Resolution #6: Learn to Fly! Today's video is the final chapter of Steve Haufler's "butterfly Basics" video. To learn the basics and the details of Fly, pick up a subscription to GoSwim.tv and check out all of Steve's videos. In this final section of the video, our swimmer will just swim…and you can watch how all the parts come together. Try to pick out the things we focused on. Watch for tight streamlines and quick underwater dolphins off every wall. Look for the arms to be straight and low as they recover over the water. Does the swimmer lead with the wrists? Do the hands enter softly…and just outside the shoulders? From under water, can you tell if the hands pause or hesitate out front…or does the swimmer connect quickly with the water and keep her hands moving with a continuous pull? Do the arms describe a “diamond” as they pull? Are the forearms vertical? Does the swimmer “round out” the hands as they finish the pull and exit the water? Watch for a constant kick that starts from the torso and not from the knees. And notice how the constant kick and the constant pull help keep the hips up and the body moving forward. Look for a low breath – and for the head to be back in the water before the hands. And notice how the low breath allows the swimmer to undulate, but keep moving forward. Notice that when all the parts come together, the swimmer seems to be flowing just above and just under the surface. She’s swimming with her entire body, not just her arms and legs. As you work through the video – either as a swimmer or coach – be patient with the learning process. Take it one step at a time, and realize you will need to repeat these teaching progressions and stroke drills over the course of several lessons and sessions. Always have a basic progression in mind when you begin a lesson. Know where you’re trying to go in terms of correct technique, then follow the steps to get there. Believe in yourself and the process, and you’ll be amazed at how easy it is to turn any swimmer into a butterflier!
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