Active Community: Message List

Butterfly Swimming Stroke

guest — Wed, 02 Mar 2011 22:56:45 GMT

Here is a picture of me swimming 200 yd Butterfly for CSUN Division I NCAA. Some food for thought for those not familiar with swimming, colleges all race in 25 yd pools. One way (one lap) is 25 yds, while for the rest of the world including the USA year around swim clubs all swim with 50 Meter pools. If you ever have the opportunity to swim in a 50Meter pool, you will notice a significance in size.

Butterfly Stroke:

Imitates the movement of a Dolphin
Use momentum to keep moving/ Timing is crucial
90% of the body is used as the kicking in the stroke
Breathing can make or break the stroke
Arms have little to do with the stroke, even though it is the only thing you can see above water
Perfect example of trial and error to really perfect the stroke

Butterfly Stroke 101:

The butterfly stroke imitates the movements, which a dolphin performs. The only exception is that a dolphin does not have long limbs like we humans do, therefore, this makes it very difficult for the human to perform the stroke. Visualize a dolphin swimming; it performs a worm like motion from the nose all the way to the back of the fins. Now visualize a human with the arms to the side and perform the same worm like movements from the nose to the toes. You can not let the legs separate because now you will have less surface area to push the water.

Momentum is key to keep the movement going without any interruptions. This is when timing plays a huge role in the stroke. Being able to time the dolphin kick, while incorporating the arms and breathing makes it a timing stroke. i.e. when cooking a meal you must be able to time accordingly to make sure when you are all done all the dishes are done on time without getting cold or burnt. If you take a butterfly stroke then pause and try to take another stroke, momentum stalls you and you will start sinking like a rock.

When the stroke is broken down we end up with 3 different components: 1st the dolphin kick, which starts from the head and ends at the toes, 2nd the arms gives us additional speed & control, 3rd we have the head, which provides slight movement for the breathing. If any of the three are misplaced throughout the sequence, Butterfly can be tough and a long journey to perfect.

The head only moves a couple inches throughout the Butterfly Stroke. It moves slightly up (leading with the chin to prevent excess movement) to provide air throughout the swimming. If the head moves too much it will create drag throughout the swim and if compared to a dolphin there head does not move too much.

People think that the arms have control over the movement of the butterfly stroke, the truth lies in the kick (Full Body Kick). Going back to the comparison of dolphins and humans, we have limbs which make it difficult to imitate the motions. We use our arms to provide more propulsion through the water and allows control. If the arm timing is off by a second, it will slow the momentum causing the stroke to use power to compensate for momentum.

Swimming is a sport/ activity, which requires lots of time and effort (time=years of practice). Since water is completely different then land, we must indulge our bodies in water to create a second nature feeling. i.e. we are born on land and learn how to adapt to land, while water animals spend the life in the water adapting to their surroundings. If you were to have a child start learning and spending a couple hours in water, after several years the child would adapt to the water’s surroundings. Therefore, trial & error plays a crucial role in developing an experience swimmer. Another example of trial & error is having a child just play in a body of water everyday without any real instruction. Since water has different rules & properties then land, the child would adapt by learning what movements in the water make it easier & efficient. After the basics of movement in the water are mastered, you introduce specific drills/ training, which emphasize further adaptation for correct movement for all the different swim strokes.

Further Analysis of the Butterfly Stroke:

Learning and perfecting the Butterfly Stroke is very complicated especially reading it in text. This is something that would make more sense in person and being able to show visuals. At the bottom of this post I will show several pictures to see if it helps connect the dots. Remember that since we are land based mammals, we need to imitate the masters of the water (In the case of Butterfly the Dolphin is the closest). Either through still shot photos or in person, being able to look at how the dolphin is structurally put together and how it uses its body to move through the water.

Every time the dolphin picks up speed it presses its head/upper body down and out in front keeping the same movement. So humans need to first learn how to properly use the dolphin kick motion. Since this part of the stroke accounts for the most powerful part, the movement needs to be practiced over and over. Keep looking down 45 Degrees in front and keep press both the head/ chest down and out in front. This creates the initial start of the dolphin kick and maintains momentum. As you press the head/ chest, the movement follows through naturally towards the toes. The most important part to keep the kick moving smoothly is maintaining the knees together to prevent water from sliding through and not providing optimal surface area to create more power.

After the kick is mastered, breathing and head position added into the mix. Now we have the Dolphin kick with proper head position and breathing incorporated into it. Since our goal is to learn to swim butterfly, we would have to imitate and set up for the stroke. Work on dolphin kick towards the surface of the water and taking a couple breathes making the transition smooth & effortless. While performing the dolphin kick toward the surface you should feel your hips expose towards the air and come back down into the water. This will encourage consistent momentum and efficiency. Excess bending of the knees and head will hinder the movement and cause choppy movements. Remember: the masters of the water are graceful and all movements are soft.

