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How to do it
- Start prone with your body long and both arms extended in front of you.
- Press both hands out and down together, keeping the elbows high.
- Drive both arms back past your hips to finish the pull.
- Sweep both arms over the water simultaneously into the next entry.
- Beat both legs together in a dolphin kick timed to the entry and the finish.
- Breathe forward once every second or third cycle as the arms clear the water.
Common mistakes
- Lifting the head high to breathe, which sinks the hips and stalls the recovery.
- Pulling with the arms only, so the body wave and kick stop contributing.
- Mistiming the second kick, which leaves the arms to drag the body through the entry.
- Swimming long sets while fatigued, exactly when shoulder mechanics start to break down.
Muscles worked
- Primary
- ChestUpper Back
- Secondary
- AbsFront DeltsTrapsTriceps
Same movement, other equipment
Similar exercises
Good to know
- What muscles does the Butterfly Swim work?
- Mainly the chest and upper back. It also works the abs, front delts, traps and triceps.
- What equipment do you need for the Butterfly Swim?
- None. It is a bodyweight exercise.
- Is the Butterfly Swim good for beginners?
- GymVim rates it advanced. For a beginner-rated exercise on the same muscle and movement, see the Steady-State Rowing Machine.