Chin on the Water
Butterfly breathing drill: the chin stays on the water surface as the swimmer breathes forward, early in the pull.
- Stages
- Stage 6, Stage 7
- Difficulty
- Advanced
- Skills
- Aquatic Breathing, Butterfly, Stroke Timing
- Equipment
- None, Short Fins
- Age
- 9–99 years
- Group size
- 1–12 swimmers
- Time
- About 4 minutes
- In a lesson
- Skill Development 1, Skill Development 2
- Shared by
- SwimShare Resource
What it develops
- Butterfly with two-kick rhythm and forward breathing
- Efficient butterfly for a short distance
How to run it
- Swim butterfly (or single arm) for three strokes.
- Start lifting the chin forward as the hands begin to push back.
- Breathe with the chin skimming the water.
- Head goes back down before the arms come over.
Teaching cues
- Chin on the water.
- Breathe early.
- Head down before your arms.
Make it easier
- Single-Arm Butterfly with forward breath.
- Short fins.
Make it harder
- Breathe every other stroke.
- Five strokes with a low, early breath.
Common faults
- Lifting head and shoulders high.
- Breathing as the arms recover (late).
Corrections
- 'Push your chin forward, not up.'
- 'Breathe as you push, head down as you swing.'
Assistant / L1 role
- Watch from the front and tell the swimmer whether the chin stayed on the water.