Professional Documents
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EDUCATION
Introduction to swimming
Swimming is an activity that burn lots of calories, is easy on the joints, support your weight, build muscular strength and endurance. It also
improves cardiovascular fitness, cools you off and refreshes you in summer, and is one that you can do safely into old age.
History of swimming
Human beings have been swimming for millennia. According to Wikipedia, Stone Age cave drawings depict individuals swimming and there
are written references in the Bible and the Greek poems "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" dating back 1,500 to 2,000 years. There are even
Egyptian clay seals from 4000 BC showing four swimmers doing a version of the crawl, and the most famous swimming drawings were
apparently found in the Kebir desert and were estimated to be from around 4000 BC.
According to the Encyclopedia of Traditional British Rural Sports, literature specifically related to swimming grew in the middle ages. It is
believed that the first book devoted to swimming was Colymbetes by Nicolas Wynman written in 1538, and a more widely recognized
text, De Arte Nantandi, was published in Latin by Everard Digby in 1587. The encyclopedia also reports that swimming was required of
knights and that Romans built bathhouses and pools in the cities they conquered to serve as social clubs and places to exercise.
Organized swimming began in the 1800s and 1900s with the creation of swimming associations (for example, the Amateur Swimming
Association in 1886) and clubs that competed against each other. There are reports from that era of swimming clubs in England, France,
Germany, and the United States. High-profile events also contributed to swimming's visibility. For instance, Matthew Webb swam the
Competitive swimming continued to grow in popularity during the 1800s and was included in the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in
1896. In 1904, the Olympics in St. Louis included the 50-, 100-, 220-, 440-, 880-yard and one-mile freestyle, the 100-yard backstroke and
By the 20th century, swimming had become mainstream. Indoor pools were beginning to appear, most towns with populations over
20,000 had public outdoor pools, and swimming clubs became increasingly popular for recreation. Women participated for the first time in
swimming in the Olympic Games in Stockholm in 1912, and Johnny Weissmuller (considered by many authorities to be the greatest
swimmer of all time and who later went on to Tarzan fame in movies) became the first person to swim 100 meters in less than one
minute.
Today swimming is the second most popular exercise activity in the United States, with approximately 360 million annual visits to
recreational water venues. Swim clubs, recreation centers, Y's, and many other facilities feature swimming pools. Many high schools and
colleges have competitive swim teams, and of course, swimming is one of the most popular Olympic sports. Millions of Americans are
swimming each year. Are you one of them? If not, the following information may help get you started.
Swimming strokes
Breaststroke
The breaststroke involves exquisite timing, and in fact, you can be disqualified from competition if you miss even one stroke.
The stroke involves form that causes your body to bob up and down as you glide forward through the water. This is a difficult stroke and
not one to choose if you're just learning how to swim. The basics are that your arms pull, you breathe, you kick (arms alternate with the
Snap the legs together to push the water and propel you forward (frog kick).
The breathing:
Butterfly
Like the breaststroke, this is a difficult stroke and not recommended for beginners because it requires perfect timing and a good deal of
strength. During the stroke, the legs move together in a dolphin kick (imagine a mermaid), the arms move together to push the water
downward and backward, and the torso undulates like an earthworm as the body moves forward through the water.
Make a downward thrust by straightening the knees and whipping the feet downward.
Swing the arms forward above the water in a sweeping motion to complete the stroke.
The breathing:
Backstroke
The backstroke is easier than the butterfly or breaststroke and similar to the crawl in that you use an alternate windmill arm stroke and
flutter kick. Two keys to a proper backstroke are that your arms move with equal strength, otherwise you will swim off to one side, and
that your body rolls from side to side so that your arms catch enough water to propel you forward.
Move the arms in an alternating, windmill pattern as they rotate and pass your face.
Cup the hands, and the thumb leaves the water first.
Move the hands in an "S" pattern when they are pushing the water.
The breathing:
You can find your own breathing pattern with the backstroke because the breathing is less coordinated with the arms and kick
than other strokes since your head should always be out of the water.
Crawl (freestyle)
This is the most popular stroke and the easiest for beginners to learn. It is a simple flutter kick and windmill arm motion, like the
backstroke, only on your belly. The most difficult part is coordinating the breathing since your face is in the water most of the time.
