Butterfly and Fly Kick are crucial for the development of the age group swimmer. They need a solid underwater fly kick on Frontcrawl and Backstroke, let alone for butterfly. I am always trying different things. The following combines some of what I do, from kick on front, side and back, to Biondi drill. At other times we work on the arms and timing with single-arm fly, swimming synchro in pairs, as well as 1-1-1 drill or 2-2-2 or 4 kicks to every stroke.
These swimmers are ages 10-12. Most are poolside with 10 minutes to go, warm up, look at the session and are in the water as the whistle goes.
I find fins are invaluable to help develop butterfly, and stretches the ankle too. I don’t keep the fins on for too long, some find it a strain or get blisters. Too often swimmers forget or lose their fins. We have the benefit of being able to dip into a supply of training fins when needed, though swimmers should have their own.
PC1 FLY SAT 18 JAN 25
| Phase | Dist | Act: | T/R | Dist: | Dur: | Total |
| W/U | 150m FC150m BC 2 x 100m4 x 25m | FC as 50K, 50D, 50SBC as 50K, 50D, 50SIMCH Kick | 2:15/2:30 | 600 | 12-15 | 15 |
| MAIN | Vertical FLY Kick | 15” Fly streamline15” FC with arms crossed on chest | 2:00 | -/600 | 3 | 18 |
| 4 x 25m | FLY KOBFLY KOSFLY KOFFLY KOF | 1:00/1:15 | 100/700 | 4 | 22 | |
| Vertical Fly Kick | 2.00 | -/700 | 3 | 25 | ||
| 4 x 25m | FLY BiondiFly Drill | 1:00/1:15 | 100/800 | 4 | 29 | |
| FINS OFF | 1 x 25m 3 x 25m | FLY LANE CLEARBC, BR, FC | 2:15/2:30 | 400/1200 | 10 | 39 |
| DIVES | Cactus | 4 | 43 | |||
| 8 x 25m SprintsTimed | FC | 1:30 | 200/1400 | 12 | 55 | |
| S/D | 8 x 25m | FCBC | 0:45 | 200/1600 | 6 | 61 |
| TOT | 1600 | 1 Hour |
Vertical fly kick is useful to try and get the long legged kick in both directions. This can migrate into fly kick on back.
All ages are loath to try fly kick on the side of the pool, hands on hips, pushing bum forward, then hips back. It is one of many drills or demos I’ve taken from Ruben Guzman’s excellent ‘The Swimming Drill Book’.
