Swimming
Butterfly Three Sculls, One Stroke Drill
The butterfly three sculls, one stroke drill pairs three small hand sweeps with one full butterfly stroke to practice the catch—the point where you begin pressing water backward.
- Intermediate
- Moderate injury risk
- Rest 30 sec
How to do it
- Float face down with your arms extended slightly wider than your shoulders, elbows softly bent.
- Sweep your hands outward and inward three times, tilting your palms to press against the water.
- Angle your fingertips downward to position your forearms for the full stroke.
- Pull both hands back toward your hips beneath your body.
- Swing both arms forward over the water.
- Enter the water with your hands shoulder-width apart.
- Return your arms to the front sculling position.
Form cues
- Keep your elbows above your wrists.
- Use gentle dolphin kicks between strokes.
- Build pressure smoothly through the pull.
- Exhale steadily into the water.
Common mistakes
- Turning sculls into partial pullsKeep each sweep near the front catch position rather than drawing your hands toward your chest.
- Lifting your head too earlyBreathe forward as your hands approach your hips, returning your face underwater before your hands reenter.
- Kicking mainly from your kneesStart the wave through your torso and hips, allowing your knees to bend naturally.
Safety
Forcing the pull or arm recovery when tired can strain your shoulders. The pauses between full strokes can also disrupt breathing, increasing the risk of inhaling water or becoming distressed.
- Practice in a lifeguarded pool with a clear lane.
- Choose short distances that you can finish without gasping or losing coordination.
- Do not prolong breath-holding to complete the three-scull pattern.
- End the drill if shoulder pain or breathing difficulty develops.
If you cannot comfortably swim a short length of butterfly, choose a simpler drill first; seek professional advice before trying this with ongoing shoulder or neck pain.
Muscles worked
Primary muscles
Secondary muscles
Equipment
- Pool Lane Line (optional)
- Swim Snorkel (optional)
Sets and reps
- Sets
- 4–6
- Target
- 25 meters
- Rest
- 30 sec
Swim at an easy technique pace rather than trying to beat a time.