What this swimming skill is
In butterfly, both arms work at the same time. Under the water, the hands press back from in front of the shoulders all the way past the hips. It is a bit like doing two front crawl arm strokes at once.
This comes after the body wave and the two kicks. Next, your child learns to swing both arms forward over the water, and then to breathe.
See it in action
How To Swim: Butterfly Stroke Drill (1/2)
Butterfly with one arm at a time, a common way to learn the arm pull and build strength.
From the AquaMobile YouTube channel
Why it matters
Forward push.
A full arm stroke moves your child along and makes butterfly feel powerful.
An easier arm swing.
Finishing the push past the hips helps the arms come out of the water smoothly.
Balanced strength.
Both arms working together builds even strength on both sides.
Who it is for
Children, teens and adults work on this once they have a body wave. Swimmers with a good front crawl, the stroke where the arms take turns over the water, tend to pick it up quickly. Children often love big, bold pulls, and your instructor helps both arms match. If you are learning as an adult, shoulder strength builds over time, so swims are kept short.
Grip and push back
The goal
Your child pulls both arms back together under the water. They finish the push past the hips before bringing the arms over.
Why it matters
A full, even arm stroke keeps your child moving forward. It also makes the next part, the swing over the water, much easier.
What happens in lessons
Standing and copying.
Your instructor shows the arm movement while your child stands in shallow water and copies it slowly.
Walking and pulling.
Your child walks forward, pulling both arms through the water together, and feels the push.
Adding it to the wave.
Your child adds the arms to the body wave for a few strokes, often one arm at a time first.
Checking both sides match.
Your instructor helps your child start and finish both arms together.
How you can help between lessons
- On land, lean forward and slowly trace the arm movement with both arms, finishing with the thumbs brushing the thighs.
Common questions
- Is this like the front crawl arm stroke?
- Very similar. It is like two front crawl arm strokes at the same time. Because both arms work together, the timing matters more.
- Will butterfly hurt my child's shoulders?
- Butterfly asks a lot of the shoulders, so some tiredness is normal. Pain is not something to push through. If your child feels it, they stop and tell your instructor, who changes what they practise.
- How strong does my child need to be?
- Less strong than most people think. Good timing does a lot of the work. Strength builds gradually, with short swims and plenty of rest.
- Why does my child's butterfly look so splashy?
- Often the push ends early, or the arms swing up high. Finishing the push usually calms things down, and it improves with practice.
