**How to Coach Butterfly After Teaching the Basics**

Once you’ve done the hard work of TEACHING butterfly from scratch, how do you take your swimmers to the next level? This week we explore SEVEN key concepts in butterfly. If you learn to look for these things in your swimmers…and work on teaching these key concepts, you can start to turn your swimmers into butterfliers.

**Monday**

**Misty Hyman: Two Kicks Per Stroke**

The most basic things to look for when teaching and coaching butterfly: Is the swimmer taking two kicks per armstroke? Misty Hyman demonstrates.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/853-two-kicks-per-stroke-updated>

:06.5 - kick the hands in

:08.5 - kick the hands out

:13.1 - look at the maximum angle of kick

:16 - advancing too soon

:24 - kick is drawn forward prior to kicking down

:26 - the UP kick

:45 - the UP kick

2:03 - timing the UP kick can help lift the front for the recovery

2:06 - timing the UP

2:28 - look at the relationship between the kick lift and the breath

2:50 - misunderstanding of where the energy goes

2:27 - limit amplitude

3:05 - feel the stretch through the chest

3:30 - better to do a few good strokes than a lot of bad ones

3:52 - watch the shadow and the maximum angle of the legs

4:31 - notice how the back of the head is always visible

4:44 - focus on flexibility

5:57 - focus on flexibility

5:25 - focus on driving the energy forward

**Tuesday**

**Kelsi (Worrell) Dahlia: Kick on the Stomach**

Two kicks per armstroke is fundamental to a great butterfly. But make sure the kick comes from the torso, not from the knees. Kelsi Worrell demonstrates.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2346-butterfly-kick-on-the-stomach>

:02 - minimal amplitude

:05 - hands driven forward

:06 - notice how the snorkel never goes under

:11.5 - look at the maximum knee bend

:15.9 - the tension point

:17.5 - hands driven forward - VERY straight line

:23.7 - maximum knee bend

:31 - stability moving forward

:51 - integrity in the movement

:56 - head stability

1:01 - maximum angle of the kick

1:09 - outside in kick

**Wednesday**

**Misty Hyman: Palm-Up Recovery**

What you do with your hands and wrists during the recovery has a big effect on how well you swim butterfly. Misty Hyman demos great recovery technique, and single-arm drills to help you practice.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/408-palm-up-recovery>

:06.40 - wrist first entry

:55 - hands enter wrists first and the pull goes OUT slightly

1:17 - soft entry

1:44 - single arm wrist first entry

1:48 - breath to the side

1:56 - breath forward with bent arm

2:11 - also works on timing - hand hit hips pop

2:43 - 2-2-2

3:04 - the integrity of the lead arm

SHOW GRANT HAND ENTRY AND PULL PATTERN

**Thursday**

**James Guy: Butterfly Full Body**

A key concept in butterfly is to send the hands *forward* rather than down…and to land with hands high and chest deep. Olympian James Guy demonstrates.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2595-butterfly-full-body>

:06 - direct pull pattern

:11 - landing directly forward

:16 - very shallow landing

:17 - breathe on every stroke - timing of the kick

:20 - does not exactly “kick the hands in” - more like Wu Peng

:39 - slight head lift going to air, but just a little

:58 - fingertip first entry

1:19 - hands high and forward

1:27 - head in relaxed position

1:32 - chest pressed to the deepest point - not too far

1:35 - show the hips on every stroke cycle

1:40 - point and whip the legs

2:00 - focus on flexibility

**Friday**

**Martin Liivamagi: Butterfly Below Water**

Key butterfly concept: Face in before hands land. This timing, demo’d by Estonian Olympian Martin Liivamagi, is key to a forward-driving butterfly.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1841-martin-liivamagi-butterfly-below-water>

:04 - direct pull through

:06 - flat forward entry

:08 - kicking the hands in

:09 - kicking the hands out

:09 .5 - bigger bend in the knees but thighs in line with the body

:17 - fairly narrow straight pull-through

:18 - fingers first hand entry

:18.8 - climbing out of the pool

:20 - driving the head low and just over the surface

:21 - climbing out of the pool

**Saturday**

**Butterfly Drill: Short Release**

This small change can be a game changer when teaching/coaching butterfly.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/1972-butterfly-short-release>

:02 - check the direction of the hand exit

:13 - a little deeper pull

:15 - impossible to tell with the naked eye

:30 - short release has the hands a bit wider on exit

:46 - looks exactly like a normal stroke

:58 - fingers still passed the suit

1:03 - fingers mid-thigh

1:17.9 - fingers mid-thigh

1:40 - both 

1:44.6 - end of still frame

**Sunday**

**Kelsi (Worrell) Dahlia: Butterfly Head**

Key concept in butterfly: Find one position/alignment for your head and neck and maintain that alignment throughout the entire stroke cycle. Olympian Kelsi Worrell demonstrates.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/2324-butterfly-head>

:04 - maximum head lift

:06.8 - non-breath head remains stable

:09.6 - chin extends but then head remains in that position

:12 - head back down in “attention” position

:19 - goggles almost to surface on non-breath

:22 - chin very close to the surface

:33 - head going back before arms enter

:41 - non-breath

:44 - breath

1:04 - line from head to hips

**Bonus**

**Steve Haufler Butterfly: Putting It All Together**

Swimmers of all ages can learn this week’s key butterfly concepts.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/169-putting-it-all-together>


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Feb. 13, 2024 - Butterfly After Basics - Zoom