Boost your Fly with these Butterfly Swimming Drills


The butterfly is a stroke that can be extremely beautiful and equally powerful...or, it can give the appearance of a wounded moth on it's last leg if all the elements aren't working together.


Drills are great for any stroke. They focus on specific aspects and often show weakness on one side or the other as well as a lack of balance between the upper and lower body movements.

The following drills, if practiced regularly, will help balance your stroke and allow you to power through the water swiftly, gracefully and efficiently.

  1. Body Dolphin variation #1: The head leads the movement. Kick with hands at side, breathe on upbeat of every fourth kick—drop head down on down beat without hesitation. Keep rhythm consistent, especially while breathing. This drill strengthens the core and exaggerates the undulation necessary to swim effective butterfly.
  2. Body Dolphin variation #2: This variation is the same as above except that the hands are in front. Try to keep arms in streamline.
  3. Underwater Dolphin Kicking: Dolphin kick in a streamline position underwater—on stomach, back, or side. this drill works on balance of the kick and strengthening of the core.
  4. Fly Kicking on Back: Floating on the back, dolphin kick with hands at side or stretched in streamline behind the head. The goal is to keep the knees below the surface of the water. This moves the focus to the downward portion of the kick which is a deficiency in many swimmers' butterfly.
  5. Triple Threat (3-3-3): Swim butterfly as usual with the exception of using the right arm only (3 times), repeat with the left arm (3 times), then follow with 3 strokes of full butterfly (both arms) – Make sure the arms are not merely doing one-armed freestyle and continue to breathe in the front as normal. Also make sure you keep the undulating movement throughout. This drill works on strengthening the individual arms because it does not allow the stronger arm to compensate for the other arm. This drill also exaggerates high hips (also a common area of deficiency). The number of strokes per drill cycle can be changed if desired.
  6. Vertical Dolphin Kicking: This drill will need to be performed in the deep. Jump in and dolphin kick. The goal is to keep the movement tight and strong. At first, it will feel very awkward and sloppy, but with practice and increased strength in the core, the difference when swimming fly will be apparent. This drill can be performed with arms at side or straight above the head. Also focus on keeping the head above the water.

All of these drills work nicely with or without fins. Fins will allow you to work longer by minimizing fatigue. Mix it up and make it fun. Drilling allows you to work on the details so when you swim, you can swim.

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