How Swimming Butterfly Will Make You Stronger!

Swimming butterfly may be difficult to begin with, it may give you all sorts of aches and pains - but for that reason, it is great for strength training and overall development of your freestyle technique! Mark and James are here to run through the reasons why you should implement Butterfly into your schedule!

If you enjoyed this video, make sure to give it a thumbs up and share it with your friends. 👍

Submit your content here:

Watch more on GTN...

Music - licensed by Epidemic Sound:
ES_Tu Tone (Instrumental Version) - Tilden Parc
ES_Melting - Cushy
ES_Rosary - Ballpoint
ES_Unobscured - Elin Sandberg
ES_Constantine - Toby Tranter
ES_Oobleck - Jobii

Photos: © Triathlon / Getty Images

The Global Triathlon Network (GTN) is the world's biggest triathlon YouTube channel, with new videos every day! GTN is for anyone who loves triathlon: from seasoned triathletes to first timers – and everyone in between!

With the help of our former pro and Olympic medal winning team, we’re here to inform, entertain and inspire you to become a better triathlete; including videos on:

- How to swim, bike, and run faster with expert knowledge
- Try our session ideas
- Investigations into wide ranging topics
- The best triathlon bike tech and gear with pro know-how
- In-depth, entertaining features from the heart of the sport
- Chat, opinion and interact with us across the channel and on social media!

Join us on YouTube’s best triathlon channel to get closer to the sport and to become a better, faster and fitter triathlete!

Welcome to the Global Triathlon Network.

Thanks to our sponsors:

[gtn]

Do you include butterfly in your swim training? Leave us a comment!

[adorablegodzilla]

Most people at my gym don't wear goggles or swim caps and don't want to get their hair wet so when it looks like someone might join my lane, I start doing the butterfly.

[stevedouglas]

Love a bit of butterfly, especially at the end of a session. I find it easier than breaststoke, plus it makes you look like an actual swimmer.

[northsta]

Head goes down early. Breathing on every stroke. No crazy undulation or second kick. Such way must be faster than backstroke while still doable for longer distances. I really like the style

[TheKrisu]

Hardest style to be honest, but it provides Great value. Agree!

[Shevock]

Butterfly (and back) was my event in high school and its the only stroke I have avoided in the 28 years since then.

[odyseusjarhead]

Great!! Now that you've explained why, you have to show how. We're waiting with bated breath.

[JJ.ermenegildofregna]

butterfly is a pain in the arse but it looks cool as hell.

[curtismann]

For for someone new to butterfly, I would always recommend short distances like half a lap or even just two strokes, and then return to the front crawl. Butterfly is super fun but yes it’s exhausting so don’t pressure yourself into doing it till you’re totally exhausted it’s the stroke that most reminds me of playing in the water as a kid and I’ve done fly ever sense.

[richweaver]

I started butterfly swimming last July. It was the best thing I could have done in the pool. Freestyle times dropped. I didn't give up.

[ceciliabidwell]

Love swimming fly with fins. Definitely makes you better at freestyle.

[kelyarsky]

short fins can help with fly if your legs are weak

[mikedickerson]

This video makes me feel attacked. Like a spotlight has been thrown on my own secret guilt. Thanks, GTN, for outting my fly-avoidance.

[MTWf]

I sometimes do IM sets. With fly, I do single arm drills for my drill sets. Fun stuff.

[alexandrabikes]

As long as my bad shoulder is holding up I will swim butterfly on days when it is included in my masters workouts. The 100 fly was my event when I swam competitively, but as a retired former competitive swimmer, I now mostly do 25s.

[lexington]

When i swam a lot of Masters swim meets I would swim 50 and/or 100 butterfly, as few people in my age group did it so it was an easy way to get points... I would almost always come in last. And my butterfly is actually really poor.

[echo]

I swim butterfly, because it’s the coolest style in the pool 😜 but shoulder warm-up is a must before swimming this style.

[steveouk]

Total newbie here. BF is my weakest stroke, mostly because I'm pushing a wall of water into my face and can't catch a breath. Taking it slower to get the knack of it so I don't do that. Lots of practice!

[ed]

Took your advice. Managed a full 2 strokes! Third stroke was more caterpillar than butterfly. Hoping to nail 3 full strokes next week - or is that 50% increase in load a bit ambitious? 😅

[patricia_w]

where are your leg kicks while swimming ?! Used to compete in 200m butterfly, badass !