Butterfly drills for beginners

A few drills that will help you learn the basics of butterfly or improve it if you are not a beginner. You can do this drills with fins on at first.

1. Dolphin drill

Purpose: To feel the body action of the butterfly stroke while at the surface.

Procedure: Push off the wall on your front side aling the surface, keeping your hands down by your sides and looking down at the bottom of the pool. Just the back of your head will break the surface. Use your head to start the body action, push downward with the forehead to start the whiplike action of the kick. Keep the head angle changing, but primarly look down. As you push your forehead down, allow the hips to come up. Then, allow your heels to slide above the surface, and begin to kick down. Your head will become to come back up to break the surface as you kick down. Break the surface with your head and repeat. You will break the surface in the following pattern: head, shoulders, hips and heels. Keep the motion fluid.

Focus: Be sure to keep your head moving at all times. Look dow at the black line on the bottom of the pool. Remember to move with your forehead first. Develop a steady rhythm.

2. Dolphin drill with hands leading

It's the same drill as drill 1 but this time your arms are in a streamlined position.

3. One-arm butterfly

Purpose: To transition to the continuous body action of the butterfly at the surface while gradually incorporating the arm action. 

Procedure: Keep one arm out in front of you at all times, while using the other arm to pull. Stay on the surface, and keep the rhythm of pull, breathe, dive kick in a continuous fashion. Breathe to the side of the pulling arm. Relax and go slowly. Look down when you dive. Lift the hips up after breathing. Repeat the cycle for the other arm.

Focus: Maintain the rhythm: pull, breathe, dive, kick. Look down after you breathe. Lift your hips up after breathing. Lock your thumbs each time until you feel the kick.

4. 2-2-2

Purpose: To continue the transition to a complete butterfly by focusing on the body action.

Procedure: Stay on the surface and concentrate on maintaining the rhythm of pull, breathe, dive, kick in a continuous fashion. First take two strokes (pull and recovery) with one arm, then two strokes with the other arm, and finally two strokes with both arms. Continue to repeat this cycle. Try to breathe every other stroke. Breathe straight ahead when taking the two arm stroke, breathe to the side when taking the one arm stroke. Relax and go slowly, lift the hips up on each stroke as your hands come together in front.

Focus: Concentrate on the rhythm: pull, breathe, dive, kick. Look down and lift your hips up as your hands come together. Lock your thumbs each time until you feel the kick.

5. Controlled butterfly

Purpose: To complete the transition to a controlled butterfly while excellent rhythm. The emphasis remains on the body action.

Procedure: Use both arms for every stroke. Stay on the surface and work on keeping the rhythm of pull, breathe, dive, kick in a continuous fashion. Try to breathe every other stroke. Lock yor thumbs up briefly on each stroke when you dive. Relax and go slowly. Lift your hips up on each stroke as your hands come together. As you become stronger, try using this rhythm: reach, kick. As your arms enter the water, that is the reach. As the feet kick down. that is the kick. The timing between the reach and kick should be very even.

Focus: Keep a nice, flowing rhythm: pull, breathe, dive, kick. Eventually use this rhythm: reach, kick. Look down after each breath. Lift your hips up on each stroke. Lock your thumbs on each stroke until you feel the kick.

Try to stay relaxed and concentrated during these drills. Enjoy your swimming!!!!