Is it legal to keep your hands in a streamline position and just dolphin kick for a 200 fly (as long as you're not underwater more than 15 meters)? Or swim it by 50s alternating fly and kicking? Just wondering ... I think it is based on something the Wolfman said, but would like confirmation.
Don't bother to say swim the whole thing. I can't/won't/don't want to/aren't interested. I have a power fly stroke not suited for a 200 and can't keep the arms recovering for 200 yards/meters.
Here is the entire rule:
101.3 Butterfly
101.3.1 Start—The forward start shall be used.
101.3.2 Stroke—After the start and after each turn, the swimmer’s shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the ***. The swimmer is permitted one or more leg kicks, but only one arm pull under water, which must bring
the swimmer to the surface. (Note: After the start and after each turn, only
one breaststroke kick is allowed prior to the arm pull that brings the swimmer
to the surface.) It shall be permissible for a swimmer to be completely
submerged for a distance of not more than 15 meters (16.4 yards) after
the start and after each turn. By that point, the head must have broken the
surface. The swimmer must remain on the surface until the next turn or
finish. From the beginning of the first arm pull, the body shall be kept on
the ***. Both arms must be brought forward over the water and pulled
back simultaneously.
101.3.3 Kick—All up and down movements of the legs and feet must be simultaneous. The position of the legs or the feet need not be on the same level, but they shall not alternate in relation to each other. The breaststroke or whip kick may be used exclusively or interchangeably with the dolphin kick while doing the butterfly stroke at any time during the race. Only one breaststroke or whip kick is permitted per arm pull, except that a single breaststroke or whip kick is permitted prior to the turn and the finish without an arm pull. After the start and after each turn, a single breaststroke or whip kick is permitted prior to the first arm pull. A scissors kicking movement is not
permitted.
101.3.4 Turns—At each turn the body shall be on the ***. The touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously at, above or below the water surface. Once a touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner desired. The shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the *** when the swimmer leaves the wall.
101.3.5 Finish—At the finish, the body shall be on the *** and the touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously at, above or below the water
surface.
I'm not a stroke and turn judge, but I don't see any requirement that you ever take a pull -- I think you can just dive in, streamline, and kick to your heart's content. If you do a pull underwater, it must bring you to the surface, and all subsequent pulls per length must have a simultaneous over water recovery. But pulling appears to be optional.
Here is the entire rule:
101.3 Butterfly
101.3.1 Start—The forward start shall be used.
101.3.2 Stroke—After the start and after each turn, the swimmer’s shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the ***. The swimmer is permitted one or more leg kicks, but only one arm pull under water, which must bring
the swimmer to the surface. (Note: After the start and after each turn, only
one breaststroke kick is allowed prior to the arm pull that brings the swimmer
to the surface.) It shall be permissible for a swimmer to be completely
submerged for a distance of not more than 15 meters (16.4 yards) after
the start and after each turn. By that point, the head must have broken the
surface. The swimmer must remain on the surface until the next turn or
finish. From the beginning of the first arm pull, the body shall be kept on
the ***. Both arms must be brought forward over the water and pulled
back simultaneously.
101.3.3 Kick—All up and down movements of the legs and feet must be simultaneous. The position of the legs or the feet need not be on the same level, but they shall not alternate in relation to each other. The breaststroke or whip kick may be used exclusively or interchangeably with the dolphin kick while doing the butterfly stroke at any time during the race. Only one breaststroke or whip kick is permitted per arm pull, except that a single breaststroke or whip kick is permitted prior to the turn and the finish without an arm pull. After the start and after each turn, a single breaststroke or whip kick is permitted prior to the first arm pull. A scissors kicking movement is not
permitted.
101.3.4 Turns—At each turn the body shall be on the ***. The touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously at, above or below the water surface. Once a touch has been made, the swimmer may turn in any manner desired. The shoulders must be at or past the vertical toward the *** when the swimmer leaves the wall.
101.3.5 Finish—At the finish, the body shall be on the *** and the touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously at, above or below the water
surface.
I'm not a stroke and turn judge, but I don't see any requirement that you ever take a pull -- I think you can just dive in, streamline, and kick to your heart's content. If you do a pull underwater, it must bring you to the surface, and all subsequent pulls per length must have a simultaneous over water recovery. But pulling appears to be optional.