**Teaching Butterfly Arms and Breathing**

Butterfly needs to be taught in pieces, with great patience, one skill at a time.  While we like to start by teaching butterfly dolphin kick, teaching guru Steve Haufler likes to start by teaching butterfly arms and breathing.  Join us this week as we zoom in on Steve’s arms/breathing progression, and learn some of his secrets for correcting common butterfly mistakes.

**Monday**

**Haufler Fly: Timing – Separation Drill Hands First**

Steve’s mantra for teaching butterfly arms is FLOAT…DIAMOND…PRESS…SWING…FLOAT…BODY DOLPHIN.  If he can get swimmers to do just one cycle, they’re on their way.

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

**Tuesday**

**Haufler Fly:  Timing – Separation Drill Body-Dolphin First**

Steve has learned that, for some swimmers, it’s more natural to start the butterfly arm cycle by first doing a single dolphin kick.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/142-timing-separation-drill-body-dolphin-first>

**Wednesday**

**Haufler Fly:  Butterfly Breathing**

Steve teaches butterfly breathing by telling the swimmer to breathe when they start the pull.

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

**Thursday**

**Haufler Fly: Mistake – Improper Arm Recovery**

Steve teaches proper butterfly arm recovery by using 1-pound weights.  This works!

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/154-mistakes-improper-arm-recovery>

**Friday**

**Haufler Fly: Mistake – Getting Stuck at the Back**

A common mistake in butterfly is pushing too far back, causing the arms to get “stuck.”  Steve has several fixes for this.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/156-mistakes-getting-stuck-at-the-back>

**Saturday**

**Haufler Fly: Mistake – Improper Timing of the Breath**

The breath should come before the arms come out of the water…and the face should be back in the water before the arms enter.  Here’s how Steve teaches the two “befores.”

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/159-mistake-improper-timing-of-the-breath>

**Sunday**

**Haufler Fly: Mistake – Improper Timing of Kick and Arms**

Steve teaches where to place the kicks in the butterfly stroke cycle.

<https://www.goswim.tv/lessons/158-mistake-improper-timing-of-kick-and-arms>

Summary

Indiana Meet Highlights and Updates

Glenn shared updates from recent filming at a championship meet in Indiana, where Alex's team achieved impressive results including breaking a national record. He announced plans for Alex to co-host next week's session and discussed new, more affordable group pricing models. The main technical focus was on butterfly technique, particularly regarding arms and breathing, with Glenn emphasizing the importance of proper form over speed in younger swimmers.

Butterfly Swimming Technique Training

Glenn discussed teaching butterfly swimming, focusing on a separation drill that involves practicing arm strokes and body dolphin movements separately before combining them. He emphasized the importance of using mirrors at the bottom of the pool to help swimmers visualize their movements and maintain good posture. Glenn also explained the concept of the "stressed position" in butterfly swimming, where the chest is down and the hips are high, and how this position helps with timing and breathing.

Swimming Techniques and Drills

Glenn discussed swimming techniques, focusing on drills that improve timing and body position in the water. He explained the benefits of starting with a body dolphin position and emphasized the importance of hand placement and breath holding to enhance buoyancy and efficiency. Glenn also highlighted a drill that mimics the exit of a butterfly stroke to improve press back and hand release, noting its effectiveness in teaching swimmers to rely less on their arms and more on their body.

Butterfly Stroke Technique Optimization

Glenn discussed swimming techniques, focusing on the importance of timing and body positioning in butterfly strokes. He emphasized the need to avoid pushing directly at the end of the stroke to prevent shoulder issues and highlighted the significance of one-stroke practice to correct technique. Glenn also explained the concept of riding the body's natural buoyancy up to the surface, using the lungs' reaction to push down as a guide. He stressed the importance of proper timing and hand placement to maintain a smooth, efficient stroke.

Swimming Technique and Breathing Focus

Glenn discussed teaching swimming techniques, particularly focusing on breathing patterns and stroke timing. He emphasized the importance of teaching swimmers to breathe on every stroke, even if they later decide to breathe less frequently, and highlighted the value of learning from mistakes. Glenn also explained the correct timing for breaths, noting that the head should return to the water before the arms finish, and demonstrated this with a single-stroke example.

Swimming Arm Recovery Techniques

Glenn discussed proper swimming techniques with a focus on arm recovery and wrist positioning. He demonstrated incorrect and correct techniques using weights in the pool, emphasizing the importance of relaxed wrists and a straight line from hips to arms during recovery. Glenn also highlighted the value of kinesthetic awareness and weight feeling in swimming, encouraging swimmers to practice the correct movements without focusing on leg drive or hand placement on the water surface.

Swimming Techniques and Movement Fundamentals

Glenn discussed teaching swimming techniques, focusing on the importance of understanding and practicing the shapes and movements of strokes before transitioning to swimming. He emphasized the need to avoid rushing students into swimming strokes and instead concentrate on mastering the basic shapes and movements on land before applying them in the water. Glenn also highlighted exercises to help swimmers develop a "flying" action with their arms and the importance of sculling in breaststroke.

Butterfly Stroke Technique Improvements

Glenn discussed swimming techniques, focusing on the importance of emphasizing the "out" movement in butterfly strokes and proper breath timing. He highlighted common mistakes, such as holding the head up too long and incorrect head lift, and suggested drills like the diamond-to-air technique to improve form. Glenn also praised a young swimmer's inventive approach of taking three kicks upfront to maintain extension, while noting that maintaining a straight line is more crucial than perfect technique when swimmers are tired.

Butterfly Swimming Technique Basics

Glenn discussed teaching butterfly swimming technique, focusing on the timing and rhythm of kicks. He explained that for many swimmers, especially beginners, it's helpful to limit kicks to one per stroke cycle to ensure proper body and arm movement. Glenn recommended practicing single-arm butterfly to help swimmers focus on the timing of kicks and hand movements separately before combining them. He also clarified that swimmers should breathe either to the front or side, depending on their breathing style, while maintaining proper arm and body position in butterfly.

Butterfly Swimming Teaching Techniques

The group discussed teaching butterfly swimming, with Glenn, Barbara, Mike, and Aleks sharing their approaches for both children and adults. They emphasized the importance of starting with small, manageable segments, using fins for beginners, and focusing on timing and rhythm. The discussion included techniques for building confidence, such as pausing in specific positions and analyzing arm splashes to improve technique. They also touched on the importance of homework and focus in practice. The conversation ended with plans to feature Alex's work in the next session, including a meet report on his former team's performance at Zionsville, which produced two national records.


Sign In to watch video

July 29, 2025 - Teaching Butterfly Arms and Breathing