How To Swim The Butterfly

If you're ready to take your swimming skills to the next level, it's time to learn how to swim the butterfly. Compared to easier strokes, you may find it more difficult to swim the butterfly, since you'll have to time your breathing correctly and maintain the proper arm and leg movements. You may tire more easily when you swim the butterfly, but don't give up. Learning to swim the butterfly is well worth the time and effort.

1. Get into the pool. Lie on your stomach on the surface of the water.
2. Put both hands into the water at the same time, just above your shoulders. Push your hands and arms back, as if you were scooping the water up, until your hands are at your thighs.
3. Lift your hands out of the water when they reach your thighs. Push back into the water and repeat to swim the butterfly. Push as hard as you can to get the most propulsion.
4. Lift your head above the water when your hands reach your thighs. Breathe, then place your head back in the water. If you breathe when your hands are pushing through the water, you'll lose forward thrust.
5. Keep your feet together and kick your legs into the water as you push your hands into the water. They'll lift up again as you push through the water. Kick down again as you lift your hands out of the water.
6. Combine pushing with your arms, breathing and kicking to swim the butterfly across the pool. Practice these six steps and you'll have it down in no time!