5 Best Butterfly Swimming Drills to Improve Your Stroke

Looking to perfect your butterfly technique? This video breaks down five of the best butterfly swimming drills to help you develop a stronger, more efficient stroke. These drills focus on stroke recovery, body movement, kick timing, and breathing control to make butterfly feel more natural and less exhausting.

Top 5 Butterfly Drills:

✔ 333 Drill – Isolate your stroke with three strokes per arm before transitioning to full butterfly.

✔ Surfer Butterfly – Focus on underwater mechanics by eliminating the arm recovery phase.

✔ Dolphin Kicks on the Back – Enhance core-driven movement while breathing freely.

✔ Dragonfly Drill – Improve stroke timing and surface control with freestyle kicks.

✔ Flow Drill – Master the wave-like body motion crucial for an efficient butterfly stroke.

By practicing these drills, you’ll refine your technique, increase endurance, and swim butterfly with better rhythm. Watch the full video to transform your butterfly stroke! 🏊‍♂️💨

Core Points

1. Introduction to Butterfly Technique Improvement

   • The video discusses five key drills designed to enhance butterfly swimming technique.

   • Emphasizes the significance of isolating different elements of the butterfly stroke to improve overall performance.

2. The 333 Drill

   • Aims to train the butterfly stroke’s recovery phase without the exhaustion of using both arms simultaneously.

   • Involves swimming three strokes with the left arm, followed by three with the right arm, and then three strokes using both arms.

   • Focus on keeping the arms close to the water surface and options for breathing forward or to the side.

3. Surfer Butterfly

   • Concentrates on the underwater aspect of the butterfly stroke, excluding the recovery phase.

   • Establishes timing for kicks in relation to the underwater stroke.

   • Requires outstretched arms and coordinated body movements, emphasizing the hips and legs’ downward movements to facilitate breathing.

4. Dolphin Kicks on the Back

   • This drill allows swimmers to practice the butterfly kick while on their back, enhancing breathing flexibility.

   • Focuses on complete body movement initiation starting from the chest down to the ankles, promoting effective dolphin kicks.

5. Dragonfly Drill

   • Integrates crawl kicks to help swimmers maintain surface proximity while enhancing the butterfly technique.

   • Emphasizes the importance of timing during breathing with crawl kicks.

   • Highlights the challenge of maintaining hip movements compared to butterfly kicks.

6. Flow Drill

   • Focuses on achieving a smooth and coordinated dolphin motion throughout the body.

   • Requires arms extended shoulder-width apart, allowing for maximal range during the dolphin movement.

   • Incorporates wave-like motions through the body, helping to connect movements from the arms through to the legs.

Important Details

1. Detailed Steps for Each Drill

   • The 333 drill involves three isolated strokes on each arm before integrating both arms to develop coordination and fluency.

   • The Surfer Butterfly requires a focus on hip downward movement to initiate the leg kick upward for breath timing.

2. Specific Body Positioning in Drills

   • Dolphin Kicks on the Back promotes a balanced position allowing for ease of breathing while engaging in full-body movement.

   • During the Dragonfly drill, swimmers use crawl kicks, paying attention to maintaining a low profile in the water to avoid excessive drag.

3. Emphasis on Coordination and Flow

   • The Flow Drill encourages a natural wave action throughout the body, where downward movements of one body part trigger upward movements in another.

   • Swimmers are instructed to maintain appropriate rhythm and timing, ensuring that movements smoothly transition from one to another.

4. Visualizing Movements

   • Swimmers are encouraged to visualize the connection between their arm movements and body position, facilitating a better understanding of the stroke’s mechanics.

   • Illustrations or demonstrations may accompany drills to enhance comprehension.

5. Flexibility in Breathing Patterns

   • Adjusting breathing techniques according to the drill being performed allows swimmers to train their comfort levels with different stroke arrangements.

   • The strategic use of forward and side breathing enhances performance during competitive scenarios.

6. Progressive Challenge Levels

   • Each drill can be adjusted in intensity; starting with simpler tasks and gradually increasing complexity ensures continuous skill advancement.

   • This progression is key to keeping training sessions engaging and challenging.