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Butterfly - Soft Hands

Posted by Glenn Mills on Sep 27, 2011 09:10AM (20,732 views)

Setting up a good butterfly starts with something easy, letting the hands stay soft on the entry.

Why Do It:
Focusing on allowing the hands to enter softly, and stay close to the surface during the initial press, builds up a tension point through your chest that has the body wanting a return to it's natural state. This helps swimmers use more of their body on butterfly, not just the arms.

How to Do It (Illustrations): We're going to show five great swimmers all doing the same thing... allowing the hands to stay soft and high upon entry as the chest and head press below. While you watch these swimmers, try to gain an understanding of the tension that's built up through the chest and lats.

First up is Robert Margalis. Hands high, head and chest land below, then the body rebounds back as the hands fall.

Next is Misty Hyman. A bit deeper press than Robert, but hands still high, head and chest below.

Now watch Kaitlin Sandeno. High hands on entry, head and chest below.

Eric Shanteau. Same trait again.

Lastly, Erik Vendt. The pattern is the same.

If you don't feel this connection, or stretch, at the front of your stroke, you may be trying to lead down to the undulation with your hands. Doing this will cause you to miss this natural and necessary part of butterfly.

You can see the full video of each and all of these athletes at our website, goswim.tv

Watch Robert's full video here.

Watch Kaitlin and Erik's full video here.

Watch Misty's full video here.

Watch Eric Shanteau's full video here.

butterfly, Eric Shanteau, Eric Vendt, Kaitlin Sandeno, Robert Margalis, Misty Hyman

Responses

susan huber	Responded Sep 27, 2011 02:52PM Thanks so much!! That is more efficient instead of making the hands "hard" upon entry...can't wait to try it soon!!!! Great videos for us people stuck in rural areas without proper coaches!
Hien	Responded Sep 28, 2011 07:42AM Terrific! This is exactly what I need. I've been struggling with hand entry so will try it at my first opportunity. Many thanks Glenn.
dcoughman	Responded Sep 28, 2011 06:30PM It is very nice how you show these great swimmers juxtaposed as opposed to one swimmer!
sprinter	Responded Sep 30, 2011 05:22PM I was so much enjoying "soft hand" during today's mostly easy workout that I wasn't paying much attention other "minor" things, like the the walls. Better the fingers than the head right? :D. Me + Butterfly = Love!
Don	Responded Oct 08, 2011 12:46AM Oddly after doing this for 15 minutes or so I kind of took this 'tension point' idea in my chest and lats to my workout. I don't know if I have ever consciously thought about a tension point in my free stroke, but certainly this translated over nicely to the catch....for me anyway. When I fatigue I tend to lose that grip with my lats at the front, crack my wrist a bit and sometimes drop the elbow. This will be a good additional focus for when I'm pooped at the end!
Glenn Mills	Responded Oct 10, 2011 05:10PM Absolutely Don... learning those tension points on all the strokes is a very positive way to keep experimenting. Nice going.
Reemi Wentzel	Responded Jan 22, 2012 08:19PM ..."doing this will cause you to miss this natural and necessary part of butterfly".. (Glenn) Now I understand and see what I was missing and did not know how to solve this point. I was doing a little of a scull before the actual catch and pull. I need to be my own critic observer otherwise I am staying put or stuck in a certain movement. Hoping I am be able to apply this point easily in my butterfly and forget about that funny little scull in front. Thanks a lot!!!
Glenn Mills	Responded Jan 23, 2012 11:31AM I'd be afraid that an initial scull would be used to brace, or level out the stroke... that could slow the rhythm, or throw it off. Sounds like you're on the right track. Thanks.
GW	Responded Jan 23, 2012 12:56PM Keep it flat, keep the hands out front on entry and keep them moving is how my mentor always told me to coach it
Reemi Wentzel	Responded Mar 01, 2012 06:24PM While practicing 1 arm fly this morning, I suddenly got that feeling of relaxed hand entry, staying with the hand a tiny bit below surface of the water, thinking forward, pressing chest, so head + chest were below hands... but then moving towards the whole stroke, I felt a loss of power and a loss of balance by doing the same "right" thing. Now it looks like I need to teach myself to change this "thing" in front. (I probably did lead down to the undulation with hands) I have to say (without arrogance) from the side on video my fly looks really nice and flat and smooth. Will ask my neighbor to help me with sending this filmed fly to your evaluation site! Helas not an underwater camera. Looking very forward to your critical observations!
Jerry Bruck	Responded Jul 11, 2012 09:44PM Watching this with the sound off, I (an ignoramus) still couldn't help wondering whether the headline should have been the necessary strength of that short sharp press of the chest which initiates the dolphin motion, followed by those left-behind soft hands in a sub-head. Slow-motion veils it somewhat but it's impressively there all the same. The importance of that first exertion is so easy for us non-elite swimmers to forget, especially as we tire.

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Butterfly - Soft Hands

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