A Complete Beginner’s Guide To The Butterfly Swimming Stroke

The butterfly stroke, often admired for its power and grace, can seem daunting for beginners. 

However, anyone can learn to “fly” through the water by breaking it down into manageable steps and focusing on proper technique. 

This guide provides an in-depth, step-by-step approach specifically designed for new learners of the butterfly and covers the common mistakes new learners often face.

Phase 1: Getting Comfortable With The Dolphin Kick

The dolphin kick forms the foundation of the butterfly stroke. It’s a powerful, undulating motion that originates from the hips, not the knees. This movement resembles a dolphin’s tail motion, creating a wave that travels through the entire body, generating momentum.

Step 1: Understanding the Movement

To master the dolphin kick, start by isolating the movement on land:

• Lie on your stomach on a flat surface, such as a gym mat or pool deck.

• Keep your legs together and toes pointed to create a streamlined shape.

• Initiate the wave from your hips by pushing them down and then up. This motion creates a ripple effect that travels through your thighs, knees, and feet.

• Imagine your body as a whip, moving from the handle (hips) and travelling to the tip (feet).
• Practice slowly and focus on the feeling of the undulation. Once you get comfortable, try speeding it up.

Tip: Visualise making small waves with your hips while keeping your upper body as relaxed as possible.

Step 2: Practising in the Water 

Now that you understand the movement take it into the water to build muscle memory:

• Grab the pool wall with both hands.

• Extend your body horizontally, with your legs fully stretched and your toes pointed.

• Begin the dolphin kick by driving the movement from your hips.

• Focus on keeping your legs relatively straight, with a slight knee bend to allow flexibility.

• Prioritise the downward kick, which generates most of the propulsion.
• Maintain a steady rhythm and avoid excessive splashing to ensure an efficient kick.

Tip: The more streamlined your body, the easier it will be to move forward. Keep your head neutral and aligned with your spine.

Step 3: Practising With A Kickboard

To build endurance and rhythm, use a kickboard to isolate and refine your dolphin kick:

• Hold a kickboard out in front of you with both hands.

• Stretch your body into a streamlined position and start performing the dolphin kick.

• Focus on consistency—a smooth, rhythmic motion is more effective than forceful, uneven kicks.

• Keep your body flat in the water and minimise any unnecessary splashing.
• Use your core muscles to maintain balance and power.

Tip: Start with short distances and increase them as you build strength and stamina.

Step 4: Streamline Kicking

Streamline kicking teaches you how to maximise forward momentum:

• Push off the pool wall in a streamlined position: arms fully extended overhead, hands clasped together, and head tucked between your arms.

• Perform the dolphin kick while holding this streamlined form.

• Focus on how the kick propels you forward through the water.

• Avoid unnecessary movements and maintain a relaxed upper body to reduce drag.

Tip: Streamlined kicking reinforces body alignment, making your kick more efficient and powerful.

Key Points For The Dolphin Kick

• The movement originates from the hips, not the knees.
• Legs should remain straight with a slight bend at the knees.
• Point your toes to reduce resistance and improve propulsion.

Practice consistently to develop a strong, fluid kick that becomes second nature.

Phase 2: Learning The Arm Pull

The arm pull in a butterfly is a simultaneous, symmetrical movement that propels you forward.

Step 1: Understanding the Arm Movement (Out of Water):

• Stand with your arms extended in front of you.
• Sweep your arms outwards and downwards as if you are scooping water.
• Continue the sweep backwards, and then push your hands back behind you.
• Bring your arms forward over the water, keeping them relatively straight, to return to the starting position.

Step 2: Practicing in the Water (Standing):

• Stand in chest-deep water.
• Practice the arm pull, focusing on the different phases: catch, pull, push, and recovery.
• Feel the resistance of the water as you pull and push.

Step 3: Combining Arm Pull with Breathing:

• As your arms sweep backwards and push behind you, lift your head forward to breathe.
• Lower your head back into the water as your arms begin their recovery over the water.
• Practice coordinating the arm pull with the breathing.

