Butterfly stroke

Butterfly is a fast way to swim.

You move both arms at once. Your arms go over the water. Your legs move up and down. This is called a dolphin kick. It looks like a wave.

This style started from the breaststroke. It became its own sport later. It is the second fastest way to swim. You must touch the wall with both hands. This helps you turn and go fast. It is an exciting way to race!

Butterfly is a fast way to swim. It is the second fastest stroke in races. Only the front crawl is faster. This style began in the early 1950s. It actually came from the breaststroke.

To swim butterfly, you move your arms together. They sweep down through the water. Then, they lift over the surface. Your body moves like a wave. This happens from your head to your toes. Your legs move up and down together. We call this the dolphin kick. Each full cycle uses two kicks and one arm stroke.

In a race, you must follow special rules. You must stay on your front. When you reach the wall, you must touch it with both hands at the same time. This helps you turn quickly. You can also swim underwater for 15 meters. This uses dolphin kicks to stay fast. It is a very exciting style to watch because of the big splashes and strong arm moves.

The butterfly stroke is a powerful way to swim. It is the second fastest swimming style in competitions. Only the front crawl moves faster than the butterfly. Swimmers use both arms at the same time to move. This creates a beautiful, wave-like motion through the water. The movement flows from the head all the way to the toes. People love watching it because it is very exciting. The big splashes and strong arm motions make it fun to see.

To perform this stroke, a swimmer follows a specific rhythm. Each full cycle includes one arm stroke and two leg kicks. The arms enter the water above the head first. Then, the hands sweep out and then pull inward. This part is called the outsweep and the catch. After the pull, the arms lift out of the water. This is the recovery phase. Meanwhile, the legs perform a dolphin kick. This kick has an upbeat and a downbeat. The legs move up and down together like a fish.

The history of this stroke is very interesting. It actually began as a version of the breaststroke. In 1911, George Corsan showed a "fishtail kick" to David Armbruster. Later, Jack Sieg imitated a fish to show a dolphin kick. They experimented with these moves to gain more speed. In the 1930s, swimmers like Henry Myers used an overarm recovery. This was called the "flying fish" at the time. These new moves helped swimmers go much faster than before. Eventually, these ideas became the butterfly we know today.

Many rules help keep the butterfly stroke fair in races. Swimmers must stay on their front during the race. When they reach a wall, they must touch it with both hands. These hands must touch the wall at the same time. This is required for both turns and the finish. Swimmers can also swim underwater for up to 15 meters. They often use dolphin kicks while they are under the surface. This helps them move efficiently without much drag. Following these rules is a key part of competitive swimming.

Today, the butterfly is a major part of swimming culture. It became its own separate event in 1953. Before that, it was just a different way to swim breaststroke. The first time it was in the Olympics was in 1956. In those games, William Yorzyk won the men's event. Shelley Mann won the women's event in the same year. Now, many athletes train hard to master this difficult skill. They use special sets to keep their rhythm even when tired. It remains one of the most impressive sights in a pool.

The butterfly stroke, often called the "fly," is a powerful and symmetric swimming style. Swimmers perform this stroke while lying on their front. They move both arms simultaneously in a rhythmic pattern. This movement is paired with a specialized leg motion called the butterfly kick. This kick is also known as the dolphin kick. The swimmer uses their hips and chest to create an undulating, wave-like motion. This wave travels from the head down to the toes. For most competitive athletes, butterfly is the second fastest stroke. Only the front crawl is faster in racing conditions.

To master the butterfly, a swimmer must coordinate a complex sequence of movements. Each full stroke cycle consists of one complete arm movement and two leg kicks. The cycle begins when the arms enter the water in front of the head. The leg kicks are divided into two distinct phases. The upbeat occurs when the legs move upward through the water. The downbeat occurs when the legs move downward. This coordination establishes a steady rhythm for the entire body. Swimmers often use interval training to maintain efficiency. These sets combine short sprints with longer aerobic repetitions to fight fatigue.

The arm movement is broken into five specific technical phases. First is the entry and stretch, where arms enter the water above the head. The hands enter about shoulder-width apart with thumbs pointing down. This allows the hands to slice into the water efficiently. Next is the outsweep and catch. During the outsweep, the hands move outward and the elbows bend. The arms move slowly during the catch to prepare for the next step. Then comes the insweep, where the arms pull inward. This is followed by the upsweep and the recovery, where the arms lift over the water.

Detailed timing is essential for forward acceleration. The first leg downbeat should happen as the arms enter the water. Swimmers face downward upon entry to reduce hydrodynamic drag. This helps the head initiate the body's wave-like motion. After the downbeat, a swimmer might glide in a streamlined position. This happens before the outsweep and catch begin. During the outsweep, the upper body and head begin to rise. This rise is caused by the movement of the arms, the second upbeat, and buoyancy. High-skilled swimmers show great synchronization between these parts to travel further per stroke.

The history of the butterfly is a story of innovation within the breaststroke. In 1911, George Corsan demonstrated a "fishtail kick" to David Armbruster. Later, Jack Sieg imitated a fish to develop the dolphin kick. Armbruster and Sieg experimented with this kick in breaststroke races. Armbruster called it the "dolphin breaststroke kick" and wanted it legalized. In the late 1920s, swimmers like Erich Rademacher used an overarm recovery. This was called the "flying fish" and was used during turns or finishes. These innovations eventually led to the "butterfly-breaststroke" style.

Competition rules changed as the style evolved. In 1938, a FINA meeting nearly prohibited the butterfly arm recovery in breaststroke. However, the motion did not carry because it lacked a two-thirds majority. By the 1948 London Olympics, almost all finalists used the butterfly-breaststroke technique. This dominance forced officials to separate the two styles. In 1953, butterfly became its own official competitive event. It made its Olympic debut at the 1956 Helsinki Games. William Yorzyk won the men's 200m event, and Shelley Mann won the women's 100m event.

Modern rules ensure the stroke is performed correctly in competition. Swimmers must remain on their breast from the first arm stroke until the finish. During starts and turns, swimmers can glide underwater. They may use dolphin kicks while submerged to reduce drag. However, rules limit underwater swimming to 15 meters. The head must break the surface before that distance is reached. At turns and the finish, the swimmer must touch the wall with both hands. These hands must be separated and touch the wall simultaneously. This ensures a fair and standardized competition for all athletes.