Butterfly is hard

Published by

Adam Tow

June 6, 2006

I’m learning the butterfly right now. It’s a most difficult stroke to learn. My utter lack of coordination causes Rae and Randy to laugh hysterically when they see me attempt to swim across the pool.

I hope that learning it will be like learning how to bike. Unfortunately, there’s no training wheels to assist me in developing my dolphin kick! Rae and Randy are doing their best, but I just have to get it right by doing it wrong enough times.

Randy took some videos of my sad but funny butterfly technique. Once I’ve transformed into Aquaman, I’ll post the before and after clips!

5 responses to “Butterfly is hard”

DaHamster

June 6, 2006

The easist style is breaststroke IMHO. Is your pool heated? Regards,

Reply
Felix

June 7, 2006

Good luck, Adam! IMHO, the easiest stroke is the backstroke followed by the doggie paddle. :) Actually, my dad can make even the backstroke look awkward. Basically the only stroke I am competent at is the freestyle, and compared to “real” swimmers, quite slow. Swimming well is hard as there’s so much technique involved!

Reply
Adam Tow

June 8, 2006

I can do all of the other strokes. Not very well, of course, but at least I know the motions.

The pool isn’t heated, but we have a pool cover. It’s getting toasty at 76 degrees right now!

Reply
Curtis Leo

June 10, 2006

Hey Adam, back in my days, I was a swim coach :). the best way to start is on your back. When in the pool, on your back, put your arms in the “stream-line” position. The “kick” of butterfly actually from the abs and hips. It’s a bit like a hip thrusting exercise. Try that and let me know, Part II of the internet swim lesson.

Reply
Alex A

June 11, 2006

I know I will be officially accepting the weirdo award if I say what I say here. But I want to say it anyway.

I had trouble learning butterfly stroke too, just like my failure in learning the piano. After months of attempt, I gave up hope. I did so with a few rationalizing and reasoning. First, it is an awkward and un-natural style for a human-being to swim. Second, it is not efficient. If the speed beats the free-style, it would make sense. But it doesn’t. So, I decided that it just looks good, doesn’t work well.

To over-simplify, I rank butterfly style swimming in the same uselessness league as mountain-climbing and charcoal-washing.

( Here is the interesting background story. We ridicule unproductive work in our family. So, my father used to say, if you have plenty-o-time, go wash a charcoal white. We do not have high respect for Everest climbers either. )

Anyway, I respect your patience in taking this pain of learning butterfly. Learning is never supposed to be easy. Some are just tougher than the others.

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Adam, here

Welcome to tow.com, my home on the internet since 1995. I’m an indie software artist and creator of apps such as Action Phrase, MixEffect, MsgFiler, RouteEffect, Wipe My Screen, and more. I’m also the producer and co-director of Autumn Gem. Enjoy your visit here!

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