Key Points for the Arm Pull:

• The arm pull should be simultaneous and symmetrical.
• Focus on a high elbow catch and a powerful pull.
• Coordinate the arm pull with the breathing.

Phase 3: Putting It All Together: The Full Butterfly Stroke

Now that you’ve practised the dolphin kick and the arm pull separately, it’s time to combine them.

Step 1: Practicing with a Pull Buoy:

• Place a pull buoy between your legs to isolate the arm pull.
• Practice the arm pull while performing the dolphin kick. This helps you get a feel for the coordination between the two movements.

Step 2: Practicing the Full Stroke:

• Start by pushing off the wall in a straightforward position.
• Begin the dolphin kick and then initiate the arm pull.
• Coordinate the breathing with the arm recovery.
• Focus on maintaining a smooth and continuous rhythm.

Step 3: Focus on Timing and Coordination:

• The timing between the kick and pull is crucial for an efficient stroke.
• Typically, there are two dolphin kicks for every arm cycle.
• Practice coordinating the kick, pull, and breathing to create a fluid movement.

Key Points for the Full Stroke:

• Coordinate the dolphin kick, arm pull, and breathing.
• Maintain a smooth and continuous rhythm.
• Focus on generating power from your core.
• Practice regularly to improve your technique and endurance.

1. Kicking From The Knees

One of the most common mistakes beginners make is performing the dolphin kick from the knees instead of the hips. This often results in inefficient and jerky motion that quickly increases drag and tyres the swimmer.

Why It Happens:

• Beginners often think the dolphin kick resembles a regular flutter kick, so they rely on knee-bending rather than engaging the hips.
• Lack of core strength makes it harder to generate power from the hips.

How to Fix It:

• Focus on the Wave Motion: The movement should start at the hips and flow to the feet, like a ripple or wave. Visualise your body as a whip where the power begins at the handle (hips).
• Practice on Land: Lie on your stomach and perform the hip-driven dolphin kick on a mat, keeping your legs straight with a slight flex at the knees.
• Use Kickboard Drills: Hold a kickboard out in front and practise the dolphin kick. Concentrate on initiating the movement from the hips and keeping the knees relaxed.
• Streamline Kicking: Push off the wall in a streamlined position and practise small, controlled dolphin kicks, ensuring the motion starts from your hips.

Tip: Engage your core muscles during the kick to stabilise the movement and improve propulsion.

2. Wide Arm Pull

Another frequent issue is a wide, exaggerated arm pull, which reduces efficiency. Instead of creating strong propulsion, wide arm movements waste energy and slow down the stroke.

Why It Happens:

• Beginners often try to pull too forcefully, which causes their arms to sweep too far outwards.
• Poor understanding of the proper “catch” and “pull” phases leads to inefficient hand placement.

How to Fix It:

• Focus on the “High Elbow Catch”: As your arms enter the water, bend your elbows slightly to keep your forearms vertical. This helps engage your back and chest muscles for a stronger pull.
• Keep Hands Closer: During the pull phase, sweep your hands downward and slightly inward so they move closer to the body rather than out to the sides.
• Practice Standing Drills: In chest-deep water, isolate the arm pull movement. Focus on scooping water in a controlled, circular motion while keeping your elbows high.
• Use Sculling Drills: Practise sculling (small circular hand movements under the water) to gain better control and feel for the water.

Tip: Think of the arm pull as “scooping and pushing” water behind you—not out to the sides.

3. Lifting The Head Too High

Excessive head lifting when breathing disrupts body position, causing the hips and legs to drop. This increases resistance and makes the stroke far more tiring.

Why It Happens:

• Beginners often panic or struggle to time their breath correctly, leading to an exaggerated head lift.
• A lack of confidence in the breathing rhythm causes them to lift their head higher to ensure a full breath.

