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
Former Member
Syd- I know the feeling....trying to get into Fly myself. Used to swim it oh, like 35 years ago....and when it all came together it was awesome; felt like I could swim it forever. Sadly, I stopped swimming, moved on to other sports/hobbies....life etc. After multiple injuries; wear and tear on body, started swimming again a little over two years ago. Just now I can finally finish a 50 without too much stroke disintegration. Have to agree that if I did not have to breathe, I'd have the stroke down perfectly.
I find I still don't have the core strength to keep it up....am thinking of getting a monofin to help with this. Has anyone else tried to use the monofin to imporve the butterfly?
Love fly. It is beautiful to watch and to swim. To actually do it is to feel ... powerful, fast and strong ... like nothing else. I have a secret ambition involving fly - cannot utter the words yet.
I could never fly over 100m, it did come easy to me it was my arms with a two beat kick. You must realize it was when we just made the change from breaststroke to our own butterfly stroke. Of course my friends Jack Nelson and Bill Yorzyk could do the 200 with ease and I just did not swim over a 50 or 100.
Syd -
I was like you. In high school I would refuse to swim fly. I thought that stroke was the worse thing ever invented. I have gradually grown to love it. I am going to attempt the 200 fly this year. I may not be pretty at the end but as long as it is legal then I will be able to say I did it. I always work fly sets at the end of practice. If I can do them when I am tired, I should be able to do it at a meet.
Good luck to you.
I'm just starting to ramp up my fly workouts, planning for the 200 next spring at Austin. This morning I did a fly set of 12 X 25 yds on 60 sec just to warm up, then 5 X 100 yds on 3 minutes, just keeping it easy and fluid, and 8 X 25 yds on 45 sec with increased intensity. Felt great!! Total workout, including miscellaneous other 'off' strokes was 3700 yds.
Here's a question: Besides being very tiring, why do my legs hurt first? The simple answer: My legs are weak, right?
Paul,
I agree with George on this one. It sounds to me as if you aren't using your core strength but maybe just trying to get the power from pushing your lower legs down hard. Watch a flyer underwater and note how much of the middle is involved...
Fluid, very fluid.
Paul,
I agree with George on this one. It sounds to me as if you aren't using your core strength but maybe just trying to get the power from pushing your lower legs down hard. Watch a flyer underwater and note how much of the middle is involved...
Fluid, very fluid.
George/Mel:
How do you fly kick? Is it any different when you do SDK?
