Butterfly - Wu Peng

Important Note to the Viewer

LESSONS: 20 VIDEOS

Butterfly Breath & Recovery

Wu Peng demonstrates his butterfly and we focus on his breathing and recovery. Notice how low and flat he stays during any part of the stroke that comes out of the water. The mouth barely clears the surface, and the hands barely scrape above the surface. Staying low above, and not pressing too deep under allows him to remain in a shallow body line, and gives him the opportunity to breathe on every stroke without disrupting the body line.

Butterfly Breath - Wu

Wu Peng demonstrates his butterfly and we focus on his breathing. Notice how low he remains during the breath. His eyes remain focused down during the breath. The mouth is above the water prior to the hands coming out and into the recovery, and the face is back in the water prior to the hands entering for the extension and pull. The head leads the way to air, and back into the water.

Butterfly Legs Underwater

Wu Peng demonstrates his butterfly and we focus on his legs. Notice how the timing of his two kicks happen while his hands are out front. He allows his legs to ride behind him during the finish of the stroke and the recovery. The first, big kick, comes during the entry of the hands, and then he puts a smaller, second kick in while the hands are still out front and are just beginning the catch.

Butterfly Legs

Wu Peng demonstrates his butterfly and we focus on his legs. Notice that his kick remains fairly small, and when isolated from above, looks fairly rhythmic. The entire foot never comes completely out of the water, and always remains in contact with the water. The toes are pointed slightly in during the down kick, whipping together at the end of the kick.

Butterfly Hips Underwater

Wu Peng demonstrates his butterfly and we focus on his hips. Notice that his hips remain fairly stable through most of his stroke. They're drawn forward during the pull phase, and only pop up during the first, larger kick. We also notice that they always stay high in the stroke, remaining very close to the surface of the water through the entire stroke.

Butterfly Hips

Wu Peng demonstrates his butterfly and we focus on his hips. Notice that there are two instances that we can clearly see his hips above the surface. The first comes as he draws his body up for the breath, and the second comes as he initiates the hand entry and larger kick. His hips don't "pop" like some other swimmers, mostly because of his flatter, more direct butterfly.

Butterfly Chest

Wu Peng demonstrates his butterfly and we focus on his chest press underwater. Notice that his chest becomes the deepest part of his entire body during the stroke cycle. Even knowing that, we notice that his chest does NOT press that deep into the water, and there's a slight delay in it's rebound as we'll see later that he puts his second kick into the stroke earlier than many other swimmers.

Butterfly Back & Torso

Wu Peng demonstrates his butterfly and we focus on his back and torso. Notice how you're able to see his entire back from shoulders to suit clear of the water during the recovery of the arms. This illustrates a level body position during recovery. You'll also see that he barely allows his back to go completely under the water during his press. This keeps him close to the surface for a higher rate than if he pressed in further.

Butterfly Shoulders

Wu Peng demonstrates his butterfly and we focus on his shoulders. Notice how his shoulders create little or no resistance with the water during the recovery. Only when the hands begin to enter what water do we notice the splash created by the shoulders coming around.

Butterfly Head Position Underwater

Wu Peng demonstrates his butterfly and we focus on his head position from underwater. Notice that his head stays fairly shallow and lays forward into the water, and not down.

Butterfly Head Position

Wu Peng demonstrates his butterfly and we focus on his head and shoulders from above. Notice he breathes on every stroke. You can also see how his hands continue their narrow entry.

Butterfly Hands Underwater

Wu Peng demonstrates his butterfly while we focus on his hand entry and pull initiation. Notice how narrow his entry and pull is.