What are the butterfly rules, including the breaststroke kick allowance?
Rule- Australia
- Masters Swimming Australia
- Masters swimming
- Swimming Rules
- General Rules
- Adults 18+
- 2026/27
- Swimmers
- From the first arm stroke after the start and each turn, your body must be on the breast. You may not roll onto the back, except at the turn after the wall touch, where you may turn in any manner as long as you are on the breast from the first arm stroke after leaving the wall.
- Both arms must be brought forward together over the water and backward together under the water throughout the race.
- All up-and-down leg movements must be simultaneous. The legs or feet need not be level but must not alternate.
- A breaststroke kick may be used instead of a butterfly kick. In events up to and including 200m, only one breaststroke kick is permitted per arm pull. In events longer than 200m, up to two breaststroke kicks are permitted per arm pull. This does not apply to individual medley events. Masters Swimming Australia notes that World Aquatics rules allow only one breaststroke kick per arm stroke in all events.
- A single breaststroke kick is permitted after the start and each turn before the first arm pull.
- At each turn and the finish, the touch must be made with both hands separated and simultaneously, at, above or below the water surface. Hands cannot be stacked one on top of the other.
- Some part of your body must break the surface throughout the race, except during the turn and for no more than 15 metres after the start and each turn. By the 15 metre mark your head must have broken the surface.
Source: Masters Swimming Australia Swimming Rules, June 2026, SW 8 (https://mastersswimming.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/MSA-Swimming-Rules-inc-Multi-Class-Rules-June-2026-1.pdf).
Added 24 Oct 2026