Side-breathing for fly

I think that I've tried to turn my head to the side to breathe a few times when the side breathing thing became bid...didn't particularly like it too much. I wasn't able to keep myself going straight....tangling with the lane line isn't fun! ;)

Originally posted by kernow I wish I knew how to do fly; I'm still working on the kick! Same here. I have attempted fly a couple times, but I haven't quite figured out dolphin kicking. I know what I'm supposed to do, but I can't get the coordination right. Occasionally, I get a couple good cycles in and actually get some propulsion, but most of the time I'm dead in the water, and I look like I'm using the Ab-o-cizer. It's embarrassing when other people are around. So breathing style during the fly is the least of my concerns right now; but I'll watch this thread so when the time comes, I'll know how I should try to breathe.

Originally posted by DAP Same here. I have attempted fly a couple times, but I haven't quite figured out dolphin kicking. I know what I'm supposed to do, but I can't get the coordination right. Occasionally, I get a couple good cycles in and actually get some propulsion, but most of the time I'm dead in the water, and I look like I'm using the Ab-o-cizer. It's embarrassing when other people are around. So breathing style during the fly is the least of my concerns right now; but I'll watch this thread so when the time comes, I'll know how I should try to breathe. When I swam age group swimming, I started out swimming fly with only one kick per stroke which my coaches quickly told me was one kick too few. They drug me in the pool after workout and taught me the two kick beat in a way I found worked. Here is what I was taught. Maybe it will work for you: Push off the wall and glide holding your arms out in front and dolphin kick twice. Then pull your arms through one full stroke. Then holding your arms out in front (by the thumbs for example), kick two dolphin kicks. Then pull through. As you continue this drill, your arms eventually begin releasing into a stroke while you are completing your second kick. Eventually, the timing of the two kicks and one stroke develop. It worked for me and I developed a respectable butterfly. As I have grown older (40 now) the timing is still there. THe strength in my abs and shoulders and lungs needs continuour work, though. I have found that practicing the upbeat of my kick really propels my upper torso out of the water. I also have found that if my kick is strong, my arms and shoulders remain fresh longer. Good luck. Hope this helps.

Thanks for the pointers. I'll give the butterfly drill a try. It may take some time to get the undulating body motion of the kick right. Maybe belly dancing lessons would work. ;)

Originally posted by DAP Thanks for the pointers. I'll give the butterfly drill a try. It may take some time to get the undulating body motion of the kick right. Maybe belly dancing lessons would work. ;) My favorite drill for getting the undalation right is head-lead body dolphin. Push off the wall with your hands at your sides. Then start pulsing your chest. A way to make sure this happens is to lead with your head. The way I learned was to pretend that you are pushing a peanut along the floor with your nose. I find that by doing that, your whole body will follow that same wave motion. I hope that makes sense.:rolleyes: You don't go anywhere very fast when you first start doing this, so fins are sometimes a good idea...they also help to get your body to roll, IMO. ~Kyra

Originally posted by Alicat I have always breathed to the side, no problems. One thing I have noticed on a personal level is that the muscle groups I use to breath on the side are more neck and back rather than the chest for "regular breathing". Might have something to do with it Can you elaborate on this?

I have always breathed to the side, no problems. One thing I have noticed, on a personal level, is that the muscle groups I use to breath on the side are more neck and back rather than the chest for "regular breathing". Might have something to do with it... OK more elaboration... When someone swims, there are groups of "core" or "lead" muscles that are used --chest (pectorialis majors/minors) thighs, abdominals etc. Theses muscle groups are a bit different for each stroke or part of the stroke process (just note as you are swimming that, fly for example, is a big user of chest/abdominals, while backstroke is the lats/side abdominals, free is a big user of the pecs, and *** uses pecs/thighs etc...). In most of the swimming the majority of the muscle groups are in the chest while the muscles groups of the back are in a supportive role -generalization here. I had to learn to swim using different muscle groups due to some pretty significant muscular/skeleton birth defects, so I tend to "substitute" major muscle groups for the supportive muscle groups. Translation, the muscles in my back/abdominals and legs are well developed to compensate for the birth defects in my pecs. When I turn my head to the side to breath, I am using more muscles from the back than the chest. We all can or tend to substitute muscle groups when we learn to perfect our stroke or continue to swim with injury. Pretty long explanation hua?

I am a flyer and I never really liked side breathing. But hey, it got Melvin Stewart a gold medal in the 200 fly and a beer commerical where she is swimming with some chick and then they have a beer after their swim. I am still having issues breathing every stroke on fly but breathing every side is alot more comfortable than breathing to the side.

Originally posted by craiglll@yahoo.com People who have forward rounded shoulders should do everything they can to develop the muscles that are causing them to be rounded. Always if a swimmer has rounded shoulders it is besause hteire pecs are pulling their shoulders forward because they all over-developed or becasue their back muclesare over-developed and pushing the shoulders forward. this is not a natural outcome. Maybe, in cases where you're talking about kids and young adults whse bodies, and bones are still pliable to some degree. With an adult where postural round shoulders have resulted in cervical khyphosis, there isn't much you can do to correct their 'round shoulders' other than send them for an elective spinal surgery. Many adults that have spent most of their adult life at desk jobs have a certain degree of cervical khyphosis that is no longer correctable by excercise and muscle strengthening. Instead of just postural khyphosis, it starts turning into a degenerative khyphosos (wear and tear of the spine), where the muscular imbalances have already permanently affected the spine. Sure, with a 9 or a 10 year old or a teenager where permanent damage hadn't occured yet, you'd send them to a doctor and have them do corrective exercises for posture. With an adult, the amount you can 'change' their body is very limited. You end up having to change the technique to adapt to the body. Mny of the reputable coaches that I know in this area will recommend side breathing in those cases, and resulting in more efficient and more comfortable stroke - for adults.

Why do people find suck difficulty in butterfly? I know it's hard but I find *** to be more difficult to do properly. Butterfly takes more endurance I think.