Butterfly One-Two-One Drill
This simple drill can help you master butterfly timing
Butterfly can be the most exhausting stroke to swim, and it takes many swimmers of lot of practice to learn the proper timing. Practicing it, however, can be exhausting. Once you’re worn out, your stroke will start to fall apart, at which point you’re practicing bad technique—that’s never a good thing.
But this butterfly one-to-one drill can help develop your butterfly timing without being as exhausting as regular butterfly.
To do this drill:
- With or without fins, start by pushing off and taking a regular butterfly stroke with a breath.
- The next stroke will be right arm only, no breath.
- Then, use both arms with a breath.
- Then, use the left arm only, no breath.
The sequence is always: double-right-double-left and repeat.
Only breathe on the double-arm strokes and try to keep the correct timing throughout. Do not breathe to the side on the single-arm strokes, as this will turn this into a freestyle drill.
The butterfly one-to-one drill will help develop the correct timing without wearing you out. Wearing fins helps, and when you’re stronger, remove the fins and gradually work more double-arm strokes into your practice.