The leg kick:
Pull each arm through the water with equal strength and arm reach to ensure that you swim straight.
Cup the hands but keep the wrist and hand relaxed during recovery.
The breathing:
Raise one arm to begin the stroke. As the shoulder rises, turn the head to catch a breath.
Turn the head only enough to leave the water to breathe. Do not lift the head because it will slow you down.
Take as many breaths as necessary and then exhale through the nose and mouth when the head returns to the water.
Repeat the head turn to the other side in coordination with the beginning of the opposite arm stroke.
There are a couple of options for turning around when you reach the wall during lap swimming. You can simply touch the wall and turn
around and start swimming again or you can do a flip turn. The flip turn is essentially a somersault in the water where you flip and turn
and use your legs to power-kick off the wall. The flip turn, when completed properly, is fast, efficient, and time-saving. If you've ever
watched Olympic swimming, you see the swimmers gracefully execute their flip turns. Here are the basics.
Start the somersault before reaching the wall by tucking the chin and pulling the knees into a tuck position.
Straighten out the body-tuck halfway through the flip and extend the legs toward the wall.
Roll over onto the belly and glide toward the surface of the water.
Hold the glide until you break the surface of the water, and then start stroking immediately.
The flip turn takes practice, but with consistent work, you can master it. It's worth trying if you swim laps for exercise.
Swimsuit
You'll need a swimsuit unless you plan on skinny-dipping! Like many other things, technology has entered the swimsuit arena as well.
Fabrics are designed for minimal resistance through the water, they tend to last a long time, and they resist fading even when used
repeatedly in chlorinated pools. Of course, not all of us would be comfortable in the skimpy racing suits that you see Olympians wear, but
the good news is that you can find more modest suits at sporting goods and department stores as well as through a number of online
vendors (see the resources section). Comfort is the most important quality in selecting a swimsuit. You're less likely to swim if you're
Goggles
Goggles protect your eyes from chlorine (and anything else that may be in the water), and they help you keep your eyes open while you
swim so that you can see where you're going. You can even get prescription swim goggles if you wear glasses (check with your optician for
Put the goggles over your eyes without slinging the strap over your head.
Press the goggles into your eye sockets and let go.
Experiment until you find the pair that fits your eyes best.
Bathing caps
Bathing caps can serve several purposes. Some pool managers will require individuals with long hair to wear caps to keep hair from getting
into the pool, and some people just like to protect their hair from the chlorine in the water. You may also decide to wear a bathing cap to
cut down on resistance in the water. This really works, and so if you're looking to increase your time a bit, a bathing cap might help. Many
caps are made of latex, although you can find silicone, neoprene (keeps you warm), and Lycra as well. Choose the one that fits your head
There are a number of flotation devices and other equipment available to help you learn how to swim, improve your swimming times if
you start to get competitive, and add resistance to your water workouts to build muscular strength and tone. Flotation devices help keep
you afloat so that you can slow down and work on your swim stroke without sinking or causing too much fatigue, and they help with
confidence for individuals who don't know how to swim. Read on to learn more about floatation devices.
Kickboards
Kickboards are devices made of foam or other materials that float, and they come in a variety of shapes and sizes. The main purpose is for
you to hold on and stay afloat while your legs do all the work. It's good exercise for coordinating your kicking, and it gives your arms a rest.
One technique that I suggest to swimmers who want to keep swimming continuously without a break is to leave a kickboard at the end of
the pool, and when they get tired, grab the kickboard and do a lap or two with it until they get their arm strength back, and then drop the
kickboard off at the end of the pool and swim again until they need the kickboard again. Many pools have kickboards available to try out.
Pull buoys
Like kickboards, pull buoys are flotation devices that come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but unlike a kickboard, which gives the upper
body a rest, pull buoys are placed between the legs to keep the legs afloat without kicking so that you can work your upper body. Pull
buoys are excellent training devices for building upper-body strength, endurance, and cardiorespiratory fitness. They can also help you
work on your form because you can swim slowly and deliberately without sinking.
