3 Dryland Exercises To Improve Butterfly

All swimmers know that the butterfly technique is hard work. 

The arms as well as the legs are in simultaneous motion, relying on sheer power for breathing. The arms pull is followed by a massive kick with the feet together and vaults the swimmer over the water where they can catch a breath. Rhythm is crucial for efficiency and breathing in butterfly technique. Neither the legs or arms can ever pause without losing the stroke form entirely. So what techniques can you do with dryland training to help your strength and flexibility for butterfly technique?

To be able to create the whip-like movement that is needed for the butterfly kick, the lower back has to be able to act with the abs to control spinal movement to improve this motion. The Roman Chair Back Extension is a good exercise to stretch and work on the intrinsic muscles. The roman chair is a simple piece of equipment used for several exercises. Here is how to perform back extensions.

1. 1. Adjust the height of the bench - your hips should rest against the pad.
2. 2. Put your feet on the support plate or floor
3. 3. Position your arms as if you are about to do a sit up - hands by your ears
4. 4. Lean over the pad, face down, until your front is against the pad.
5. 5. Lift your body up using the back muscles so your back is straight
6. 6. Lower yourself back down and repeat.

Of course, butterfly kicks need strong legs, too! The Jump Squat is a standard squat with a jump added in between each rep, helping to work on the quads to build powerful movement to push through the water. The great thing about this exercise is you can do it anywhere!

1. 1. Stand with your feet shoulder width apart.
2. 2. Use the balls of your feet to jump straight up, extending your legs as you leave the ground.
3. 3. Land on the balls of your feet before dropping the heels
4. 4. Immediately lower into a squat with your back straight and pause.
5. 5. Repeat!

If you want a challenge, you can add the weight of a medicine ball into the mix to create a full body workout. Hold the ball over your head, then jump. As you land, slam the ball down onto the floor.

Finally, the active hang exercise helps to create stability around the joints in your shoulders, which is important for strokes like butterfly where the shoulder muscles are under stress. To perform the active hang, you will need to find a pull up bar, even a playground or parkour frame, to be able to hang from.

1. 1. Grip the bar with hands shoulder width apart.
2. 2. Lift feet of the ground
3. 3. Tense your shoulder muscles and arms as if you are going to do a pull up
4. 4. Hold the tensed position for 20-30 seconds and release.

If you are experiencing joint pain, we suggest consulting a doctor or physio before trying this exercise.