Butterfly: one of the hardest swimming styles

Butterfly is one of the most technically challenging and tiring styles of swimming. It is a style of belly swimming in which the left and right sides of the body perform symmetrical movements: the arms make a broad and powerful stroke that lifts the body above the water, legs make wave-like movements. Butterfly is one of the most difficult ways of swimming and is considered the second fastest after the crawl. What peculiarities does this sport have?

General information

Among all types of swimming, butterfly is considered the fastest because it allows to develop maximum explosive speed. Nevertheless, it is not as effective for long distances as other styles because of the enormous energy expenditure. For this reason, butterfly is not as popular as the crawl, which takes less energy.

The name of the technique originated from the broad sweeps of the arms, which are similar to the flaps of the wings. It involves almost all the muscles of the body in work. This type of swimming can strengthen the cardiovascular, respiratory system, as well as strengthen the muscles and increase endurance faster than other types.

Movement of the arms

Butterfly is the most difficult swimming style, which is why it is never recommended to beginners, who will find it extremely difficult to master all the elements. Moreover, without proper physical training, it will not be possible to fully use the style. In the butterfly, as well as in the breaststroke, hand strokes occur simultaneously, but in this style, they perform a full turn.

When swimming in this style, the arms serve as the main driving force. The strokes allow to achieve up to 90% of the overall speed of the swimmer. Coordination plays an extremely important role. If coordination is not trained properly, it may be a serious barrier to mastering this style.

All handwork is divided into 4 main phases:

• Entry;
• Conducting the stroke;
• The basic part of the stroke;
• Removal of the hands from the water.

The carryout is performed with both hands at the same time, with the shoulders and head slightly elevated above the water. Shoulder extension allows you to save energy and increase overall speed at the same time. Swings are performed through the sides, with the arm muscles relaxed. An important feature is the position of the hands and arms before the entrance. The palm should point downward in the end of this phase.

During the entrance, a powerful forward throw of the arms is performed, and the position of the arms should be at the same level as the shoulders. Between the entry and the first phase of the stroke, the arm position changes from straightened to bent elbows (angle of about 130-140 degrees). During the second phase of the stroke, the arms are brought closer and the elbow bend with the angle of 90 degrees.

Movement of the body

Butterfly requires mastering the wave-like movements of the body from head to toe. Sometimes they are compared to dolphin or whip movements, but they also resemble a wave.

The head is positioned in front of the body. It is important to coordinate the movement of the head with the actions of the arms during inhalation, as well as make sure that it is in correct position during immersion in water. The neck muscles should be relaxed and stretched. A swimmer does not need to make excessive head actions. In this case, the neck muscles are not relaxed and it is harder to make an effective movement.

In butterfly, the main load goes on the following muscle groups:

• the shoulders;
• the broadest muscles of the back;
• abs;
• lower back;
• chest muscles;
• legs (anterior and posterior thigh muscles, calves).

Effective footwork implies that the feet assume the correct position to generate movement in the water when lifting and lowering. To do this, it is crucial to have good flexibility of foot and ankles. It is necessary to pay attention to the hips as well.

The feet follow the hips as they move up and down. The feet then assume a position in accordance with this wave-like movement of the body. If the hips do not work forward, the wave-like body movement is interrupted. As a result, to put the feet into the necessary position, swimmers have to bend the knees on purpose, while in the wave-like body movement the legs bend spontaneously. Bending the knees in accordance with the correct wave motion allows the feet to assume the correct position and reduces the resistance of the water.

Mistakes

Since butterfly is a technically complex type of swimming, beginners, as well as more experienced swimmers, often make mistakes, which leads to decreasing their speed and putting additional pressure on their muscles. It may seem that hands movement mainly does the work. In fact, wave-like movements of the torso and the pelvis play a more important role.

The next mistake is holding legs too close to the surface. It leads to losing energy and not being able to reach high speed. If the legs do not work synchronously, a swimmer has to perform the strokes by bending their knees, which can lead to knee injuries.

Proper butterfly technique is when the hands are at shoulder width. If the shoulders are narrowed, their position does not allow to perform the grip. If they are positioned wider, the water resistance increases and therefore, swimmers get tired much faster.

Dolphin-like swimming

This is a variation of classic butterfly. Why is it different? In order to swim like that under the water, you need to extend your arms in the arrow position in front of you. This is the main difference from the “classic” version, in which they are not stretched out all the time, but make paddles. It is necessary to keep making wave-like movements by legs and torso. Remember to pay attention to breathing. It is important to start by taking a strong and voluminous breath. When swimming underwater, exhale gradually using your nose or both nose and mouth.

Advantages and benefits

If we evaluate the benefits of butterfly, it is worth highlighting the following advantages:

• This is the final stage in mastering the swimming technique, after which all styles of swimming will not cause any difficulties.
• It develops all muscles perfectly because it provides an even load on them all;
• It increases overall endurance of a person;
• It helps to train explosive and peak speed;
• It allows you to spend many calories, which is good for body shaping and weight loss;
• It improves posture and widens shoulders.

Butterfly is also a great alternative to fitness for those who undergo treatment of intervertebral hernias and protrusions.

As you can see, butterfly is a hard type of swimming to master. Nevertheless, practicing it is a good way to keep fit, build muscles and improve your overall swimming skill.