Stroke Technique - Butterfly

Body position
o The body is in a prone, horizontal, streamlined position, undulating, shoulders parallel to water surface.

Leg action
o Simultaneous, continuous, close together
o Upbeat- legs start extended with feet stretched, hips close to surface- legs rise together and start to bend at knees, toes to surface.
o Downbeat- from hips, simultaneous drive downwards from the surface with the feet passing the knees to an extended position, in toeing.

Arm action
o Entry- hands enter shoulder width apart, thumbs first palms down (35).
o Catch/Outsweep- hands scull forwards and outwards, keep elbows high.
o Downsweep and insweep- hands scull to sown sweep, angle inwards and accelerate, towards C/L.
o Outsweep- hands continue to accelerate and extend past the hip,
o Exit elbow leads. Little finger follows
o Recovery- relaxed and low.

Breathing
o Keep the chin close to surface of water.
o Push the chin forward to breathe.

Timing
o Butterfly is normally swum with 2 kicks to 1 arm cycle.
o First downbeat occurs during the hand entry to catch.
o First upbeat- this takes place as the downsweep and insweep of the arms occur, exhale.
o Second downbeat- the timing of this coordinates with the upsweep of the arms, inhale.
o Second upbeats- this occurs as the arms go through the recovery phase.

<-- Back to Strokes