Butterfly swimming: technique, how to properly swim with butterfly style

Butterfly is swimming with the most spectacular technique of execution, moreover, one of the most difficult. The style is also called "dolphin", "butterfly", or simply - "butt". Indeed, if you look at the swimmer from above, his hand movements will resemble the flapping of the wings of a butterfly, and the body oscillations are similar to the swimming technique of dolphins.

Butterfly swimming style in so many categories can be characterized by the adjective "most":

• The most spectacular and spectacular;
• The youngest sporting type of swimming;
• Fastest (equivalent to a crawl on the chest);
• Most technically challenging;
• Most tiresome;
• He has the most contraindications (due to increased load);
• Most useful for weight loss and muscle training;
• The most muscle groups are involved.

What is butterfly style?

This is a style of sports swimming, in which the body performs vertical wave-like movements, and the arms are symmetrical and at the same time row in the horizontal plane. The technique is unlike any other, it requires the swimmer to be in excellent physical shape, highly developed endurance and high coordination.

From the outside, the swimmer looks incredibly impressive. He jumps powerfully out of the water, throwing his arms out to the sides and making a big stroke. In a cloud of spray, he plunges into the water, in order to emerge again in a moment and continue moving. The sight is mesmerizing.

If you want to understand how to swim butterfly and dream of mastering this beautiful technique, read our article carefully. Check out the pros, cons and contraindications of the style. Next, we will give the butterfly swimming technique step by step, tell you about the main mistakes, explain how to breathe correctly and not get tired for a long time.

What muscles does it use?

To begin with, let's list which muscles work when butterfly swimming:

• Triceps
• Shoulders;
• Latissimus dorsi;

• Press;
• Large chest;
• Triceps and quadriceps thighs;
• Big gluteus;
• Calf.

As you can see, the style comprehensively affects the muscles, almost the entire body. This is the perfect way to quickly and efficiently work the main muscle groups without overloading the spine and joints.

Pros and cons

Let's start with a pleasant one - see how many advantages of butterfly swimming have:

1. As we said above, the technique sets a good load on the muscles. Swimmers can boast of a toned and beautiful body, developed breathing and good endurance. The latter skill is important to improve for a variety of sports.
2. The style does not at all set the load on the musculoskeletal system, which means it is suitable for athletes recovering from injuries or sprains.
3. High energy consumption stimulates active burning of calories, which means that butterfly helps to lose weight.
4. More activity improves blood circulation, and each cell of the body receives nutrition faster.
5. Swimming calms the nervous system, relieves stress, and helps relieve stress.
6. Butterfly swimming style allows you to develop a high speed of movement;
7. It looks incredibly spectacular and impressive.

This technique also has disadvantages:

• It is difficult for her to learn from scratch and without a coach;
• Due to the high load, the butterfly is not suitable for long distance swims;
• Style requires excellent physical fitness and ideal health;
• Not suitable for pregnant women and the elderly.

Butterfly swimming is prohibited with the following contraindications:

1. Acute heart failure
2. Conditions after a heart attack or stroke;
3. Recently undergone abdominal surgery;
4. Diseases of the respiratory system, including tuberculosis, asthma;
5. Acute inflammatory processes, including increased body temperature;
6. Digestive disorders;
7. Pregnancy.

Moms-to-be are shown more relaxed swimming styles, such as backstroke or breaststroke. Excessive stress on the upper shoulder girdle, abs and respiratory system can have undesirable consequences.

Execution technique

Let's move on to analyzing the correct butterfly swimming technique for beginners. We will explain in an accessible and simple way. We also recommend finding educational videos on YouTube to clearly see the anatomy of movements.

Butterfly swimming technique includes 3 sub-items: movements of arms, legs and trunk, breathing.

Starting position: the swimmer lies on the water with his stomach down, arms straightened forward, legs extended backward, brought together.

Hand movements

The cycle consists of three stages:

1. First, hands are immersed in the pool, palms facing down. The limbs are bred to shoulder width;
2. Then the hands make a circular motion with water around the athlete's body, approximately to the thigh line. The elbows bend, but the hands are still palms down;
3. At the last stage, the hands come out of the water and return through the starting position to the position of the first phase.

In the third stage, the highest stroke rate is achieved, due to which there comes a favorable period for pushing up and coming out of the head to the surface. At this time, the swimmer takes a breath.

The hand stroke technique in butterfly style swimming resembles breaststroke, but with an exit to the surface and great acceleration.

Leg and body movements

If you look at the diagram showing how to properly swim with a butterfly, it becomes clear that the legs and trunk are involved in a single cycle of movements:

• Legs move as in a water style, vertically, but not alternately, but together;
• First, the swimmer makes a strong pendulum up and a weak one down, due to which the head and shoulders go out, and the pelvis drops;
• Then a weak pendulum is made up and a strong one down, and the priest with the lower back rises to the water's edge;
• Then the cycle is repeated.

If you look at the movements of the torso from the side, you get the impression that it gives out a wave from the knee to the pelvis and shoulders, and back. A beginner does not manage to understand and master the type of butterfly swimming at once. However, with a responsible approach to training and strong motivation, everything will work out.

How to breathe correctly?

So, we have described the technique of hand strokes and leg movements in the butterfly swimming style. Next, we will explain how, in the process of all these manipulations, you also manage to breathe:

1. The inhalation is performed through the mouth, at the moment when the hands are in the return phase, in the chest area under water. At this moment, the athlete comes to the surface and prepares for a new powerful stroke;
2. Exhale through the mouth and nose into the water as the face plunges into the pool.

It is recommended to carry out one breath for two strokes. If you inhale each time you leave the water, the speed of movement is significantly lost.

If you are interested in how to learn how to swim butterfly on your own, first carefully study the style technique in theory, then watch the tutorial videos, practice on land (you can lie on a bench), and then start practice. Don't expect everything to work out right away. The style is really very complex, so give yourself the right to make mistakes.

Major mistakes

By the way, it will be useful to immediately familiarize yourself with the list of the most popular mistakes that absolutely all beginners make:

• The paddle should be wide and long underwater. Take your time to accelerate - the speed increases only before the hands reach the surface. If the stroke is fast and short, the bend of the torso will increase and you will move less forward;
• The legs should not go out - all body manipulations are performed under water. If your heels still "sparkle" on the surface, then you are creating yourself a waste of stress;
• Improper breathing - when inhaling, the swimmer pulls the neck forward too much, delaying the stroke. It is important to learn how to inhale in a very short period of time, and then, even before diving in, be ready to inhale;
• Inconsistency or asynchrony of movements. Lead to rapid fatigue and slow progress.

How to learn?

The instruction on the topic “how to swim fast with butterfly style” comes down to just one piece of advice - observe the correct technique of movements. Accurate adherence to its aspects, literally, will force your body to perform correct manipulations. It will intuitively understand correctly how to make a wave, when to breathe in air, at what moment to go under water. It's like with balance - once you catch it, you won't fall off the bike again.

Analysis of the butterfly swimming technique shows that it has absorbed all the best from the crawl and breaststroke, seasoning everything with its own unique peppercorn. The result is something very interesting - more powerful, no less fast, and certainly spectacular.

Until you have mastered the crawl or breaststroke swimming, it is too early to switch to the butt. If there are no difficulties with the first two, increase your speed and develop endurance. Gradually try the butterfly technique. By the way, men like this style more, because it allows to demonstrate excellent physical shape and strong training in a favorable light.

Watch the video: Michael Phelps Butterfly Technique (November 2024).