwise. This drill helps but a body wave/udulation in your breaststroke, and a glide in your fly.
If you want some more ideas, or inspiration, try this article about the crazed individual who swims a 5K open water swim butterfly the whole way www.thomasboettcher.org/.../default.htm
Finally, Gareth are you out there? He is a regular contributor to this discussion board, a UK subject, and a coach who teaches a swimming style consistent with this method of fly. If he lives near you, he may be able to give you some pointers.
Good luck, let us know how you do.
Matt
Here, Rich, I resurrected a thread just for you to learn fly. It seems that fins are advocated. Now, I'm off to read those articles.
Alastair,
Emmett Hines has written two fabulous articles on butterfly. Go to this web site http://www.h2oustonswims.org/
Click on the Articles tab.
Read the articles "Slip Slid'n' Away" and "Vive Le Papillon" (in that order).
Get yourself a pair of fins, and follow his advice. Some essential points to remember:
- Swim fly with your body, not your arms.
- I actually think of initiating my kick at my shoulders (versus the knees or the hips).
- Keep your head in a neutral position (i.e. don't tilt your head up to breath), and breath as early in your arm recovery as possible, then get your head back down. If you have really good body udulation and head position, you can breath every stroke without messing up your stroke.
- Try putting a little glide in your stroke after your recover your arms. Pause a split second before initiating the next arm pull.
When you are ready to try a little whole body swimming, try this drill. Swim two strokes of breaststroke, then two strokes of fly, and keep alternating by 2's. I use this to make my breaststroke somewhat...less offensive than it would be otherwise. This drill helps but a body wave/udulation in your breaststroke, and a glide in your fly.
If you want some more ideas, or inspiration, try this article about the crazed individual who swims a 5K open water swim butterfly the whole way www.thomasboettcher.org/.../default.htm
Finally, Gareth are you out there? He is a regular contributor to this discussion board, a UK subject, and a coach who teaches a swimming style consistent with this method of fly. If he lives near you, he may be able to give you some pointers.
Good luck, let us know how you do.
Matt
Here, Rich, I resurrected a thread just for you to learn fly. It seems that fins are advocated. Now, I'm off to read those articles.
