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,
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.
Good luck, let us know how you do.
Matt
I like this drill a lot, but in reverse order, two strokes of fly, two pulls of breaststroke, all with only one breath, come up to breathe as your arms get ready to pull the fly again. I do 25s of this drill and it seems to (a) get me completely out of breath, but (b) get me to move continuously with the dolphin kick/body undulation.
I keep working at the fly.
Also, I seem to have noticed that a wide hand entry and a somewhat wide start to my pull spares my shoulders. I can feel when I am pulling in the wrong place for my body, versus where it feels nice and solid.
Still not a speedo, though. As I say, I keep working the fly. I like the challenge.
Alastair,
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.
Good luck, let us know how you do.
Matt
I like this drill a lot, but in reverse order, two strokes of fly, two pulls of breaststroke, all with only one breath, come up to breathe as your arms get ready to pull the fly again. I do 25s of this drill and it seems to (a) get me completely out of breath, but (b) get me to move continuously with the dolphin kick/body undulation.
I keep working at the fly.
Also, I seem to have noticed that a wide hand entry and a somewhat wide start to my pull spares my shoulders. I can feel when I am pulling in the wrong place for my body, versus where it feels nice and solid.
Still not a speedo, though. As I say, I keep working the fly. I like the challenge.
