How to Do a Butterfly Turn: Two-Hand Touch and Push-Off Drills in Singapore

What makes a butterfly turn different?

A butterfly turn is an open turn, not a freestyle-style flip turn. The swimmer approaches the wall, touches with both hands at the same time, rotates the body, places the feet against the wall and pushes away in a streamlined position. The goal is to change direction without wasting speed or losing control of breathing. For a beginner, the first priority is a legal, consistent touch. Speed comes later.

Butterfly and breaststroke both require a simultaneous two-hand touch at each turn and at the finish. In butterfly, the hands must be separated and touch simultaneously; they may be at, above or below the water surface. The swimmer must leave the wall on the breast. The rules do not require a particular hand-over-hand turning style. These details matter when learning turns for competitions, but recreational swimmers benefit from the same controlled sequence.

A good turn can be divided into five actions: approach, touch, rotate, plant and push. Practise them separately before trying to combine them at race pace.

Step 1: Approach the wall without reaching too early

Swim butterfly towards the wall while keeping your rhythm. As you get close, judge whether your final stroke will bring both hands comfortably to the wall. Avoid taking an extra short stroke solely because you are worried about the distance. Also avoid gliding for several metres with both arms stretched out; this slows you down before the turn even begins.

Beginners can practise from a short distance rather than swimming an entire length. Start about three to five metres from the wall, take controlled strokes and finish with both hands touching together. The distance is a practice suggestion, not an official assessment requirement. Ask a coach to watch the last two strokes, especially if your head rises excessively or your hips sink.

The wall is not something to crash into. Your hands should make a secure contact while your elbows retain enough flexibility to allow the body to turn.

Step 2: Make a simultaneous two-hand touch

Touch the wall with both hands together. Think of placing the palms or fingertips on the wall at the same instant, rather than allowing the stronger arm to arrive first. Do not overlap the hands or bring them together on top of each other. Keep them separated.

For children learning the skill, a useful first exercise is simply to float towards the wall and touch with two hands while maintaining balance. Repeat until the movement feels predictable. A coach can stand where both hands are visible to check whether one hand arrives noticeably before the other.

A legal touch is not necessarily a hard touch. Slamming the wall creates unnecessary impact and can interrupt the turn. Controlled contact gives you a stable reference point for the next movement.

Step 3: Rotate the body and bring the knees towards the wall

After touching, allow the body to rotate while drawing the knees towards the chest. One hand releases the wall first and moves in the intended swimming direction. The other hand can briefly guide the turn before releasing. The exact arm path varies among swimmers; the essential objective is to turn smoothly without becoming tangled or losing balance.

Keep the movement compact. If your knees stay straight and your feet trail behind, the turn becomes slow and difficult. If you pull the knees too tightly without controlling your body position, you may end up too close to the wall to push effectively.

Beginners often lift the head to breathe during the rotation. Breathing can be integrated into the turn, but a prolonged high head position tends to make the hips drop. Practise a relaxed, brief breath and then bring the head back between the arms before pushing away.

Step 4: Plant both feet and prepare the streamline

Place both feet against the wall with the knees bent enough to push strongly. The feet should feel secure rather than slipping down the wall. Avoid setting them so high or low that the push sends you sharply towards the surface or bottom.

As the feet make contact, bring both arms forward. Stack the hands, straighten the elbows and squeeze the upper arms close to the ears. This narrow shape is called streamline. Keep the head aligned with the spine instead of looking forwards. A clean streamline reduces resistance immediately after the wall.

There is no universal foot spacing or knee angle that suits every swimmer. Younger swimmers, adults and experienced competitors have different proportions and mobility. A coach should adjust the position based on whether the swimmer can push away comfortably and travel in a straight line.

Step 5: Push off on the breast and resume butterfly

Extend the legs firmly and push away from the wall in streamline. For butterfly, the swimmer must leave the wall on the breast. Under competition rules, after the start and each turn, a swimmer may be submerged for up to 15 metres, but the head must break the surface by that point. Do not interpret this maximum as a target for beginners.

After the push-off, a swimmer may use underwater butterfly kicks before surfacing. Begin with a few controlled kicks only if the swimmer can maintain body alignment and is supervised appropriately. When ready to surface, transition into the normal butterfly arm action without throwing the head upwards.

