How to Crush Your Butterfly Breakouts
Welcome Back! Today, we are going to discuss something that’s not often talked about within Butterfly Races: Butterfly Breakouts! (arguably one of the most overlooked speed opportunities in the entire race)
As a Butterflier myself, I have a special place in my heart for this stroke, and this is an area that I struggled with as an athlete. And here’s the truth—most swimmers don’t lose races because of their stroke… they lose them because of what happens BEFORE the stroke even starts.
I want to digest what I have learned from my own swimming days to now, how I coach to get your athletes faster in the pool. Let’s get started!
What is a Butterfly Breakout?
The breakout of any stroke is the point at which a swimmer is transitioning from being under the water to over.
It’s super important that swimmers try to optimize their breakout point, by attempting to breakout RIGHT BEFORE they hit the same speed underwater—as they would swim on the surface.
Here’s the deal: anytime swimmers push off a wall or go from the blocks, the speed they create is HIGHER than their surface speed. Couple that with a few Dolphin Kicks and now—we’re talking about maintaining that higher speed for longer.
But there’s a catch (no pun intended).
If swimmers stay underwater too long, they eventually slow down and become slower than their surface swimming speed. Definitely not an ideal scenario.
This is where great Butterfly breakouts separate elite swimmers from average ones.
Butterfly Breakout Example (Timing the First Pull)
It’s also important to note that the breakout happens in conjunction with the first pull, which is actually the strongest pull of any given lap.
We already wrote a blog discussing this entirely, so if you’re looking to better understand why – click here.
Think of the breakout like merging onto a highway.
Your underwater speed is the acceleration lane… and your first stroke is what gets you into traffic FAST – not stalled out.
What Does All This Mean?
That it is important for Butterfliers to figure out their optimum breakout point AND use that first pull to their advantage to get themselves FLYING onto the surface (pun intended). So how exactly do you do that? Watch the video below:
Coaching Insight: Why Most Butterfly Breakouts Fall Apart
As the video states, the easiest way to know whether your swimmers are kicking both their first and second kicks on their Butterfly breakouts is to record them on video. I often find the swimmers who struggle with hitting that second kick – don’t feel they are not doing it. Also, there is a lot of different variations in knee bend on that second kick seen too.
With having a video to review with your swimmer, it will help you see whether a second kick is actually happening and how much knee bend they do or do not have.
We have dissected on our blog before that the second kick in EVERY Butterfly stroke is super important – so be sure to coach your swimmers to not miss this initial one every lap.
Common Butterfly Breakout Mistakes
Let’s clean this up—because these mistakes are costing you time every lap:
- Breaking out too late → You lose speed underwater
- Breaking out too early → You waste free momentum
- Missing the second kick → No rhythm into the first stroke
- Over-bending the knees → Creates drag instead of propulsion
- Lifting the head too soon → Kills forward momentum instantly
Bottom line: your breakout should feel like you’re SURGING forward—not popping up.
Underwater Kick Drills to Improve Butterfly Breakouts
If you want to fix your Butterfly breakouts swimming technique, you NEED to train the underwater phase.
Here’s a simple set you can use this week:
Set Example:
- 6 x 25 underwater dolphin kicks (focus on tight core + small amplitude)
- 4 x 25 breakout timing (kick → kick → pull breakout)
- 4 x 25 full stroke with emphasis on FIRST stroke power
Coaching cue:
“Kick INTO your breakout—not up into it.”
Pro Tip: The Second Kick is EVERYTHING
We have dissected on our blog before that the second kick in EVERY Butterfly stroke is super important—so be sure to coach your swimmers to not miss this initial one every lap.
But here’s the upgrade:
That second kick during the breakout sets the rhythm for the entire length.
Miss it… and the whole stroke feels off.
Nail it… and everything flows.
Practical Takeaway (Try This Next Practice)
Next time you swim Butterfly:
Count your kicks before the breakout
FEEL the second kick connect to your first pull
Break out while you’re still carrying SPEED—not after you lose it
FAQ: Butterfly Breakouts Swimming
Swimmers transition from underwater dolphin kicks into the first pull while maintaining speed. The breakout should happen just before underwater speed drops below surface velocity.
They allow swimmers to carry higher underwater speed into the stroke, creating “free speed” off every wall and improving overall race efficiency without extra effort.
There’s no fixed number. Elite swimmers use controlled dolphin kicks and break out before losing momentum, not based on counting kicks but on maintaining speed.
Use underwater kick drills and video analysis to track timing, body position, and second kick execution. Small adjustments can significantly improve breakout speed and efficiency.
The biggest mistake is breaking out too late, when speed is already lost. Swimmers should transition while still moving fast to avoid slowing down at the surface.
Want to Fix Your Butterfly Breakout FAST?
If you’re serious about improving your Butterfly breakouts (and dropping real time), video feedback is the fastest way to improve.
Check out our Video Analysis Packages
We’ll break down your breakout, kicks, and timing frame-by-frame—so you KNOW exactly what to fix.
Until Next Time,
Abbie Fish
One Response
Excellent 👋👋👋