Ohio State Drills & Skills for Butterfly

Stop fearing the butterfly! Ohio State Swim Coaches Bill Wadley and Bill Dorenkott show how combining technique, precise drilling and repetition will help swimmers learn to love the power, finesse and rhythm of the stroke.

Coaches Wadley and Dorenkott believe in developing a butterfly stroke that balances finesse, power and rhythm with the goal of creating a more effortless stroke . Constructing such a stroke begins with establishing a body position that will reduce drag, making it easier for a swimmer to maintain an efficient stroke over a longer period of time.

With the body position established, Coach Dorenkott demonstrates posture cues to help athletes feel the right body line. He proceeds with a series of undulation drills that will create a full body kicking action to help balance the chest press and lift, and the upward and downward sweep of the kick for an even power transfer from core to feet. Focusing first on amplitude and then on frequency, he shows how to build a balanced and powerful basis for full stroke. Introduction of the arm action follows with Coach Wadley presenting a series of single-arm drills that allow the swimmer to focus on recovery and pull in the stroke. Coach Wadley teaches a low "close to the water" recovery that keeps the stroke flatter and more forward focused on the landing. Drills are designed to:

• Develop a kick powerful enough to be heard by the swimmer.
• Create acceleration through the pull
• Develop a quick recovery that does not sacrifice kick power or amplitude

The timing of the breath is crucial to the efficiency of the stroke. Late breathing, a habit that many younger swimmers develop, can be challenging to correct. Coach Dorenkott gives two drills that are specifically designed to train or, in some cases, re-train a swimmer to breathe at the proper time. Drills done on land and in the water develop breathing in the power zone of the stroke and a steady, two-kicks-per-cycle rhythm. Tempo is driven by the speed of the kick first, ensuring athletes keep the body connection.

Coach Dorenkott also presents a unique series of combination drills that enable a swimmer focus on specific critical stroke components-one component at a time-before combining them with full stroke swimming. Demonstrations include both male and female swimmers.

These butterfly drills will help swimmers use power, finesse and rhythm to make their butterfly easier to execute and more successful!

64 minutes. 2013.