Fins
Fins fit on your feet and add propulsion to your kicks (think of a duck's webfoot). They are great training for your legs and will help you
swim faster. They come in long fins for beginners who want to work on their stroke and build up leg strength and ankle flexibility and short
fins to help you go faster without overworking your legs. Fins should fit snugly but not so tight that they cut into your foot or cut off
circulation. Wear socks with your fins if that feels more comfortable.
Hand paddles
Hand paddles attach to your hands and add propulsion to your arm stroke because they move more water. They can be a lot of work for
the arms and shoulders because of the resistance in the water, and for this reason, they are used in water aerobic classes to mimic the
resistance exercises that you do on land with dumbbells (for example, biceps curls). Hand paddles make a water workout difficult, and so
you should warm up in the water without them first, and then build up slowly like you would with any resistance exercise workout so that
Gloves
Gloves, like hand paddles, also add resistance for your arms, although they are smaller than paddles and so the resistance is lighter. These
might be a better choice than paddles if you're just starting out with resistance exercises in the water.
Water dumbbells
Some manufacturers produce dumbbells made of foam for use in the water. They add resistance like paddles or gloves, but you can
release them quickly after a set and then grab them again when you're ready. Water creates lots of resistance, and so water dumbbells
will make you stronger if you use them consistently. They're fun!
Noodle
A noodle is a flexible, tube-shaped flotation device that you can wrap under your arms or around your waist to keep you buoyant so that
you can keep moving in the water (kids love to play with them). The advantage of being able to keep moving is that you can work on your
Aqua jogger
Aqua jogger is a flotation device that you wear like a belt. Like a noodle, it permits you to keep on moving without fatigue, so that you can
work on your stroke as well as your strength and aerobic fitness, but it's more heavy-duty than a noodle and will accommodate heavier
people and create more resistance. Aqua joggers also allow you to participate in water aerobic classes and water running without having
Water treadmill
Did you read that right? Yep, water treadmill. There are two types. One is a device that you install in your pool that works with a propeller
to create a current of water that you swim in place against (okay, it's not really a treadmill, but you do swim in place). This type is a great
training aid and is also used for rehabilitation, but it is very expensive, depending on the model and whether you have it installed when
your pool is being built or in an existing pool. The other type is a treadmill that is designed for use in water. You walk on it just like any
land-based treadmill, only there is less strain on your joints because of the water. This type of treadmill is frequently used in rehabilitation.
See the resources section or search online for "water treadmill" to learn more.
Benefits of swimming
Low impact
There's no ground impact when you swim, and so you protect the joints from stress and strain. In fact, the Arthritis Foundation strongly
recommends swimming and water activities for this reason, so much so that they sponsor water classes all over the country. Water
aerobics classes are also desirable for this reason, because even if you do jump and hit the bottom of the pool, you do so with less force
because you're buoyant in the water. Not only that, but if you wear or hold a flotation device during a water aerobics class, the impact is
even less.
Can be continued for a lifetime
Because there's no impact with swimming, it can be continued for a lifetime. And the master of fitness, Jack La Lanne, who died in 2011,
Swimming improves endurance. In one study of sedentary middle-aged men and women who did swim training for 12 weeks, maximal
oxygen consumption improved 10% and stroke volume (the amount of blood pumped with each beat which indicates heart strength)
In a study of men who completed an eight-week swimming program, there was a 23.8% increase in the triceps muscle (the back of the
arm). My take on muscle mass and swimming is that if you have been doing no resistance exercise at all and you start to swim, you will
certainly get more toned and you may even gain mass like the men in this study. But even without the gain in mass, it's well worth the
When athletes are injured, particularly in the lower extremities, they are frequently told to swim to maintain their fitness level. Swimming
helps them stay in shape, and it's even part of the rehabilitation. That's because the resistance of the water makes the muscles work hard
There's nothing like it during the hot days of summer, whether it's at the beach or in the pool. It's relaxing, the movements are smooth
Burns calories
Swimming burns lots of calories, anywhere from 500-650 per hour depending on how efficiently you swim, regardless of the stroke,
burned about 89% of the calories burned during running and 97% of the calories burned during cycling for the same time period.