How To Swim Butterfly | Technique For Butterfly Swimming

The butterfly swimming stroke. Feared by many, the stroke that Michael Phelps made look easy - but it doesn’t need to be that hard! We break the stroke down step by step so you can add butterfly into your swim training, and become a faster and more efficient swimmer!

Butterfly is a tougher stroke to master compared to freestyle, backstroke or breaststroke, but, by doing a few key things well, you can quickly progress with it.

Butterfly is swum on your front, eyes facing down and forwards as in front crawl, however, there is no rotation, your body should be parallel to the bottom of the pool. Your head leads the movement of the stroke and the rest of your body should follow, causing the undulating dolphin movement. 

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

[DrFarisArab]

When u swim butterfly in public pool every body looks at you and say from inside..wow I wish I could swim like tht. I love this style but its the most energy consuming one

[RandomGuy-jvvd]

why does it seems so easy but so hard to perform lol

[sunnykhoo]

Many years back, I started swimming because I loved this butterfly stroke. Many years later, I can fly and I make sure I fly at least 50m per session. I swim about 2-3 times weekly. Love it.

[yvngjeu]

It's fun swimming butterfly till you drink a big chunk of water

[DJONKO]

I only swim butterfly to make room in the lane

[LaFanfanTulipe]

I'm 72 and a salty pool just opened next to my house. I always wanted to learn butterfly and like everything else I always use youtube to improve myself! The butterfly is difficult and exhausting; however, I'm determined to get it eventually. Luckily my body is still flexible and my arms are strong so I do have the necessary tools to achieve my goal, I hope.

[MIGUNkrayot]

I've tried this swimming style firstly today and it was not easy but enjoying. Yes it was only for the short distances, but the feeling of muscles is incredible.
Will stick with it and polish my technique.

[rizzpro]

I love how almost everyone on a swim team just has the ability to flex butterfly whenever they want

[fredlar]

One of my classmates at the university went to the swimming pool with me for the first time in his life. He didn't know swimming. It took him first half an hour to figure out how to float from drowning. After that, at the 2nd half of the one hour session, he butterfly-ed very well. We can't compare with some genius. We can only be jealous of them.

[MikeZ]

TORTURE! We all have weaknesses - fly and backstroke were mine. I respect anyone who swims this well (and anyone who doesn't swim it well but still chooses to).
What a great time I had as a swimmer. What a wonderful skill. I always felt amazing, almost high, after swim practice - the mental clarity from the endorphins and squeaky clean feeling from, essentially, swimming in diluted bleach for 2-hours lol!

[benoityip]

I think breaststroke is the most difficult. I still remember I took a long time to master butterfly. The most difficult part is the timing and how smooth is the undulation movement. Undulation movement starts from the head to the bottom (not just dolphin kick). The rhythm of the undulation movement really takes time to do it right.
In breaststroke, there are similarities with butterfly, once the hand is finished in breaststroke, the hip actually slightly floats. The hips floats up also in butterfly. Breaststroke hands are very difficult to do it right, it might be more exhausting to swim than butterfly. One of the drill I used in breaststroke is actually breaststroke hands and butterfly legs

[Woowas]

Legs are essential for propulsion, not arms. It's very important! Dolphin kick it's everything.

[myrully.]

Still the best video to learn butterfly stroke technique, thank you coach, I loved it.

[oliviazin]

I keep watching this over and over just so I can make the swim team🤣👌

[RowanInk]

I finally was able to do a 25m butterfly it wasnt perfect but i got to the end without tapping out early and that was progress for me so now its refining the technique ive also been strength training in conjuction with swimming and its been helping a ton in getting that power im excited in this next phase of swimming now to learn a flip turn

[shubhambajirao]

Tried this today for the first time.
Chest and shoulders really got activated.
Hope to learn it ASAP

[MarcosSoni]

The “dream” stroke I want to master...someday. Thanks for your detailed-oriented tutorials. Respect.

[TheBobIsComing]

TY for the short and to the point instructions!
i tried this strok for the firs time in my life today and was glad i was the only one at the pool. i felt like an idiot and my technique was pretty bad, but the times i managed to get into a rythm i was DARTING across my small (20m or so) pool.
and what a workout! i'll be practicing this for the forseeable future

[paulmcneil]

Good to have you back Fraser. Excellent swim video as always.