Butterfly Body Position Sets

Set 1 

(4 x through) 

Odd rounds: Do 10 seconds of ball float before each repetition 

Even rounds: Do 5 aqua jacks before each repetition 

Take 20 seconds rest after each repetition 

Take 40 seconds rest after each round 

• 2 x 25s one-arm butterfly with flutter kick and nonstroking arm extended—do 12½ left arm and 12½ right arm
• 25 skate drill
• 25 butterfly
• 2 x 25s one-arm butterfly with flutter kick and nonstroking arm at side—do 12½ left arm and 12½ right arm
• 25 skate drill
• 25 butterfly 

Purpose and Focus Points 

This set is designed to help you learn how to maintain a horizontal body position at the surface of the water. By substituting butterfly kick with flutter kick, you’ll naturally flatten out your stroke, which will promote a more horizontal position in the water. During skate drill, you’ll add the butterfly kick back in, focusing on keeping everything tight, especially through your breath. Aim to breathe as low to the surface as possible and forward rather than up. Before each repetition, do floating exercises to help you learn to control and maintain your body position in the water.  

Set 2 

Take 30 seconds rest after each repetition 

• 2 x 50s one-arm butterfly with flutter kick and nonstroking arm extended—do 25 left arm and 25 right arm; 1: steady effort, 2: solid effort 
• 4 x 25s butterfly—solid effort  
• 2 x 50s one-arm butterfly with flutter kick and nonstroking arm down—do 25 left arm and 25 right arm; 1: steady effort, 2: solid effort 
• 4 x 25s butterfly—solid effort  
• 2 x 50s one-arm butterfly and nonstroking arm extended—do 25 left arm and 25 right arm; 1: steady effort, 2: solid effort 
• 4 x 25s butterfly—solid effort  
• 2 x 50s one-arm butterfly and nonstroking arm down—do 25 left arm and 25 right arm; 1: steady effort, 2: solid effort 
• 4 x 25s butterfly—solid effort 

Purpose and Focus Points

This set helps you learn to stay flat throughout your stroke. You’ll do some one-arm butterfly and then regular butterfly. During the drills, work on creating and sustaining a tight undulation. Then apply those skills while swimming regular butterfly.  

During the drills portion of this set, focus on the skills during the first repetition and on maintaining those skills while going faster during the second repetitions. The one-arm drill changes as you move through the set, slowly adding the option for more undulation. Work to control your position throughout. 

Set 3 

Take 20 seconds rest after each 25 

Take 30 seconds rest after each 75 

Take 40 seconds rest after each section 

• 4 x 75s as 50 one-arm butterfly with flutter kick and 25 butterfly—descend 1–4 to strong 
• 25 butterfly with flutter kick 
• 25 butterfly—strong 
• 3 x 75s as 50 one-arm butterfly with flutter kick and 25 butterfly—descend 1–3 to stronger than in previous section 
• 25 butterfly with flutter kick 
• 3 x 25s butterfly—strong 
• 2 x 75s as 50 one-arm butterfly with flutter kick and 25 butterfly—descend 1–2 to strongest of previous sections 
• 25 butterfly with flutter kick 
• 5 x 25s butterfly—strong 

Purpose and Focus Points 

This set challenges your endurance and forces you to focus on maintaining a great body position.  

Each round starts off with 75s during which your focus is on creating a great position in the water during the first 50 drill and then maintaining that position during the last 25.

The goal of the 25s butterfly with flutter kick is to feel a very horizontal stroke, which you should carry over to the regular butterfly.  

As the set progresses, you’ll do fewer 75s and more 25s. The 75s increase in effort and speed, and maintaining speed and skill during the 25s will become more difficult. Stay focused on swimming well despite the increased challenge. 

Set 4 

(2 x through) 

Take 40 seconds rest after each repetition 

Take 60 seconds rest after each round 

• 2 x 5 stroke cycles of head-up butterfly—fast 
• 25 butterfly minimal breathing—build to fast 
• 2 x 5 stroke cycles of butterfly with flutter kick—fast 
• 25 butterfly breathe every stroke—fast 
• 2 x 5 stroke cycles of head-up butterfly—fast 
• 25 butterfly breathe every other stroke—build to fast 
• 2 x 5 stroke cycles of butterfly with flutter kick—fast
• 25 butterfly minimal breathing—fast 

Purpose and Focus Points 

This set is designed to help you learn how to create a great body position while going fast.  

During the short, fast efforts of only five stroke cycles, you’ll be challenged to swim with great skills. Head-up butterfly will really help you feel the consequences of a bad body position. Butterfly with flutter kick will help reinforce staying level in the water with a tight undulation.  

After the drills, perform those same skills with regular butterfly. Because breathing can have a major impact on body position, you’ll change your breathing pattern at different points of the set. 

Set 5 

(3 x through) 

Take 15 seconds rest after the 1st 25 

Take 45 seconds rest after the 2nd 25 

Take 20 seconds after each 50 

Take 90 seconds rest after each round 

• 4 x 50s one-arm butterfly with nonstroking arm extended—25 left arm, 25 right arm; odds: flutter kick, evens: butterfly kick; descend by round 
• 4 x  
• 25 (round 1: butterfly with flutter kick, round 2: head-up butterfly, round 3: butterfly) 
• 25 butterfly—race effort 
• 75 butterfly—strong/stronger/strongest by round 
• 25 recovery 

Purpose and Focus Points 

One of the hardest parts of butterfly is maintaining a good body position as you get tired. And the more you struggle with body position, the more tired you get.  

The purpose of this set is to challenge your skills with some fast swimming under pressure. Each round will start off with one-arm butterfly to help you feel your skills. Then you’ll move into some fast 25s, during which you alternate between drill and swim for the first two rounds and then swim all during the last round. The goal is to challenge your skills and then make you swim butterfly properly under pressure.  

Each round ends with a 75 butterfly with the goal of maintaining great skills throughout.