How to Fix It:

• Keep the Head Neutral: Lift your chin slightly forward rather than up. Your head should just clear the water’s surface to inhale.
• Time Your Breath: Breathe as your arms complete the pull phase just before they exit the water for recovery. Return your head into the water as your arms start their recovery arc.
• Practice Breathing Drills: Use single-arm butterfly drills to focus on breathing smoothly without lifting your head excessively.
• Visual Cue: Imagine looking forward and skimming the water’s surface with your chin.

Tip: Keeping the breath small and quick ensures minimal disruption to your stroke rhythm.

4. Not Coordinating the Kick and Pull

The butterfly stroke requires precise timing between the arm pull, dolphin kick, and breathing. Beginners often struggle to synchronise these elements, leading to a disjointed and inefficient stroke.

Why It Happens:

• The complexity of butterfly swimming can overwhelm beginners, causing them to lose focus on the rhythm.
• A lack of practice isolating each component—kick, pull, and breath—makes coordination harder.

How to Fix It:

• Focus on the Two-Beat Kick: The butterfly uses two dolphin kicks per arm cycle—one when the arms enter the water and the other when they exit.
• Break It Down: Practise each element (kick, pull, and breath) individually before combining them.
• Count the Rhythm: Mentally count “kick, pull, kick” to reinforce the correct timing of movements.

Tip: Butterfly swimming is all about flow. Practice short, focused sessions to build muscle memory for smoother coordination.

Butterfly Stroke Drills For Technique Refinement

If you’re looking to hone your butterfly techniques, utilising these drills can greatly improve your form and finesse. 

Fingertip Drag Drill

The Fingertip Drag Drill improves the arm recovery phase of the butterfly stroke by promoting a high elbow position and smoother forward arm motion. This drill helps swimmers maintain better control and efficiency during recovery, reducing unnecessary splashing and strain.

How to Perform the Drill:

• Start by swimming the butterfly stroke at a slower pace.

• During the recovery phase (when your arms are coming forward over the water), lightly drag your fingertips along the water’s surface.

• Focus on keeping your elbows high and leading with your hands, ensuring smooth and controlled motion.
• Keep your arms relaxed during recovery to avoid excessive muscle fatigue.

Why It Works:

• It encourages a more natural, circular arm recovery that minimises resistance.
• It reinforces the high elbow position, critical for maintaining a proper butterfly stroke.
• The slow, deliberate movement allows swimmers to improve muscle memory without rushing the stroke.

Tip: Visualise your arms as “wings” skimming just above the water. Keep your recovery motion relaxed to avoid wasting energy.

Pull Buoy With Dolphin Kick

The Pull Buoy with Dolphin Kick drill isolates the dolphin kick while stabilising the upper body, helping swimmers focus on developing core strength, improving undulation, and mastering the wave-like motion that drives the butterfly stroke forward.

How to Perform the Drill:

• Place a pull buoy between your thighs to keep your legs afloat.

• Stretch your arms forward into a streamlined position, keeping them stationary.

• Focus solely on performing the dolphin kick while holding the pull buoy.

• Initiate the movement from your hips, allowing the wave to travel down your body and end with a strong, pointed-toe finish.
• Maintain a steady rhythm and align your head with your spine to reduce drag.

Why It Works:

• It isolates the lower body, ensuring swimmers practise the dolphin kick without distractions.
• It improves hip-driven undulation and builds strength in the core and legs, which is essential for propulsion.
• It allows swimmers to refine their body position and streamline, improving efficiency during the full stroke.

Tip: Stem the pull buoy between your legs to prevent twisting or excess movement. Focus on creating small, controlled kicks rather than large, inefficient ones.

Single-Arm Butterfly Drill

The Single-Arm Butterfly Drill helps swimmers isolate one arm at a time to refine their pull technique and breathing rhythm. This drill simplifies the stroke, allowing swimmers to focus on individual elements of their arm movement.

How to Perform the Drill:

• Swim the butterfly stroke using one arm only while keeping the other arm relaxed at your side.

• Perform the full arm movement with the active arm: catch, pull, and recovery.

