Swimming types - Butterfly stroke and the Backstroke

The Butterfly Stroke

The butterfly stroke is seen most often in competition, being one of the required strokes in Olympic events. In the butterfly stroke, both arms must be brought forward together over the water and brought backward simultaneously and symmetrically. The body must be kept perfectly on the breast, and both shoulders in line with the surface of the water. All movements of the feet must be executed in a simultaneous manner. Simultaneous up and down movements of the legs and feet in the vertical plane are permitted. When touching at the turn, or on finishing a race, the touch must be made with both hands simultaneously on the same level with the shoulders, in the horizontal position. Any sidestroke movement disqualifies a contestant. When a swimmer is in the underwater position at the start, when turning or during the race, he may be allowed to make one or more leg kicks.

The Backstroke

For distance swimming, the backstroke combines alternate frog kicks and strokes of the arms, extended at shoulder level and moving in an arc toward the hips. The back crawl or racing backstroke offers the advantage of speed and a face-up position for visibility.

The starting position is on the back, with the body in a sort of sitting position with arms overhead about 4 inches from the ears. The legs should be straight and almost together, toes pointed. The head should be inclined toward the chest.

For the arm pull, the palm of the hand should be turned outward for the catch, and the straight arm then pushed toward the feet and drawn to the side of the body. The stroke should not be too deep in the water, perhaps about 6 to 14 inches beneath the surface, and the pressure should be even all the way through the arm pull. When the stroke is completed, the wrist should be in a position which allows a final backward push as the hand is drawn toward the thigh. As one arm completes the motion, the other starts its stroke. The arm should be relaxed on the above-water recovery, with little finger outward and palm down toward the surface of the water.

In the leg action, the kick is from the hips with an upward and out flip of the instep, giving a kick of slightly over 12 inches. The ankles should be held loosely and the toes pointed inward. The knees should be flexed to allow the instep to lash upward and backward during the force portion of the kick. In timing, the leg kick should be 3 to each armstroke, or 6 kicks for the full armstroke cycle.

The Olympic and Amateur Athletic Union rules for backstroke in competition state:

The competitors shall line up in the water, facing the starting end, with the hands resting on the end or rail of the bath (pool) or starting grips. The feet, including the toes, shall be under the surface of the water. Standing in the gutters is prohibited.

At the signal for starting and when turning they shall push off and swim upon their backs throughout the race. The hands resting on the end or rail of the bath must not be lifted before the signal of starting. Any competitor leaving the normal position on the back before the foremost hand has touched the end of the course for the purpose of finishing shall be disqualified.

A competitor in a backstroke event must not turn over beyond the vertical toward the breast before the foremost hand has touched the end of the pool or course for the purpose of turning. A competitor violating this regulation shall be disqualified.

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