I enjoy doing butterfly( i really do) i just hate how i feel when i do it at practice and sometimes after a race. The main problem i have is that whenever we are doing 100 fly sets at practice i cant control my breathing. when i touch the wall after my first link(SCY) i have to take two whole breaths before i kick off the wall or i feel like i am going to die. After the 75 i am out of it, i lift my head when i take a breath and that only make it worse. Whats the best way to remedy my breathing tech at practice? What could i tell my coach to help me with?
Thanks in Advanced.
~Skaterbaj
I was turned into a fly swimmer a few years ago. Hopefully, these tips will help.
Concentrate on exhaling underwater. People often forget about this during fly and waste half a breath trying to exhale. I always make sure I force all the air out of my lungs when I dip my head back into the water. This includes off the turn. Watch Michael Phelps and company, huge bubbles generally come out of their noses when they push off the wall. Remember exhaling is just as important as inhaling. (I personally think it is more important)
Try breathing to the side on every stroke. A lot of very high profile swimemrs do this. It can be used effectively for breathing and keeping an eye on competitors. Simply angle your head to the side and breathe while keeping you neck and shoulder muscles relaxed. This saves a alot of energy.
Develop a breathing pattern while doing fly drills. This is instrumental in improving breathing. During one-arm fly, I always breathe every three strokes. Although for timing reasons when I race I breathe every stroke, I know by practicing breathing every three during drills allows me to breathe every three during a race if needed.
Do a lot of underwater work to make sure you develop the lung capacity, too. On one of my teams we used to have an underwater distance race. The people who could do a 50 underwater in the fastest time won a beer or something. I would suggest practicing your underwater fly kick so that you can go further off the walls and use less upperbody energy.
I hope these help
I was turned into a fly swimmer a few years ago. Hopefully, these tips will help.
Concentrate on exhaling underwater. People often forget about this during fly and waste half a breath trying to exhale. I always make sure I force all the air out of my lungs when I dip my head back into the water. This includes off the turn. Watch Michael Phelps and company, huge bubbles generally come out of their noses when they push off the wall. Remember exhaling is just as important as inhaling. (I personally think it is more important)
Try breathing to the side on every stroke. A lot of very high profile swimemrs do this. It can be used effectively for breathing and keeping an eye on competitors. Simply angle your head to the side and breathe while keeping you neck and shoulder muscles relaxed. This saves a alot of energy.
Develop a breathing pattern while doing fly drills. This is instrumental in improving breathing. During one-arm fly, I always breathe every three strokes. Although for timing reasons when I race I breathe every stroke, I know by practicing breathing every three during drills allows me to breathe every three during a race if needed.
Do a lot of underwater work to make sure you develop the lung capacity, too. On one of my teams we used to have an underwater distance race. The people who could do a 50 underwater in the fastest time won a beer or something. I would suggest practicing your underwater fly kick so that you can go further off the walls and use less upperbody energy.
I hope these help
