Hey, I just did a lap of butterfly!
Ok, 4 lengths, but let's split the difference and call it a lap. ;)
Back when I used to compete, I never did figure out the butterly. It was my only slow stroke. Just never got the rhythm down.
So when I started training again in September, I stuck to the other 3 strokes. Tried fly and didn't remember it at all. Couldn't do it. Not even a single stroke.
Anyway, I'm reading Mastering Swimming and there's a section in there on how to learn fly, starting with pulsing, then pulsing with kicking, then pulsing and kicking with sculling, then adding the complete pull.
In one week, I learned it. Today I did my first full length!
The trick was to find the point where the breath starts. Once I realized that I had to come up when I was both in the power phase of the pull and on a down kick, the rest worked itself out because I had done the exercises that Montgomery and Chambers described, so my body was doing what it should be doing once I found that sweet spot where my pull and kick were coordinated, and it was automatic from there.
Of course, I was splashing like a puppy in a bathtub, and I got tired pretty quick, and got a little cramp in my leg, so I know I need to do some major work on my form before I can incorporate fly into my regular workout, but hey, now I can do the stroke!
Thanks, Jim and Mo!
Parents
Former Member
I can feel your excitement. I'm just experienced the same thing or so.
Barring 2 years when I was very young I've no swim experienced. I start over 2 years ago, all of myself I've rebuild from the ground all the strokes, first 2 years with a coach, what a wastle of time!, yes funny with other peoples but all my progress was due only at my passion. This year I train alone, what a difference!, I've improve more in last 3 months that the 2 years before. Fly was more a survivor experienced. this season I've started over, I have improved my core so my hip is higher, I've spent weeks to improve my ondulation and dolphin kick, and single arm fly.
After 3 months, last week I've tried to swim a complete fly. Well, totally a new experience. Now I swim with the body, my hip is at the surface, I feel the propulsion of dolphin kick, my hands can enter "soft" because my body is aligned and It's no needed to throw ahead and fast the arms to raise the hip with big splash, after the first lap, i was nearly fresh so wow let's me to do it again, again, and again. an impossible thing few months ago, swim 100m fly broken in 25s with a short rest, still alive.
The new feeling is great, I can feel the rythm, there's a lot of works to do, I must fix the breath, relax more, better first stroke, but great I'm happy.
I can feel your excitement. I'm just experienced the same thing or so.
Barring 2 years when I was very young I've no swim experienced. I start over 2 years ago, all of myself I've rebuild from the ground all the strokes, first 2 years with a coach, what a wastle of time!, yes funny with other peoples but all my progress was due only at my passion. This year I train alone, what a difference!, I've improve more in last 3 months that the 2 years before. Fly was more a survivor experienced. this season I've started over, I have improved my core so my hip is higher, I've spent weeks to improve my ondulation and dolphin kick, and single arm fly.
After 3 months, last week I've tried to swim a complete fly. Well, totally a new experience. Now I swim with the body, my hip is at the surface, I feel the propulsion of dolphin kick, my hands can enter "soft" because my body is aligned and It's no needed to throw ahead and fast the arms to raise the hip with big splash, after the first lap, i was nearly fresh so wow let's me to do it again, again, and again. an impossible thing few months ago, swim 100m fly broken in 25s with a short rest, still alive.
The new feeling is great, I can feel the rythm, there's a lot of works to do, I must fix the breath, relax more, better first stroke, but great I'm happy.
