Learning butterfly and breastroke is really awkward for me
Former Member
I will go out on a limb and say I have "mastered" back and free in a beginner-ish, efficient swimming, "looks good and feels good" kind of way.
*** and fly have been a lot more challenging, although in fairness I've also spent less time on them.
I can "dolphin kick" across the pool underwater without any problems. (As a strange aside, the lifeguards thing it's weird when I do this and call it "the wave" and don't associate it with butterfly at all.)
I say I'm practicing dolphin kick, and they say, "well don't practice that if you want to learn butterfly", and then I say, "well what should I practice?" and they say, "butterfly kick", and then everyone just gets really confused.
Anyway, I have trouble integrating the arms into the dolphin kick motion. I also have trouble getting my arms high enough above the water. I really don't understand the entire stroke and I feel like I'd never be able to learn it.
Breastroke I can do, although my kick is horrible, so it's primarily my arms pulling me through the water.
Many o' teachers have tried to fix my whip kick. I can do it just fine on the deck. I can do it just fine if I "watch" my feet in the water. And I can do it well underwater.
But for some reason, when I integrate it full stroke, and especially near the surface of the water, I get almost no power from my kick.
It's all very frustrating...
Parents
Former Member
...I say I'm practicing dolphin kick, and they say, "well don't practice that if you want to learn butterfly", and then I say, "well what should I practice?" and they say, "butterfly kick", and then everyone just gets really confused.
Anyway, I have trouble integrating the arms into the dolphin kick motion. I also have trouble getting my arms high enough above the water....
Breastroke I can do, although my kick is horrible, so it's primarily my arms pulling me through the water...quote]
I think you might have a timing problem. I'm not sure why the lifeguards at your pool think there's a separate "butterfly" kick, but dolphin kick is what you want to be using. Press your chest down and forward, let your legs whip down (like shaking a garden hose) and then wait for your legs to start going back up to the surface before sculling your hands out to the sides. When you can feel your chest start to surface again, that's when you make your "catch" and as your body moves forward over the surface, that's when your arms recover for the next stroke. Since you're already above the surface, you don't have to work hard at all to get the arms above the water.
It may work best to work on the individual parts of the stroke. Start with dolphining while thrusting your fingertips forward and gradually add more bits until you have the complete stroke. Be sure to breath early, just as soon as your face clears the water, and avoid lifting your head.
Timing might be your breaststroke problem as well. You want to be kicking just a split second after your hands shoot forward.
Don't lose hope. I figure if I could learn butterfly at age 44 and finally get a better *** stroke at 49, anyone can.
...I say I'm practicing dolphin kick, and they say, "well don't practice that if you want to learn butterfly", and then I say, "well what should I practice?" and they say, "butterfly kick", and then everyone just gets really confused.
Anyway, I have trouble integrating the arms into the dolphin kick motion. I also have trouble getting my arms high enough above the water....
Breastroke I can do, although my kick is horrible, so it's primarily my arms pulling me through the water...quote]
I think you might have a timing problem. I'm not sure why the lifeguards at your pool think there's a separate "butterfly" kick, but dolphin kick is what you want to be using. Press your chest down and forward, let your legs whip down (like shaking a garden hose) and then wait for your legs to start going back up to the surface before sculling your hands out to the sides. When you can feel your chest start to surface again, that's when you make your "catch" and as your body moves forward over the surface, that's when your arms recover for the next stroke. Since you're already above the surface, you don't have to work hard at all to get the arms above the water.
It may work best to work on the individual parts of the stroke. Start with dolphining while thrusting your fingertips forward and gradually add more bits until you have the complete stroke. Be sure to breath early, just as soon as your face clears the water, and avoid lifting your head.
Timing might be your breaststroke problem as well. You want to be kicking just a split second after your hands shoot forward.
Don't lose hope. I figure if I could learn butterfly at age 44 and finally get a better *** stroke at 49, anyone can.
