By Delaney Lanker, Swimming World Magazine College Intern (From the Archive)
I once had a coach tell me that butterfly was the easiest stroke. At the time, I just looked at him and rolled my eyes. But, here I am years later, a Division I butterflier, and I might have come to believe him. This means I must have gone crazy right? But after endless 100 and 200 butterfly sets and constantly sore shoulders, it doesn’t seem that bad anymore.
But you don’t choose the butterfly life. The butterfly life chooses you.
1. Your butterfly is just as fast as your freestyle.
Yup, it’s come to that now. When I have to do a timed 100 freestyle off the blocks, all I can hope is that the time is faster than the 100 fly I did right before it. Because, when nine times out of 10 the answer to the question “do I have to do this butterfly?” is yes, sometimes it is just easier to do a set butterfly than freestyle.
2. You secretly like the 200 fly.
Photo Courtesy: Peter Bick
Yes, the 200 fly is my favorite event. It’s a love/hate kind of relationship but at the end of the day, I’d pick the 200 fly over any other event (except for maybe the 50).
With all of the butterfly at practice we do, a 200 fly in a race seems like nothing. Those long butterfly training trip sets are something you live and die for. Knowing they will hurt, feeling like the lifeguard may have to come in and save you at any moment but remembering that at the end of the season, it will all be worth it.
So yes, I like the 200 fly more than your average swimmer, but but there is no better feeling than finally touching the wall at the end of the race.
3. Coaches can’t use it as a punishment.
Photo Courtesy: Taylor Brien
When coaches threaten to make you do 100s butterfly after practice because of lazy practice habits like breathing into and out of your walls, it’s not punishment for us butterfliers, its just an extension of the practice we already had that day.
But please don’t make us do breaststroke.
4. Your hips don’t lie.
We can dolphin kick for days and sometimes wishing we were a mermaid is all that can get us through the end of a long set. Any good butterflier knows the secret to the stroke is actually swimming it as little as possible, and rather underwater kicking your way through the race.
And let’s be honest, Shakira’s hips don’t have anything on those of a butterflier.
I got chosen by breastroke; as did my two older brothers. It’s in my genes. But I always wished it was the fly, such a great stroke. Although it’s technically my second fastest stroke in sheer time, compared to peers, records, and time standards, it’s by far my worst and I know it has something to do with my core and hips. I have a mental block against improving in it. I hope to take “butterfly lessons” and learn how to make it more natural for me before I die. Is it too late to teach an old dog new tricks? 😉
Since u ate a breast stroke try doing 3 stroke breaks 2 strokes fly using your body the same way u do breast through your core. I bet your fly gets better
Hahah Gabriela Cuzzi Fernandes “seu borbo é mais rápido doq seu crawl”
Lars Illing?
Kann ich nur bestätigen?
Brittany Archer
This style was hard for me when i was doing swimming in my teens but i never regretted it. Love swimming.
Victoria Winters ?
Nope nope nope.
Max Forst
Grace Nordquist . . This is so you
Laura Weinreich – passer nu meget godt???
Danielle Bright Schoolcraft for Keira
I will definitely show her thus one. Thanks for passing it our way 🙂
Daniel Madigan
Mads Claussen
Fabian, Check das mal
Maul ?
So true. Haha. Butterfly is my stroke! When I swim on my own, I usually do a total of 1000 to 1500 m of fly in my workouts (sets, swims, kicks, & drills)
Ben Garratt
Zephie Villalobos
Bryan Adams
How about “no”?
Shari Herrin Bergmann – yes. My butterfly was definitely almost or faster than my freestyle at times lol
Por anos nadei essa modalidade, não era a minha em especial porém nadava super bem ela, foi aí que consegui ficar que nem o Hulk por alguns anos, fiquei forte pra porra
Is this what you were talking about this morning, Laura Semonche Jones?
I wish! But kind of…:-)
Sydnie Saddoris
Julian Garcia Gabriela Barragan
Jade Ely 🙂
Haha our lives suck ????
but at least our hips don’t lie 😉
Alex Vine
Max
Hernan Campos Zapata mira la #3 ?????????
Imad Elmoustakim
Sanne Rebers nummer 3 laatste zin?
??
Ellena Šušteršić
-.- <3
Tocno to?
ahhh a tako je kako je hahahah
Claire D’Attoma
Lina Ahorner?
Julian Garcia Ziggy Garcia Sigfrido Garcia your hips won’t lie…now it makes so much sense
Lisa, I think Ashy would agree.
Silje Tvedt omg yaaaaaaaaaaaaaassssssssaaaa
Haahahh ?
One of my Lexi’s new favs
Sol Elizaldi
Lizbeth Denisse
Trueeee
Anna de Boer, Fabian Natusch, kennen wir oder? ?
vor allem das 3. 😀
hahah ja 😀
Punkt 3 …Bitte kein Brust ?
Pearce Scammell Ali Crosbie Julia Klarich Annie Bygrave Luke Schiffler Nick Rispoli Catherine Rolston Thomas Hollingsworth Donald Cameron Joshy Minogue Maddy Munns Mamo Asianboi Matelita Buadromo Kinver Nicholls Jess O’Brien
Brock Wallace
Samantha Zavala
Mary Laura Meza ?
Delaney Walz Ethan Do
THIS MIGHT JUST BE THE MOST ACCURATE THING I’VE EVER SEEN
Zachary Cootes never wished I was a mermaid but the rest is pretty accurate
Not that I REALLY know what a 2fly set feels like
so true, hips don’t lie, coach can’t use it as punishment lol
Lacey Lorraine Radloff Bobby Radloff
Ben
None of those are me so I’m good
Jessica Mouatt
Joel Berglund
Paola O’Brien