Butterfly stroke

Table of contents

1 The Butterfly Stroke 1.1 History 1.2 The Event 2 Technique

The Butterfly Stroke

Done properly, the butterfly stroke is the most energy intensive and exhausting stroke. Done improperly it is even more difficult.

History

The butterfly stroke was 'invented' at the University of Iowa in 1934 and 1935. Breaststokers at the university had begun recovering their arms above the water to increase their stroke turnover rate under coach Armbuster. In 1935, Jack Sieg developed his own kick in which the legs stayed together beating up and down. The two combined the above-water recovery breast stroke and the new butterfly kick, or dolphin fishtail kick as it was called, to form a much faster method of swimming what was then still considered breast stroke.

The butterfly was recognized as a distinct stroke in the late 1950's, adding a fourth stroke to the Olympic Games competition and inserting a fourth leg to the the individual medley. Before the butterfly was legalized in competitive swimming, the individual medley consisted of only the backstroke, the breaststroke and freestyle.

The Event

Butterfly is swum internationally for the same distances as the other two 'strokes' in competitive swimming: 100 meters and 200 meters. It occupies the first spot in the individual medley and the third spot on a medley relay.

Technique

...to come later...