Butterfly

The butterfly stroke is a swimming stroke swum on the chest, with both arms moving symmetrically, accompanied by the butterfly kick (also known as the "dolphin kick").The butterfly is a more difficult stroke that requires good technique as well as strong muscles. It is the newest swimming style swum in competition, first swum in 1933 and originating out of the breaststroke.

Speed and ergonomics

The peak speed of the butterfly is faster than that of freestyle due to the synchronous pull/push with both arms and legs, which is done quite fast. Yet since speed drops significantly during the recovery phase, it is overall slightly slower than freestyle, especially over longer distances. Another reason it is slower is because of the extremely different physical exertion it puts on the swimmer compared to the freestyle. Its name was taken from the butterfly.

The breaststroke, backstroke, and freestyle can all be swum easily even if the swimmer's technique is not the best. The butterfly, however, is unforgiving of mistakes in style; it is very difficult to overcome a poor butterfly technique with brute strength. Many swimmers and coaches consider it the most difficult swimming style. The main difficulty for beginners is the synchronous over-water recovery, especially when combined with breathing, since both arms, the head, shoulders, and part of the chest have to be lifted out of the water for these tasks. Once the efficient technique has been developed, it becomes a smooth, fast stroke

Technique

The butterfly technique with the dolphin kick consists of synchronous arm movement with a synchronous leg kick.[9] Good technique is crucial to swim this style effectively. The wave-like body movement is also very significant in creating propulsion, as this is the key to easy synchronous over-water recovery and breathing.

In the initial position, the swimmer lies on the breast, the arms are stretched to the front, and the legs are extended to the back.

Butterfly stroke rules in Competitions

There are special people that are at competitions that can and will DQ you if you do something wrong while swimming an event.And here are the rules for butterfly.

From the beginning of the first arm stroke after the start and each turn, the body shall be kept on the breast. Under water kicking on the side is allowed. It is not permitted to roll onto the back at any time.

Both arms shall be brought forward together over the water and brought backward simultaneously throughout the race.

All up and down movements of the legs must be simultaneous. The legs or the feet need not be on the same level, but they shall not alternate in relation to each other. A breaststroke kicking movement is not permitted.

At each turn and at the finish of the race, the touch shall be made with both hands simultaneously, at, above or below the water surface.

At the start and at turns, a swimmer is permitted one or more leg kicks and one arm pull under the water, which must bring him to the surface. It shall be permissible for a swimmer to be completely submerged for a distance of not more than 15 metres after the start and after each turn. By that point, the head must have broken the surface. The swimmer must remain on the surface until the next turn or finish.

Throughout their time on various teams, swimmers learn valuable skills of dedication and perseverance, all the while developing an unstoppable work ethic. Not to mention leadership, teamwork, and ability to take direction; swimming gives children an incredible leg up into the academic and professional world.

History

Australian Sydney Cavill (1881–1945), son of the "swimming professor" Frederick Cavill, was 220 yards amateur champion of Australia at the age of 16 and is credited as the originator of the butterfly stroke. He followed his famous brothers to America and coached notable swimmers at San Francisco's Olympic Club.

In late 1933 Henry Myers swam a butterfly stroke in competition at the Brooklyn Central YMCA.[5] The butterfly style evolved from the breaststroke. David Armbruster, swimming coach at the University of Iowa, researched the breaststroke, especially considering the problem of drag due to the underwater recovery. In 1934 Armbruster refined a method to bring the arms forward over the water in a breaststroke. He called this style "butterfly". While the butterfly was difficult, it brought a great improvement in speed. One year later, in 1935, Jack Sieg, a swimmer also from the University of Iowa, developed a kick technique involving swimming on his side and beating his legs in unison, similar to a fish tail, and then modified the technique afterward to swim it face down. He called this style Dolphin fishtail kick. Armbruster and Sieg quickly found that combining these techniques created a very fast swimming style consisting of butterfly arms with two dolphin kicks per cycle.