For a new swimmer, a smooth push and safe return to the surface are more useful than trying to stay underwater for a long distance. Never practise prolonged breath-holding or repeated underwater lengths as a turn drill.

Four beginner butterfly turn drills

Drill 1: Two-hand wall touches

Stand in shallow water where you can maintain secure footing. Face the wall and practise touching with both hands at once, with the hands separated. Release and repeat slowly. Once consistent, add a short glide towards the wall. This isolates the part of the turn that swimmers must execute simultaneously.

Drill 2: Touch, tuck and rotate

Start near the wall in water deep enough to move safely without striking the bottom. Touch with two hands, release one hand and bring the knees towards the wall as the body rotates. Pause after planting the feet. Do not rush the push-off. The pause lets the swimmer check body position before adding speed.

Drill 3: Feet-to-wall streamline push

Begin with feet planted on the wall and arms extended into streamline. Push away on the breast, keeping the head between the arms. Aim for a straight glide rather than maximum distance. Repeat while adjusting foot placement and head position. A coach can observe whether the swimmer veers sideways or rises abruptly.

Drill 4: Short approach to complete turn

Swim butterfly for a few strokes towards the wall, touch simultaneously, rotate, plant and push away. Start slowly. Once the sequence is reliable, increase the approach speed a little at a time. Do not introduce a race-speed approach until the swimmer can complete the turn without losing control.

Common mistakes and practical fixes

One hand touches first. Slow down the approach and practise paired wall touches. Ask a coach to observe from the side. A swimmer may feel the hands touched together even when they did not.

The swimmer reaches and stops. Practise the last stroke at a controlled distance from the wall. The objective is to arrive with enough momentum to turn, not to stretch into a long glide.

The turn is too wide. Bring the knees towards the body earlier and rotate in a compact shape. A wide arc costs time and often makes the feet land awkwardly.

The push-off points upwards. Check foot placement and head alignment. Keep the arms streamlined and push along the lane rather than towards the surface.

The swimmer rushes into the next stroke. Establish a stable push-off first. Add underwater kicks and the first arm pull only after the body is aligned.

The swimmer becomes breathless. Reduce the number of repetitions, allow normal recovery between attempts and practise a comfortable breath during rotation. Quality matters more than continuous repetitions.

How parents can support turn practice in Singapore

Parents watching lessons at public pools may notice that a child can swim butterfly across a short distance yet still struggle with the wall. That is normal: turning requires timing, coordination and spatial awareness in addition to stroke technique. Progress is better judged by repeatable, controlled turns than by one fast attempt.

Ask the instructor which part needs attention: the approach distance, simultaneous touch, rotation, foot plant or streamline. Focusing on one correction at a time makes feedback easier for children to apply. Avoid asking a child to practise rapid turns alone in a crowded lane, particularly when other swimmers are approaching the wall.

SWIM2000 provides children’s swimming lessons and information about its stroke correction clinic. Families can also explore the Yishun swimming lessons and Bukit Canberra swimming lessons pages for relevant programme information. The appropriate class depends on the swimmer’s current water confidence and stroke ability.

Frequently asked questions

Is a butterfly turn the same as a breaststroke turn?

Both strokes use a simultaneous two-hand touch, but the underwater movements and stroke-specific rules differ. Learn the butterfly turn as its own complete sequence rather than assuming every detail transfers from breaststroke.

Can I do a flip turn in butterfly?

A freestyle-style flip turn that skips the simultaneous two-hand wall touch does not meet the butterfly turn requirement in competition. Practise the open turn with both hands touching together.

Do both hands need to touch above water?

No. The hands may touch at, above or below the surface, provided the touch is simultaneous and the hands are separated. A coach can help verify the movement from different viewing angles.

How many underwater kicks should a beginner take?

There is no fixed beginner number. Start with a controlled streamline and add a small number of kicks only when the swimmer can maintain alignment and surface comfortably. The competition limit of 15 metres underwater is a maximum, not a recommended beginner drill.

Why does my child lose speed at the wall?

Common causes include reaching too early, pausing after the touch, making a wide rotation or pushing away without streamline. Identify the biggest issue first, then practise it at a slower pace.

Should beginners learn butterfly turns before racing?

A swimmer preparing to race butterfly should learn the legal two-hand touch and a reliable turn before competing. For learners still developing basic butterfly coordination, a coach may introduce wall skills gradually alongside stroke work.