**Teaching Butterfly from on Deck**

Teaching butterfly – from scratch – requires a step-by-step approach and a large tool bag full of mantras, positioning techniques, and images to help swimmers “get it.”  This week we turn to teaching guru Steve Haufler to learn his process for teaching butterfly from on deck.

**INTENSITY IN TEACHING!!!**

**Monday**

**Haufler Butterfly:  Step #1 – Butterfly Body Position**

In Step #1, Steve is on deck and the SWIMMER is on deck, to learn the “butterfly float” position.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/136-butterfly-body-positions> 

:06.26 - THE position we’re going for

:25 - POSTURE

:38 - head in a neutral position

:42 - position the hands

:44 - maintain the delicate fingers

1:03 - feel the stretch

1:06.2 - watch the slight head correction

1:13 - the boards

1:35 - fall to position 11

1:41 - fall to position 11

1:44 - ending in the balance float position

1:45 - simple fall - straight bodyline

1:50 - hips come up into line - head just in front of the arms

2:04 - a balanced body will move

**Tuesday**

**Haufler Butterfly:  Step #2A– Butterfly Arm Recovery**

For Steve, the most effective way to teach a correct butterfly arm recovery is to be on deck WITH the swimmer.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/137-butterfly-arm-recovery>

:09 - mirror - demonstrate exactly what you want

:13 - mirror and soft

:18 - dragging the wrists, letting the fingers stay relaxed

:26 - trying to get back to the same position as in the previous video

:35 - manipulate with slow, precise movements

:40 - like an artist molding a sculpture… what will come out of the work you do?

:47 - move to the water and the stable wall

:55 - diamond

:58 - finish

1:00 - swing

1:05 - posture

1:07 - chin off chest

1:12 - forcing the wrists to lead

1:16 - back to starting position

1:29 - finishing the stroke outward

1:37 - demonstrate wrong - don’t allow them to practice wrong

1:46 - maintain integrity of movements

1:50 - move to the water - shallow

1:52 - slow and delicate

2:00 - showing the recovery position and allowing the swimmer to naturally recover

2:09 - float over mirrors and repeat

2:46 - fall to float and repeat

3:06 - move over mirrors and repeat

**Wednesday**

**Haufler Butterfly:  Step #2B – Butterfly Arm Pull**

To teach butterfly pull, Steve starts with the swimmer on deck to learn the proper arm pattern, then takes it to the pool.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/138-butterfly-arm-pull> 

:04 - making a connection

:07 - maintain proper positioning

:10 - as the board is out of the way, repeat previous motions

:16 - mimic and rehearse

:26 - show exact path

:33 - show the path of the hands

:40 - making a horizontal connection

:42 - keep the elbows up

:49 - forward float to one stroke

:51 - back to float

:59 - forward float to one stroke - no legs

1:05 - add a couple strokes

1:08 - pause and patience

**Thursday**

**Haufler Butterfly:  Step #3A – Head-Lead Body Dolphin**

Here are some on-deck ways to build your butterfly tool bag:  Use a pile of kickboards to teach high hips and deep chest and use the “butterfly bump.”

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/139-body-dolphin-head-lead> 

:02 - peer demonstration

:10 - head lead body dolphins

:22 - minimal kick - move the head forward

:25 - holding the head to mimic the stable movement forward

:39 - give a ledge to the athlete can identify where the movement comes from

:57 - make sure it’s not too big a movement

1:03 - move horizontal and put on fins for greater surface area

1:15 - moving the head forward

**Friday**

**Haufler Butterfly:  Step #3B – Hand-Lead Butterfly**

With swimmers now in the water, use mantras and imagery to get your concepts across (and a good demo if you have one).

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/140-body-dolphin-hand-lead> 

:05 - hand lead body dolphin

:12 - keep the hands high

:20 - minimal kick

:24 - patience and pause between dolphins

:31 - keep the hands shallow and forward

:34 - DETAILS

:45 - push into balanced line

:49 - for one dolphin

:54 - jump into balanced line

:56 - for one dolphin

1:10 - one dolphin under lane

1:19 - add fins for more push

1:23 - patience and pause

**Saturday**

**Haufler Butterfly:  Step #4 – Teach Timing with Separation Drill**

To teach butterfly timing, Steve starts with the swimmers on deck, then moves them to the water.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/141-timing-separation-drill-hands-first> 

:02 - review and demo

:11 - review and demo the dolphin movement

:24 - push into float

:27 - stroke back to float - pause - the body dolphin

:30 - patience and pause

:31 - push into float

:33 - stroke back into float - see if the legs come naturally

:34 - pause then repeat

:38 - the big thing is the pause

:47 - take the training wheels off and give it a try

:55 - back up to float - stroke - dolphin - pause

1:13 - take it for a ride again

1:25 - adding breathing

Sunday

Haufler Butterfly:  Step #5 – Butterfly Breathing

To teach butterfly breathing, Steve demos from on deck, but uses visual cues and imagery to get the best results.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/143-butterfly-breathing> 

:13 - starting the breath from a relaxed, rehearsed position

:14 - already to air

:15.9 - face already back in before hands

:22 - watch slowly

:28 - low head - eyes down

:32 - nearly bouncing back up to air

:37 - watch how much the head lifts compared to the body

:47 - demo

:49 - push into one stroke and breath

:55 - head line compared to torso

1:04 - maybe a bit too high

1:17 - beautiful

1:18 - watch the legs


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Jan. 26, 2024 - Teaching Butterfly from Deck