This week’s Speedo Tip of the Week comes from North Baltimore Aquatic Club coach Bob Bowman, USA Swimming’s 2001 and 2003 Doc Counsilman Coach of the Year. Bowman offers some advice on butterfly training, excerpted from the November-December 2001 issue of Splash magazine.
Bowman’s Tips:
Number one, you need to really work on the kick, particularly the underwater kick. That’s the very best way you’ve got to use your momentum, and it helps maintain your rhythm in the regular stroke… The kick’s power originates from the chest, and the whole body is part of the motion.
It’s very important, whether the arms are bent or straight – and we prefer them straight – that you have them very relaxed. They also have to be in synch with the rest of the body, with the hips at the highest point before the hands hit the water. If swimmers work on that, it really helps make the timing correct.
A good teaching point is to look down at the water (when you take a breath). You should lift your head just enough to breathe.
If you’re talking about Michael, he’ll swim repeats of 25s, 50s, 100s (in training) so he can maintain a perfect stroke over the whole distance. You want to develop a good feel for the water, and it’s hard to swim fly correctly without a high-effort level. |