As a kid my father and my coach always wanted me to swim the fly but I always resisted. Only once was I ever persuaded to swim the 100m fly. I went out hell for leather in the first 50 and even turned in front but the wheels came off in the second 50, in a bad way, and I ended up limping in the last 25m swimming one arm butterfly! I never tried again!
Now after a 20 odd year abscence from swimming I find myself actually wanting to swim fly and enjoying it when I do. It's a beautiful feeling when the fly is executed well: smooth, rhythmic and exhilarating. When you hit the zone in fly it is an even better feeling than hitting the zone in crawl. It is an addictive feeling.
How did I get into fly? Well it has only been recently really, but I started to do a set of 25m at the end of every practice. I started off really slowly: 10 times 25m at 30 sec's alternating fly and crawl. Slowly I have built that up to 40 times 25m at 30sec and more recently I have been adding a set of 10 times 50 fly at 90sec. Next I plan to cut the repeat interval down to at least a minute on the 50's and then add some 100's. I can't wait to try the 100's but I don't want to try before I am really ready for them.
I always laugh when I see SwimStud's "Fly: Just say no!" because that is exactly how I felt but I have to say now, a practice without fly is a a practice without my 'fix'!
Anyone else have a similar experience?
Syd
Parents
Former Member
There's something about being able to swim the butterfly that validates you as a swimmer too.
Now this is probably going to stimulate some lively debate so let's put it even more bluntly. Rhythm is all important in fly. If you don't get that rhythm things start to fall apart quickly. Most swimmers, even casual swimmers, can complete 50m of the other 3 strokes without too much difficulty but not so of fly. A breakdown in rhythm in the other 3 strokes will lead to a less than optimal time whereas a breakdown in rhythm in fly leads to exhaustion and total stroke failure. Therefore it can be said: fly is the most difficult stroke. Now if you want to be a real swimmer you should, at least, try to master the most difficult stroke. Which means, if you can't swim fly, you are not a real swimmer! Now don't get upset with me. Muppet said it first!;)
Syd
There's something about being able to swim the butterfly that validates you as a swimmer too.
Now this is probably going to stimulate some lively debate so let's put it even more bluntly. Rhythm is all important in fly. If you don't get that rhythm things start to fall apart quickly. Most swimmers, even casual swimmers, can complete 50m of the other 3 strokes without too much difficulty but not so of fly. A breakdown in rhythm in the other 3 strokes will lead to a less than optimal time whereas a breakdown in rhythm in fly leads to exhaustion and total stroke failure. Therefore it can be said: fly is the most difficult stroke. Now if you want to be a real swimmer you should, at least, try to master the most difficult stroke. Which means, if you can't swim fly, you are not a real swimmer! Now don't get upset with me. Muppet said it first!;)
Syd
