- Level: Hard
- Butterfly helps develop: chest muscles, arm muscles, back muscles and core muscles
Among swimming styles, butterfly swimming is a type of swimming that requires high technique and physical strength. Although it takes time to master the butterfly stroke. But many people still prefer butterfly swimming because it is one of the most calorie-burning strokes. Swimming for 30 minutes can burn up to 450 calories.
Butterfly swimming helps increase flexibility, flexibility and stretches the body to improve posture.
The name butterfly swim comes from the athlete’s arm movement when performing it. At this point, the arms will curl up and out of the water together, looking like a pair of wings. Your body is in the horizontal position required by the stroke and breaststroke.
Butterfly breathing technique: You’ll use your shoulder muscles to lift your head out of the water. At this point, breathe in through your mouth.
Other swimming styles
Besides the above 4 popular swimming styles, swimming has many other special movements and variations. Some types of swimming are only used for special purposes such as: rescue, moving under water, staying afloat. Fun swimming styles you can try are:
- Sidestroke swimming. The sidestroke is performed when the swimmer leans to one side. Many people use this type of swimming as a way to rest after swimming a long distance. Most commonly, horizontal swimming is used in lifeguarding. This is considered a moderate swimming style.
- Combat sidestroke. This swimming style was first used in the US Navy SEALs. Combat swimming is used to transport heavy objects underwater. Combat swimming requires a combination of sidestroke, stride, and breaststroke. And this is considered a swimming style of difficulty.
Some other interesting swimming styles you can try: dog swimming, wavy swimming, swimming under the surface of the water, etc.
Safe swimming

Swimming styles are extremely diverse, you can freely choose according to your preferences and needs. However, before participating in swimming, follow these rules to ensure your own safety when swimming.
General safety rules when swimming
- Equipped with basic swimming equipment such as swimming goggles, swimming cap and specialized earplugs.
- Do not drink alcohol before swimming.
- Do not run around the edge of the pool to avoid slipping and falling.
- Use handrails to get in/out of the pool whenever possible. Especially when you leave the pool, avoid climbing on slippery or unstable surfaces.
- Always warm up and stretch before swimming.
- Check the depth of the pool before you jump in, or head to deeper areas.
- Breathe properly. Exhale whenever your head is underwater. Do not try to hold your breath, this will make it difficult for you to breathe and reduce your swimming speed.
- If you want to increase speed, or swimming distance. Increase slowly to let your body get used to the new intensity of exercise.
- Don’t “challenge” your swimming ability by yourself. At beaches, swim parallel to shore and stay in marked areas.
- Don’t go swimming alone.
>> Learn more: Baby learns to swim: Benefits when your baby learns to swim and Safety rules for all ages
Frequently asked questions
What swimming style should I learn?
Many people think that breaststroke is the easiest swimming style to master. However, experts agree that the easiest swimming style for non-swimmers is the stroke.
Which swimming style is the most difficult?
The butterfly stroke is the most difficult of all the strokes. Mainly because it is divided into three parts, each must be completed smoothly before moving on to the next. Those are push, pull and repeat movements (Push, Pull, Recovery).
Which swimming style is the best for weight loss?
If you want to lose weight with swimming, here are some suggestions for you:
- 4th place. Swimming breaststroke. Average calories burned in 30 minutes: about 200 calories
- 3rd place. Backstroke. Average calories burned in 30 minutes: about 250 calories
- 2nd place. Swim. Average calories burned in 30 minutes: about 300 calories
- 1st place. Butterfly swimming. Average calories burned in 30 minutes: about 450 calories
Does swimming help build muscle?
Have! Swimming is beneficial for certain muscle groups in the body. When you breathe, your abs and lower back muscles work and you’ll gain a lot of strength over time. The gluteal muscles in the back ensure that the legs move. Shoulders, biceps, triceps, and hamstrings are among the muscles that benefit from swimming.
However, to effectively develop muscle, you should combine swimming training in parallel with a diet to increase muscle and lose fat.
Should I go swimming every day?
Like any other sport, you can absolutely go swimming every day as a regular exercise. However, consider and adjust the time and intensity of exercise based on your own fitness.
In short, like any other physical activity, swimming requires you to pay attention to your limits so that you can be safe while practicing. Different types of swimming provide benefits, and develop different muscle groups. Hopefully, through this article, you have been able to choose the most suitable swimming style for yourself.