How To Swim The Butterfly Video

The butterfly is the most difficult strokes in swimming. However, the butterfly stroke is also one of the most beautiful. Get expert tips and advice in this swimming video.

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One of the most beautiful & technical strokes
Begin with dolphin kick
Arms reach out in front & push

About this Author

Phillip Toriello has 16 years of competitive swimming experience. 12 of those years he has been teaching and organizing swim events for swimmers of all levels and ages. He is has competed in all four strokes, and their corresponding events. Though his favorite race, is the individual medley. Phillip is the Aquatic Director at the high end Avila Bay Athletic Club.

PHILIP TORIELLO: Hi. I am Philip Toriello, and this is how to swim butterfly. The butterfly stroke is one the most beautiful strokes to watch and also the most technical to perform. The butterfly stroke starts off with the dolphin kick as we've talked about before. If you'll watch dolphins in videos who are out in the ocean, you'll notice how smooth and how quickly they swim through the water. The butterfly stroke is basically the same thing; you're going to be swimming through the water in a wave like motion that starts with your upper body and works all the way down to your hips and then finally down to your toes. Simply put, what you're going to do as far as the kick is concerned is put your two legs together so your knees are touching, and your legs form basically a dolphin tail and/or one giant leg. You then are going to go ahead and work on your kick with the up and down motion that'll be a flexible motion through your hips, slight bend to your knees, between 30 and 45 degrees approximately between your knees and your toes and then a nice strong snap . The next portion of the butterfly stroke includes the arms. The arms are really quiet important. Basically, it's going to be a giant reach out in front and be sure to make sure that your arms stay in line with your shoulders. You don't want to cross and this is where your hands touch, this starts compromising your stroke and also can cause some injuries so make sure that the width of your stroke when it comes forward on the recovery, lands with your hands straight out in front of your shoulders. Then to restart that pull, bend your elbows slightly and then it becomes almost like a freestyle stroke in a sense pulling underneath your body and then pushing back towards your hips. Recovery with your arms just above the water surface, about a thumb's length, back in front of your shoulders, catch, pull, push, recovery, catch, pull, push, as simple as that.

How to Swim the Butterfly Video

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