Butterfly Timing Sets
In This Article
Set 1
(4 x through)
Odd rounds: fins
Even rounds: no fins
Take 20 seconds rest after each repetition
Take 40 seconds rest after each round
- 2 x 25s one-arm butterfly with nonstroking arm extended—1: left arm, 2: right arm
- 25 skate drill
- 2 x 25s one-arm butterfly with nonstroking arm down—1: left arm, 2: right arm
- 25 skate drill
- 25 butterfly—strong effort
- 25 scull—easy
Purpose and Focus Points
Great butterfly timing starts with great kick timing. This set is designed to help you feel that timing.
One-arm butterfly is a simple way to work on effective timing because you’ll maintain the rhythm of your stroke without the challenge of recovering both arms over the water. Focus on kicking when your hands enter the water and when they exit. With skate drill, focus on having the same great timing with both arms at the same time. At the end of each round, put everything together for one great butterfly repetition.
To help you better feel the impact of your legs, do the odd rounds with fins.
Set 2
(2 x through)
Take 20 seconds rest after each repetition
Take 40 seconds rest after each round
- 3 x 50s one-arm butterfly with nonstroking arm down—do 25 left arm and 25 right arm, descend 1–3
- 4 x 25s butterfly with fins—descend 1-4 to strong effort
- 25 butterfly—build to fast
- 25 scull recovery
- 3 x 50s one-arm butterfly with nonstroking arm extended—do 25 left arm and 25 right arm, descend 1–3
- 4 x 25s butterfly with fins—descend 1–4 to stronger effort
- 25 butterfly—strong effort
- 25 scull recovery
Purpose and Focus Points
This set provides some speed and intensity demands on top of your work on kick timing.
You’ll start with one-arm butterfly to establish great kick timing. Aim to go faster with each repetition to challenge your ability to swim well. Next, swim butterfly with fins. You’ll face a larger challenge because you’re doing full-stroke butterfly, but the challenge is manageable because you’re wearing fins. Push your effort while still having great timing. After the 25s, take your fins off and try to put everything together for one great 25 of regular butterfly.
Set 3
(3 x through)
Take 20 seconds rest after each 25
Take 30 seconds rest after each 100
Take 40 seconds rest after each round
- 6 x 25s—odd rounds: skate drill smooth; even rounds: 4-kick, 1-pull build to fast
- 3/2/1 x 100 one-arm butterfly with nonstroking arm down—negative split each 100; do 25 left arm and 25 right arm; do 3/2/1 repetitions by round, swimming each round faster
- 4 x 25s butterfly—steady/solid/strong effort by round
Purpose and Focus Points
This set challenges you to execute great timing skills for longer periods of time.
For each round, you’ll do short drills to help you lock in your skills. The skate drill and 4-kick, 1-pull help you feel great kick timing. Then you’ll transition to the 100s, during which you’re going to work to maintain your timing during the one-arm butterfly. The second 50 should be faster for each 100, so you’ll have to swim with great skills under pressure. Aim to get faster each round. After the 100s, aim for great timing skills during butterfly, again getting faster each round.
Set 4
(3 x through)
Take 40 seconds rest after each repetition
Take 60 seconds rest after each round
- 6/4/2 x 12½s head-up butterfly—fast, do 6/4/2 repetitions by round
- 25 butterfly—build to fast
- 6/4/2 x 12½s butterfly with DragSox—fast; do 6/4/2 repetitions by round
- 4 x 25s butterfly—odd rounds: fast, even rounds: as fast as possible with 2 fewer strokes than normal
Purpose and Focus Points
The faster you want to go, the more important swimming with great timing is—and the more difficult it is to do. This set is designed to help you solve that problem.
Head-up butterfly requires you to have a strong, well-timed second kick. The extra challenge of swimming with DragSox requires great kick timing; otherwise, performing the stroke becomes very difficult. Both drills demand effective kick timing at speed.
After working on your skills at speed, you’ll attempt to maintain them during the butterfly repetitions, aiming to be fast and efficient at the conclusion of each round.
Set 5
(3 x through)
Take 20 seconds rest after each 25
Take 40 seconds rest after the last 25
Take 30 seconds rest after each 50
Take 40 seconds rest after each round
- 3 x 50s one-arm butterfly with nonstroking arm down—descending 1–3 to strong/stronger/strongest by round
- 12/8/4 x 25s butterfly—alternate 2 with snorkel and 2 without snorkel, 12/8/4 repetitions by round, strong/strongest/fast by round
- 50 butterfly—fast/faster/fastest by round
Purpose and Focus Points
Maintaining kick timing in butterfly is critical for sustaining speed, especially as you get tired. In this set, you’ll work on maintain great timing while under pressure.
Start off with one-arm butterfly to help you feel great timing. But you’ll need to do the drill with some solid effort, aiming to get better throughout the 3 x 50s and going faster each round.
Next, you’ll swim 25s butterfly alternating between two with a snorkel and two without. The purpose of the snorkel is to help you feel great timing without the interference of breathing. Once you take the snorkel off, continue to perform the same great timing.
After all that work, finish each round with a 50 fast.
