Butter up and fly!

Butterfly - the iconic stroke that saw our local Olympian Joseph Schooling triumph over his idol and hero, Michael Phelps. This historic moment sparked a newfound interest in mastering what is often considered the "most difficult" of the four main competitive strokes.

Beginning with the dolphin kick, the undulating motion is notoriously challenging to perform consistently. The key driver of this kick originates from the contraction and relaxation of the abdomen, with the rest of the leg following through. This movement pattern is notoriously difficult for coaches to teach, making it one of the less commonly practiced strokes in the pool. The complexity is heightened for younger children due to their underdeveloped psychomotor skills, which makes it hard for them to grasp and consistently execute the movement pattern.

Common mistakes, such as overusing the knees instead of kicking from the hips, become particularly evident when students struggle to generate enough lift from the water to breathe. Another frequent error involves the timing of the kick-to-fly rhythm, where students may kick too quickly or too slowly, resulting in a "U" shaped body position while flying, which leads to inefficient swimming and prevents proper "flying."

Nonetheless, we believe it's beneficial to introduce the butterfly stroke to students early on, encouraging them to see it as one of the four main competitive strokes rather than merely "the most difficult" one. With the right mindset, what once seemed difficult can become an exciting challenge to overcome.

Happy "flying"!