The butterfly stroke is considered the second fastest stroke after the crawl. Initially, there were only three swimming styles: crawl, breaststroke and backstroke. The butterfly was formed from the breaststroke and requires a lot of upper body strength. Butterfly swimming is therefore physically demanding, but at the same time the swimmer cannot achieve good speed through strength alone. We know that the butterfly is one of the most technically difficult swimming styles. Although the movement is difficult, there is a significant improvement in speed. It is a style of chest swimming, in which the upper body is elevated above the water and both arms perform a wide, symmetrical, powerful stroke followed by the butterfly kick. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get an Original Essay Proper technique is extremely important in the butterfly stroke. Many consider this style to be the most difficult to learn. The main difficulty is the simultaneous return of the arms and the whole body to its initial position, while breathing at the same time. In other words, this swimming technique consists of a synchronized movement of the arms and legs. According to Mark Young, “The movement of the butterfly-shaped body is a continuous undulating action. When performed correctly, the movement provides the propulsion needed to keep the entire stroke smooth.” In the initial position, the swimmer lies on his chest. Arms extended forward, legs extended backwards. The butterfly stroke has three main phases. It’s the pull, the push and the retrieve. At first, the swimmer should grip the water, so that the hands sink slightly and then split to the sides about shoulder-width apart. In the “pull” phase, the height of the hands changes to a deeper angle with the hands almost vertical. The “push” phase pushes the palm backwards into the water beneath the body. The “recovery” phase swings the arms sideways across the water surface forward. Hands should enter the water with fingertips first. The action of kicking creates a wave-like body movement as the swimmer moves through the water. The legs are held together to avoid loss of effort. The knees should be bent and then straightened at the lowest pace. The rules do not state how many kicks a swimmer must perform per cycle. It depends on convenience, and usually two strokes are made per cycle. Some athletes manage to combine butterfly arm movements with breaststroke leg movements. appeared as a kind of breaststroke around 1953. Until 2001, the rules did not prohibit such a combination. To this day, exceptions are allowed, although most swimmers now prefer undulating strokes. The butterfly kick has two main functions. First, the butterfly kick helps balance arm action. Second, it helps provide some propulsion to the body. The swimmer will have a smooth, powerful body movement only if the leg kick matches the arm action. Keep in mind: this is just a sample. Get a personalized paper now from our expert writers. Get a Personalized Trial Usually, a breath is taken on each stroke. This is the best option for long distances. You can breathe with each hit, but it will definitely slow down your speed. Trained swimmers ensure that respiratory and non-respiratory cycles are equally rapid and can therefore breathe at.