Please forgive me, if this has been asked before.
My coach has decided it's time for me to expand my horizons. He's decided that I need to learn fly. I've watched a lot of videos, and I think have the keyhole stroke down. I've looked at a couple of one arm fly drills, and practiced a lot of dolphin kicks too.
What's the best way, in your opinion, to start learning fly. Coach just sends me across the pool and says do 50 Fly (on the fly, so to speak). I'd like to avoid developing as much bad form as I can from the start. He says I almost have it, but hasn't elaborated much past that yet.
I've heard that it may be easier to learn with fins at first, and then I've heard the exact opposites. Opinions??
Former Member
Please forgive me, if this has been asked before.
When you mention that you do the dolphin kick, how do you execute it exactly? With the breathing pattern and all or just some undulation with random breathing once in a while?
You can approach fly several way. Of course, I have to admit that if you could take a lesson, that would help a lot. You swim the 3 other strokes well at the moment?
Say that you just try the fly, for 15meters or so. The whole thing as you picture it, how do you feel. Can you breathe well? Can you recover the arms easily while breathing? How long can you swim the full stroke without dying?
See my version of dolphin kick for newbies below...
YouTube- Fly DrillSide
Should be very relaxing to execute, it's fly, without the arms. Breathing and kick synchronization is pretty close to that of full stroke. You should feel like a seal that dives and surfaces and dives and surfaces etc. Dive get a fish then surface and breathe. A kick to dive, a kick to surface. As you could see on the clip, it's very close to one arm drill in timing aspects, but the good thing with the kick only is you get to learn to breathe in front without even using your arms. It's a fly balance sort of drill.
Coaches will vary on how they teach fly and stick with the methods that work for them. Here's what works for me:
1. I have my swimmers put their hands to their sides and work on an upper-body undulation that is exaggerated as much as possible.
2. I have them isolate three motions underwater before I allow them to try an over-water recovery. I don't teach the key-hole shape or the inward scull because it comes naturally and is often overdone.
One, seperate the hands with locked elbows, just past shoulder width.
Two, press the hands under the elbows (EVF). Everyone's flexibility is a little different but I don't want them to lead their stroke with their elbows (dropping them).
Three, I want them to push back and lift their hands out of the water. Then recover underwater.
When they can do that I progress to the next skill.
1. I want them to lift their head as their hands pass their bellybutton (chin stays near the water).
2. I want them to extend their kick fully as their hands come out of the water and ask them to make believe their body surfing.
*** Remeber, I don't have them use an over-water recovery while performing the above drill. ** Using fins can be helpful
When they can do the above skills I progress to the kick and simply tell them that I want to hear a kick (thump) when their hands seperate and a kick (thump) when their hands are extending for the breath. I don't teach kicking first because I find beginners put them in the wrong place and create flaws that are difficult to correct.
1. I progress to a 10 to 15 yard swim where I ask the swimmers to swim toward me. I ask them to look at me while their hands are extended out of the water.
2. When I have a swimmer who can get their arms out together, extended while looking at me (a level 2 swimmer), I ask them to drop their head in before their hands enter. When a swimmer can drop the head then chest where I can't see the head, before the hands enter, you're golden.
From the above progression we work on fine-tuning where the hands seperate immediately, the EVF, and a finish that becomes fluent where the thumbs nearly touch the water on the recovery.
Good luck, Coach T.
My tiny contribution to this is that there is no good reason to swim 50 fly until you can swim a 25 well. Fly is very demanding and a 50 fly can be very difficult for someone learning.
I would rather see you swim 4 really good strokes before you swim a bad 50. Work up to 5 good strokes, etc. When that 25 is a clean swim - then think about going longer distances.
If you want to swim a 50 - swim fly for a 25, then return with free or a fly drill.
Hey there! I looked for you at Nationals, but it appears you were a NS for your events. What happened? Sorry I missed you!
I live very close (within 25 miles) of where the worst flood of Middle Tennessee (Nashville was devastated) happened in the last 1500 years. More than a couple of my very close friends lost everything!! I was there, helping them strip drywall and insulation out of their houses. I really do wish that I could have made it, but they were a little more in need. I do hate that I ordered and paid for a t-shirt that I never got though.
Maybe soon, I'll get to a big meet!! I want to meet all of you guys!!
"WE ARE NASHVILLE!!!"
I live very close (within 25 miles) of where the worst flood of Middle Tennessee (Nashville was devastated) happened in the last 1500 years. More than a couple of my very close friends lost everything!! I was there, helping them strip drywall and insulation out of their houses. I really do wish that I could have made it, but they were a little more in need. I do hate that I ordered and paid for a t-shirt that I never got though.
Maybe soon, I'll get to a big meet!! I want to meet all of you guys!!
"WE ARE NASHVILLE!!!"
Oh Cheryl, I'm so sorry! My heart goes out to you and your friends, as well as Nashville. :badday: You were a great friend to be there for your friends.
I hope, too, that you will make it to a meet. Keep us posted, so we can meet you!
