Butterfly - Fast Fin Fly

Butterfly is the type of stroke that requires specific training. You need to swim ENOUGH butterfly to strengthen the specific muscles for the stroke. But if you train A LOT of butterfly, there's a good chance that you will train yourself to have a slow stroke cadence, and this is not effective for racing. The question is: How do you learn to slam race-pace butterfly, especially early in the season?

 - Watch fast fly with Kevin Clement's DVD - A great coaching tool.

Why Do It:

By putting fins on your feet, you can learn to increase the speed of your body, and can add more resistance to your legs. Fins allow you to experience race-pace stroke dynamics and hydro-dynamics. They not only help you swim faster, but also build strength in your legs.

How To Do It:

1. Put on your favorite pair of fins. Make sure they're not too big, because you want your feet to be able to move quickly through the water.

2. Start by swimming very short distances -- either 25 or 50 yards at most.

3. Push off the old deep and initiate a quick, fast underwater dolphin kick.

4.  When you start to swim, keep the rhythm fast, and focus more on the feet than the hands.

5. Stay intense.

How To Do It Really Well (the Fine Points):

The trick to this drill is to stay intense. Do not cruise, relax, stay smooth, or go easy. Remember: You are practicing your end-of-season speed. The faster you go now, the faster you go at the end of the season.