Once the dolphin kick with head position are mastered, the final piece of the puzzle are the arms. Again, since butterfly is very complicated and depends on timing, we want to start off by swimming with one arm. Using one arm allows you to get a feel for what the arms should be doing and is a lot easier then starting with two arms. Remember that you want to stick to the main goal of swimming butterfly, butterfly is not swam on its side or rotating. Swimming butterfly with one arm makes it tempting to rotate like the front crawl/freestyle. This is when swimming flat (shoulders & Hips Square to the bottom of the pool) is crucial. There are two options with the arms; 1st the non moving arm should be to the side of the body, 2nd the non moving arm should be in a stream line position (elbow touching the ear with fingers straight out in front). When pulling with the arm keep in mind that there are no straight lines in any style of swimming. Elbow should be slightly bent and pulling straight under the body. Once you pull down towards your hips, your thumb should tap the hips confirming a wide range of motion. The next question is when should I pull and kick? When when the arm is out in front, the kick should start. As the kick starts, the arm slightly bends and starts to pull. An easy way to know if the timing is correct is to make sure that as your thumb hits your hips, your hips should be in the downward position of the kick.

Now we finalize the Butterfly Stroke by practicing it with both arms. As both arms are out in front, the head/ chest should initiate the kick by pressing down/ outward, while keeping the arms out in front. After the the initial kick starts, you slightly bend the elbows outward and start pull underneath the body creating a diamond shape. As the thumbs hit the side of the hips, the kick should be traveling down towards the hips and off into the toes. The key components to the kick from the hips down are to keep the knees together and the big toes together. The ankles will flare outward giving it a fin like shape to provide optimum surface area.

If you have questions, ASK! this stroke depends on a lot of coaching and visualization. Any slight confusion, will result in frustration and lack of progression.

Brought To You By:

Trainingwithmatt.com

Huntington Beach

Starting Saturday AM Practices!!

guest — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 18:21:34 GMT

Hello,

My name is Matthew Olaya and I run a swim program during the week.

I am Pool Manager and Head coach for Swim Venture. The pool that I manage

is located in Huntington Beach (near Westminster Mall). I do not work on Saturdays,

but intend to start a group/ private swim programs for people of all ages.

Again this is just to see if people are interested and then once you have contacted me then

I would start ASAP.

Pool hours would be 8AM till about 1PM.

A little background on myself:

-Grew up playing sports

-Swam for 12 Years competitively

-Swam for Division I NCAA College

-Bachelor's in Kinesiology

-Full Time Head Coach

Specialty:

-Technique in all Four Strokes

-Analyze and correct

-For all ages

Swimming is fun and easy, but only when you know all the proper components

to the stroke!

Give it a shot and see if you like it,

Email me at molaya@swimventure.com to schedule times

Thanks,

Matthew Olaya

Re: Knee pain need some help

guest — Tue, 21 Sep 2010 18:34:48 GMT

Hello,

I am a Personal Trainer in Orange County. From Prior and Current Experience from others

and personal encounters I have learned a lot from how the body works and reacts.

I too Do not have Insurance and it is a huge Bummer.

Here is a little outline of how muscles and the body works:

-Muscle is attached to Tendons which are attached to bone(Joint Sites)

-If no major trauma to your Knee joint then most likely you do not have any serious issue

-If no accident that caused your injury then it seems to be more of a tendinitis

-Good thing about Tendinitis is that it can be treated with your own application

So try these out (will not damage or make the injury worse):

-Stretch your muscles (since it is your knee) 20-30 secs 2-3 times through

-Quad Stretch

-Hamstrings

-Inside of the Thigh (Adductors)

-Outside of the Thigh (Abductors)

-Remember that every muscle helps the other muscles around the area so never depend on just the actual site of pain or discomfort

-SMR (Self MyoFascial Release) (Same concept as a Deep Tissue Massage)

-use a Foam Roller

-Roll out the same sites as the above

-This will get rid of any knots which prevent the muscle from elongating to its normal size and relieves pain from the tendon

-GTO (Golgi Tendon Organ)

-Located inside the Tendon and is responsible for relaxing the muscle to prevent the muscle from over stressing

-So when you perform the SMR and Stretching your will over stimulate the GTO and the muscle is forced to relax

-Gait Pattern

-Is very important because if it is not proper then you will develop Muscle Imbalances which over a period of time will cause lots of pain and

maybe long term injuries.

-when you walk or run you must have the knee move straight in front of you and not flared out or inward.

-Always work on the toe off (Pantar Flexion) and the Heel Strike (Dorsi Flexion) which help to accelerate and deccelerate your movements.

So try all of these at least 2 times a day and everyday. Remember that these are things you should be already implementing in your

daily work out routines especially when training very intense. Muscles can't relax or stretch themselves so you need to provide that action

to properly have the body function properly.

Any other questions feel free to ask.

Matthew Olaya

Personal Trainer

matt@trainingwithmatt.com

A Gift That Keeps Giving!

guest — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:50:14 GMT

Learn to swim is priceless. Not being able to go back in time, Painful!

