Butterfly Swimmers

Real good-looking butterfly swimmers make it look so easy.  Their grace in swimming this stroke truelly is easy for them becuase they have learned its secret in staying relaxed.

When it comes down to a swim technique, the butterfly stroke can be one of the most beneficial to know. While it won’t help you to swim it in the open waters of the ocean, in smaller areas, butterfliers tend to find that they can pick up incredible speed and depending on their endurance levels, they are able to make an impact on distance endurance training and events. Ideally, those who attempt this swim technique will have experience with other strokes before attempting this approach.

One of the hardest things that butterfly swimmers have is mastering the kick. This is the most important piece and it takes the body kicking with a motion that will generate waves. This is very similar to the manner that a dolphin swims. The main difference is that you will do a moderate kick when your hands hit the water and an intense kick as you lift your body up.

For the best results, kick from your core since this will be where butterfly swimmers find their power. As you add in multiple kicks per stroke, you will also find that your power increases and you will be able to move faster distances. Think of Michael Phelps, a well-respected Olympic gold medalist that uses this swim technique.

The next important swim technique is the arms. When your head goes above the water’s surface, you will reach forward with your arms. Above the water, you will raise your head no more than three inches and then inhale and then tuck your chin back and extend your arms to bring your body higher. This will be a swooping circular motion that will end with them being placed together in front of you as your fingers maintain a key hold pattern. You will want to continue this pattern until you have finished the distance that you will plan on swimming.

You may not know it, but this swim technique wasn’t always welcome in the Olympic Pool. In 1935 Jack Sieg one of the original butterfly swimmers was actually disqualified for using the kick, despite holding an incredible time of 1:00.2 in the 100 yard swim. This led to changes and by 1956, the summer Olympics began to recognize this form of swimming as a unique form that has gone on to capture the attention and passion of swimmers across the world.

There is no denying that the butterfly stroke is one of the most important swimming techniques that we have today. Not only will it be useful for short distances, but competitive swimmers will find that it will be a great choice for freestyle races, building endurance for marathon swims and open water swimming. It could prove to be the difference between earning gold and the silver medal in any competition.

Today's Daily Swimming Workout:

Warm-up:  500 as 25 butterfly kick on your back, 75 freestyle continuous

4 X 125 as 50 butterfly, 75 freestyle - 10 seconds rest

Kick with long swim fins:  10 X 50 alternating butterfly and freestyle - 10 seconds rest

Drill a super slow for technique 100 Individual Medley

Pull with Hand paddles on 6 X 150 each as 50 freestyle, 25 right arm butterfly, 25 left arm butterfly, 50 freestyle

3 X 500 freestyle on sustainable quick pace with about a minutes rest between each

Warm-down:  200 as kick butterfly on your back and freestyle super slow

Total:  4200 meters or yards

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