The butterfly stroke is one of the most challenging and powerful swimming techniques, requiring precision, strength, and coordination. While many swimmers focus on body undulation and the dolphin kick, an often-overlooked aspect of butterfly is hand entry.
A clean, efficient hand entry is crucial for maintaining stroke rhythm, reducing drag, and maximizing propulsion. If your hands enter the water at the wrong angle or position, it can disrupt your stroke timing and slow you down.
This article covers common mistakes in butterfly hand entry, the best drills to refine technique, and tips to ensure smooth, efficient strokes.
Why Hand Entry is Crucial for a Smooth Butterfly Stroke
✅ Reduces Drag – Clean entry prevents water resistance and unnecessary splashing.
✅ Sets Up an Effective Catch – Proper hand placement allows for maximum propulsion during the pull phase.
✅ Improves Stroke Rhythm – A consistent hand entry helps maintain timing between arms, kick, and breath.
✅ Prevents Shoulder Strain – Reducing excessive force on entry protects the shoulders from injury.
Many butterfly stroke inefficiencies start with a poor hand entry—fixing this issue leads to a stronger, smoother, and faster stroke.
Common Mistakes in Butterfly Hand Entry
🚫 Hands Enter Too Wide – Causes instability and weakens the pull phase.
🚫 Hands Cross Over – Leads to misalignment, making the stroke inefficient.
🚫 Slapping or Smacking the Water – Creates excessive drag and wasted energy.
🚫 Fingers Spread Too Wide – Increases water resistance and reduces grip.
🚫 Too Much Arm Extension Before Entry – Slows the stroke down, reducing efficiency.
🔥 Fix: Focus on a relaxed, forward hand entry with fingertips leading to ensure minimal splash and a seamless transition into the pull phase.
Drills to Improve Hand Entry in Butterfly
The following drills help isolate hand entry mechanics and build better stroke efficiency.
🏊♂️ 1. Target Entry Drill
✅ Purpose: Improves hand placement and entry angle.
How to Do It:
1️⃣ Swim butterfly but aim for a specific spot on the water in front of you.
2️⃣ Focus on entering hands shoulder-width apart, avoiding wide or crossed-over entry.
3️⃣ Ensure fingertips enter first, followed by the rest of the hand and forearm.
🔥 Tip: Imagine placing your hands inside an invisible box directly in front of your shoulders.
🏊♂️ 2. Three-Stroke Entry Pause Drill
✅ Purpose: Reinforces controlled hand placement and prevents rushing into the pull.
How to Do It:
1️⃣ Swim three strokes of butterfly, then pause with hands extended for two seconds before resuming.
2️⃣ Use the pause to check hand alignment and ensure a smooth entry.
3️⃣ Repeat for 25m or 50m, maintaining rhythm and control.
🔥 Tip: This drill helps swimmers slow down and focus on proper hand positioning instead of rushing the stroke.
🏊♂️ 3. Finger Drag Drill
✅ Purpose: Helps swimmers feel proper hand alignment before entry.
How to Do It:
1️⃣ Swim butterfly while keeping fingertips just above the water before entry.
2️⃣ Maintain a soft, controlled hand motion, ensuring they stay in line with the shoulders.
3️⃣ Once fingertips reach eye level, extend forward without overreaching.
🔥 Tip: If your hands slap the water, you’re entering too flat—adjust by keeping your fingertips slightly angled downward.
🏊♂️ 4. Single-Arm Butterfly Drill
✅ Purpose: Isolates hand entry on one side at a time for improved muscle memory.
How to Do It:
1️⃣ Swim butterfly using one arm at a time, keeping the non-working arm at your side.
2️⃣ Focus on perfect hand entry with the working arm before switching sides.
3️⃣ Complete 4 x 25m alternating arms before returning to full-stroke butterfly.
🔥 Tip: Watch for excessive splash or misalignment, and adjust accordingly.
🏊♂️ 5. Butterfly with Freestyle Recovery Drill
✅ Purpose: Helps swimmers feel the difference between an effective entry and a rushed one.
How to Do It:
1️⃣ Swim butterfly pull with freestyle arm recovery, keeping a controlled hand entry.
2️⃣ Focus on eliminating unnecessary force and ensuring smooth fingertips-first entry.
3️⃣ Complete 4 x 50m, then transition back to regular butterfly.
🔥 Tip: This drill removes the strain of full butterfly recovery, allowing swimmers to fine-tune their entry mechanics.
🏊♂️ 6. Kickboard Entry Drill
✅ Purpose: Teaches proper arm extension and relaxed hand entry.
How to Do It:
1️⃣ Hold a kickboard with both hands, keeping arms extended forward.
2️⃣ Release the kickboard and enter hands into the water as smoothly as possible.
3️⃣ Focus on leading with fingertips and keeping hands relaxed, not tense.
🔥 Tip: Helps break the habit of forcing the hands into the water while reinforcing a natural, relaxed entry.
Sample Butterfly Hand Entry Workout (1,500m Total)
🏊♂️ 1️⃣ Warm-Up (300m)
100m freestyle (relaxed pace)
100m backstroke (focus on arm recovery)
100m dolphin kick (with kickboard)
🏊♂️ 2️⃣ Technique Drills (600m)
4 x 50m Single-Arm Butterfly Drill
4 x 50m Target Entry Drill
4 x 50m Finger Drag Drill
🏊♂️ 3️⃣ Stroke Efficiency Set (400m)
4 x 100m butterfly with perfect hand entry focus
Rest 30 seconds between reps
🏊♂️ 4️⃣ Cool Down (200m)
100m freestyle
100m easy backstroke
🔥 Tip: Incorporate these drills 2-3 times per week to refine hand entry and develop a smoother butterfly stroke.
Final Takeaways: Perfecting Butterfly Hand Entry
✅ Enter Hands Shoulder-Width Apart – Avoid crossing over or going too wide.
✅ Lead with Fingertips, Not Palms – Reduces splash and improves stroke efficiency.
✅ Keep a Controlled, Forward Entry – Avoid slamming the water; think smooth, not forceful.
✅ Use Drills to Reinforce Technique – Single-arm drills, pause drills, and kickboard drills help build muscle memory.
✅ Practice Consistently – Improve entry efficiency by dedicating time to technique training in every workout.
By refining hand entry mechanics, swimmers can maximize their pull, reduce resistance, and develop a fluid, race-ready butterfly stroke.
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