Give the gift which keeps giving, Learn To Swim!

Orange County

Swimventure.com

A Gift Which Keeps Giving!

guest — Fri, 11 Dec 2009 19:48:52 GMT

Learn to swim is priceless. Not being able to go back in time, Painful!

Give the gift which keeps giving, Learn To Swim!

Orange County

Swimventure.com

Weekday & Weekend Swimming!

guest — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 01:25:16 GMT

Hello,

There is a 25yd 6 lane pool which right now is heated to 86 Degrees.

I offer Private lessons to those which need help correcting technique

or just need advice on anything about swimming.

Email molaya@swimventure.com to get more information

about what swimming needs you need.

Have Fears for water, deep end, ocean or anything that pertains

to water please get email to see how we can make everything

better.

Swimming is not only a form of exercise but is a life long skill

which is helpful to save your own life and of others which are

in need.

Emergencies happen and don't be caught off guard!

Thanks,

Matthew Olaya

Swim Venture Learn to Swim Year Around! Check us out.

guest — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 01:17:29 GMT

Swim Venture

Learn To swim or continue swimming

Classes offered:

Parent & Me: Mom or Dad with child in the pool with an instructor (Group Setting)

Free Classes to help prevent Drowning!

Level 1: Child becomes comfortable with water and lying on back

Level 2: Survival Float (child jumps in pool fully clothed, floats for 10 seconds, screams for help and swims back to the wall and climbs out). Instructor with child the whole time

Level 3: Kick and Roll onto back the whole length of a pool (25 Yds)

Level 4: Start using arms to propel them through the water. (Freestyle & Backstroke)

Swim Camp

Bronze: Prepare them to swim proper Freestyle and Backstroke. Includes proper Start off the wall, Stream line, Stroke Technique, Turns and Finishes.

Silver: Prepare them to swim proper Butterfly and Breast Stroke. Includes proper Start off the wall, Stream line, Stroke Technique, Turns and Finishes.

Gold: On a Competitive Swim Team (Aquazots). Compete in USA Meets with team. Swim all four strokes and still work on technique.

Adults

Learn to Swim: Provides lessons with Instructor which will help you learn to swim. Myth: Can’t teach an old person new moves. Truth: Never too young to start learning to swim.

Adult Fitness Class: For those that know how to swim and want to improve their technique and start conditioning for races. We offer 4 practices a week with great experienced coaching.

Swimventure.com

Do you SURF? Can you Swim? Improve technique to Dodge Waves.

guest — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 06:24:06 GMT

Hello,

I currently run a Learn to Swim School in Huntington Beach California.

Surfing is a fun and adrenaline filled activity which can be dangerous too.

Those of you which swim but are not too comfortable being by yourself

in the ocean, you should consider technique correction.

By breaking down swimming to its most simplest form you will understand

how things work and secrets to use when out in the ocean when tired.

Do yourself a favor and learn to swim so that surfing can happen without

the slight thought of struggle.

Thanks,

Matthew Olaya

Re: I have horrible posture are there any exercises I can do to make it better?

guest — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 16:40:28 GMT

Hello,

Posture depends all on your muscles. Your Core (might here that in many places) is the most important thing

in your everyday life.

Core consists of your abdominal area, to the sides and wraps around to your lower back (Lumbar Area).

-Crunches working on slowly returning to the ground with fast contraction on the way up

-Front, Side Planks (fore arm Bridges) are the best for shaping your core

-Super Mans (on your stomach lifting your arms straight infront and both legs behind you at the same time)

-Medicine Ball- Side twists in a lunge position

There are so many different exercises that I can go on for days. I would do research on line and

ask active gym goers for more detailed specifics.

If you can't find any or have trouble just shoot me an email molaya@swimventure.com

and I can work on a workout program for your to start strengthening.

Hope this works out for you

Thanks,
Matthew Olaya

Re: moving forwards with back problems

guest — Wed, 18 Nov 2009 06:51:08 GMT

Hey,

So the Lower Back problem is a huge upset for all people. If you realize that the spine is in a shape

of a "S". The Lumbar which are the lower ones where they curve toward our belly button. Therefore with

that part of the curve you have a lot of pressure (Gravity/Body Weight) pushing down on it constantly.

Things to help out:

-Lose weight (a natural comfort weight)

Extra weight which is not needed just adds force to the area

-Have proper body alignment and Gait pattern

Wear proper shoes with arch support, great inserts which I use are called

Super Feet. They are durable and I use them when I workout or just walk around.

-Have someone analyze the way you walk and run.

-Even everyday activities like squating to pick something up will cause you to do

things which you might have not noticed.

-Besides these I would use muscle strengthening exercises to help your muscles

ease pain off the area. The muscles along side the Spine help keep you in proper

alignment and will actually help you stand up taller.

-Core exercises are the best for any situation.

Great source for great workouts which don't need a trainer or much weight:

-men's health magazine or website!

Hope this helps,

Matthew Olaya

Swim Venture

Huntington Beach

California