Butterfly: Not for Masochists Only!

By BRIAN VANDE KROL

As a child, I spent summers at the pool. I learned to swim the traditional way: move your arms and legs, keep your head above water, etc. In 9th grade, I joined the Freshman Swimming and Diving Team at my school, the slowest team in the city. I was a backstroker – not because I was necessarily suited for the stroke. I inherited my role: Two of my older brothers had swum Backstroke for the same coach.

All I recall about that experience is that I worked hard, improved some, but didn’t enjoy it. There wasn’t much technique; we just worked. I managed to learn something that could be generously interpreted as “Fly,” but it was extremely exhausting. I couldn’t coordinate a dolphin or breast kick. Rather than risk disqualification, the coach didn’t have us swim those. I was okay with that, because I didn’t think I could possibly work any harder than I already was for Backstroke, and couldn’t complete even 25 yards of Fly.

For the next 27 years, I dabbled in swimming as an occasional break from other workouts. Then my wife convinced me to take up triathlon, to help us stay in shape for competitive skydiving. I fell in love with triathlon, but couldn’t understand how I could be so fast on the bike, not-quite-slow on the run, but struggle so on the swim. Other people were faster and got out of the water running. I came stumbling out of the water. Clearly, something other than fitness was involved.

When I discovered Total Immersion, I learned that the missing element was technique. My swims became much easier, and a bit faster. In September 2007, I completed an Ironman, and was amazed at how easy the 2.4-mile open water swim was.

After a full summer of concentrated freestyle in open water practice to prep for the Ironman, I hankered for a change of pace. That’s when I remembered the “other” strokes. I was tantalized by the idea that fly could be easy…or maybe just possible. I discovered, however, that my never-supple back made undulation an all-but-impossible challenge.

I had attended the Kaizen 4-Stroke Camp at Coral Springs in December, 2006, where Terry unveiled a new way of learning fly; he called it Butterfly for Boomers. It made perfect sense, but I still came away as the only participant who couldn’t swim Fly, mainly because my lower body still wouldn’t cooperate.

In September, following the Ironman, I ordered the “Betterfly for Everybody” DVD. I noticed Terry “flicking” his toes. Though it looked relaxed it seemed to provide all the lower-body propulsion he needed. By focusing more on relaxation, I soon found I could dolphin my way across the pool, even without fins. It wasn’t pretty, but it felt promising.

It took so long to translate what Terry had described so well at the workshop into action, because my brain had kept telling my legs that they had to work hard – or not work at all. The DVD revealed that, by activating everything from fingers to toes, my body could actually perform barely perceptible wave-like motions. When I added a bit more energy, I could amplify the response. Rather than trying to kick hard as I had in 9th grade, I just let the wave action flex my legs, then braced my lower leg against the water to drive forward. Instead of desperation to get my head and arms out of the water, it just happened from the energy in my bodywave. With that, I could swim multiple 25-yard repeats – even an occasional 50.

My next breakthrough came when I stopped trying to dive in after each stroke, but rather landed forward with relaxed arms leading the way. Streamlining as I did carried me down the pool, and made my next undulation even easier.

Still, I hadn’t found the rhythm. After landing I would just wait to resurface, and struggled a bit to start the next stroke. When I grasped that the natural lift provided buoyancy by buoyancy was the natural time to initiate the next stroke, I felt an easier flow and a natural rhythm that even made breathing easier.

Soon after learning to swim Fly “easy,” I decided I wanted to swim it “fast.” So I “turned on” my arm muscles a millisecond earlier. I felt like I was rocketing forward! My SPL stayed the same (10 – 11 strokes for 25 yards), but I was going five seconds faster per length! And my effort level, although higher, was controlled enough that I could rest briefly after each length and repeat. This was cool! And fun! After just two months of practice my Fly was almost as fast as my Freestyle.

My Fly practice is mainly 25-yard repeats. I start with drills, and then blend drill and whole stroke. For example, I’ll do sculling dolphin for a half-length then finish the lap with whole stroke. I usually swim 200 to 400 yards of 25-yard whole-stroke repeats, a few 50’s, and an occasional 75. I limit my distance to what feels good.

The focal points that have had the greatest impact are:

• Relaxed, extended arms after landing
• Sweep out a bit before stroking. I try to get my elbows above my hands for a firmer grip on the water.
• Engage my core as I resurface, slightly flattening my back, trying to feel I’m moving forward more than lifting. If I relax my core too much, my forward momentum is reduced.
• Time my stroke to take advantage of upward momentum.
• Abbreviate my pull. As Terry says, “Turn the arm muscles ‘on’ briefly, then turn them off.”
• Look down as I breathe, just inches forward of my nose.

Having found a rhythm and the ability to go fast (at least for me), I’m now working to increase my relaxation so I can go farther. I’d love to swim a 400 IM, or 200 fly. I’m even inspired by Ross Bogue, who swam 5k fly. It’s not yet a goal, but it no longer seems like something only a masochist would do!

During his first year as a competitive triathlete, Brian struggled with the swim. He wasn’t fast, and he could barely walk after the swim leg of a triathlon. Then he found Total Immersion. After one year of TI swimming, he took over one minute off of his 1500M swim time, and came out of the water running! Now he’s hooked on TI, and shares his passion for swimming with his students.