• Breathe on the side of the active arm during the pull phase.

• Use the dolphin kick throughout to maintain momentum and rhythm.

• Alternate arms after a set number of strokes (e.g., 25 metres with one arm, switch on the return lap).

Why It Works:

• It allows swimmers to focus on perfecting their arm pull without worrying about synchronisation.
• It builds awareness of water resistance and the power generated during the pull and push phases.
• It improves breathing by encouraging swimmers to coordinate their breath with the arm motion.

Tip: Keep your body balanced and streamlined while performing this drill. The dolphin kick is essential for maintaining momentum and preventing your hips from sinking.

Full Stroke Coordination Drills

The Full Stroke Coordination Drill synchronises the dolphin kick, arm pull, and body undulation for a smooth, efficient butterfly stroke. Beginners often struggle with timing, and this drill reinforces the connection between all the stroke’s components.

How to Perform the Drill:

• Start by swimming the butterfly stroke at a slow, controlled pace.

• Focus on the two-beat dolphin kick:

1. 1. • The first kick happens as your arms enter the water (during the catch).
      • The second kick occurs as your arms exit the water (during the recovery).

• Pay close attention to breathing: lift your head slightly forward during the pull phase and lower it back into the water before the recovery begins.

• Maintain a steady rhythm by counting: “Kick, pull, kick.”

• Keep your movements fluid, avoiding jerky or exaggerated motions.
  

Why It Works:

• It improves overall coordination and rhythm, which are crucial for an effective butterfly stroke.
• It develops proper timing between arm movement, kicks, and breathing.
• It encourages smooth undulation, reducing resistance and increasing speed.

Tip: Start with shorter distances (e.g., 25–50 metres) to build endurance and focus on technique. Gradually increase the distance as your coordination improves.

Conclusion On Butterfly Stroke Swimming

The butterfly stroke may be one of the most demanding swimming techniques, but it is also one of the most rewarding. Mastering this stroke provides a sense of accomplishment and a full-body workout that enhances strength, endurance, and flexibility.

While the challenges of butterfly swimming can feel overwhelming at first, the right guidance makes all the difference. 

At Swimwerks, their team of experienced and certified swimming professionals is equipped to help swimmers of all levels conquer this beautiful stroke. Their patient and supportive instructors will guide you through mastering the dolphin kick, perfecting your arm movements, and synchronising your breathing and rhythm—all while building your confidence in the water.

Don’t let the challenges of the butterfly stroke hold you back. With Swimwerks’ expertise and personalised  swimming lessons, you can transform this intimidating technique into a skill you’ll enjoy forever!

Frequently Asked Questions About Butterfly Stroke Swimming

How Do You Improve The Dolphin Kick For The Butterfly Stroke?

Focus on generating the movement from the hips, not the knees. Practising drills like the streamlined dolphin kick and using a kickboard helps refine the motion and build strength.

What Are Common Mistakes Beginners Make When Learning The Butterfly Stroke?

Common mistakes include kicking from the knees, lifting the head too high during breathing, performing a wide arm pull, and failing to coordinate the kick and pull. Practising specific drills can help correct these errors.

How Do You Time Your Breathing During The Butterfly Stroke?

Breath timing is crucial. Lift your head forward during the pull phase (when your hands push water back) and lower it back into the water as your arms recover. Keep the breath quick to maintain rhythm.

How Many Kicks Are There In One Butterfly Stroke Cycle?

There are typically two dolphin kicks for every arm cycle—one when the arms enter the water and the second when they exit during recovery.

How Can I Build Endurance For Swimming The Butterfly Stroke?

Start with shorter distances, focus on technique over speed, and incorporate drills like the three-kick, one-pull drill. Gradually increase the distance as your strength and rhythm improve.

Can Beginners Learn The Butterfly Stroke?

Yes, beginners can learn the butterfly stroke by breaking it into smaller components, such as the dolphin kick, arm pull, and breathing. Expert guidance, like that offered at Swimwerks, makes learning easier and more structured.