à The body will sink if the weight of the immersed
body is greater than the weight of the displaced
PHYSICAL LAWS APPLIED TO BODY
MOVEMENTS IN THE WATER
Effective instructors of swimming and related
aquatic skills must have an understanding of the
human body, the physical laws or mechanical
principles that affects motion, and the forces that
produce or retard motion of the human body
through the water. Understanding the effects of
physical laws on the performance of swimming
strokes and other aquatics skills enables instructors
to gain insight into the cause of ineffective
movements. This understanding also enables them
to provide instructional techniques that contribute to
effective performances by their students.
With few expectations, humans must inhale and
hold their breath in order to float in the water. The
majority of people are able to float and most of
them float motionless with the body at an angle to
the surface (diagonal position) or in a near vertical
position. That people are able to float is explained
by Archimedes’ principle.
Archimedes’ principle
à A body is buoved by a force equal to the weight of
the water that the body displaces.
à (The body’s buoyancy is somehow affected by
some forces which is somehow equal to the weight
of the water that is being displaced.)
water.
à Conversely , the body will float if the weight of the
immersed body is less than the weight of the
displaced water.
à The amount of buoyancy of an individual is
governed by the amount of air that is inhaled and
held by the composition of the body.
à Ang pagginhawa sang aton breath can actually a
factor nga maka-contribute sa aton performances in
the water.
BODY COMPOSITION (another factor that can
affect our performance or execution in the water)
à The differences in the buoyancy of individuals will
vary considerably depending on the relationship
between the amount of heavier bone and muscle
tissue and the amount of lighter adipose (fatty)
tissue.
à Adipose tissue has a specific gravity of less than
1.0 which is the specific gravity of water.
à If the body is more than the 1.0 nga gravity,
chances are the body will sink
à Anything having a specific gravity less than 1.0
will float in the surface.
à Bone and muscle tissue have a specific gravity
greater than 1.0 and will tend to sink.
à Individuals, usually men, who are heavily
muscled, who have heavier bone structure, or who
have little body fat, have a larger proportion of lean
body mass and a smaller percentage of adipose
tissue and will have more difficulty floating.
à Kung mas maunod ka, kag gamay lang imo fats,
chances are the body will sink
à If ang leanness sang body sang tawo is lighter,
compared sa fatty tissue, you will float
à The bone structure, the muscles, the fatty tissues
are quite heavy amo man na siya ang factors nga
naga lead sa inyo to sink
à Most women have a greater percentage of
adipose tissue relative to lean body mass than men
are likely to float more easily.
à An easy test called the “jellyfish float” can be
used to determine the degree of buoyancy of a
swimmer.
à Kung mag gamit ka sang jellyfish float
à Head is in contact with the legs?
à If ang lawas maka-stay in that position, meaning
to say imo buoyancy is mas lighter
à If in that position you automatically sink, you have
heavier muscles or mas lesser imo fat
à While in chest-deep water, the swimmer
submerges to the neck, takes a deep breath of air,
bends forward from the waist, places the head in
the water, and bends the knees enough to get the
feet off the bottom.
à The person holds the breath and relaxes as much
as possible.
à If the person sinks, the swimmer’s weight is
greater than the buoyant force of water.
à If a portion of the head or the back remains above
the surface, the person can learn to float in the
back with the face out of the water.
à Individuals with marginal buoyancy will have to
use explosive while floating on their backs to keep
their faces from submerging while getting an
exchange of air.
à Explosive breathing means a rapid exhalation
followed immediately by a rapid inhalation. (It can
affect performance in the water)
à Little can be done to affect the weight of the
individual. However, by inhaling more deeply, the
area of the chest is expanded to a greater degree,
which increases its volume without any significant
change in weight. The results is that segment of the
body is spread over large surface area of the water,
resulting in less weight per square inch and thus
increase in buoyancy.
à The slight difference in the specific gravity of
fresh water and saltwater affect one’s buoyancy in
the water. Since salt water is slightly more dense
than fresh water, it can support more weight. An
individual who floats in fresh water will float slightly
higher in salt water or will tend to float in a more
horizontal.
 
CENTER OF GRAVITY AND CENTER OF
BOUYANCY
The position in which a swimmer floats is
determined not only by the overall composition of
the body but also by the relative positions of the
center of gravity and the center of buoyancy within
each individual while trying to float.
à On land or in the air, the person turns or rotates
around a point at the center of weight called the
center of gravity.
à In the water, however, the person rotates around
a point in the chest region called the center of
buoyancy.
à The center of gravity of a person lying horizontally
on the surface of the water with the arms at the
sides of the body is at the center of all weight and is
located somewhere in the pelvis.
à Since the body segments are of different weights,
the distance of each segment from the center of
gravity of the body plays a role in determining the
exact location of the gravity.
à When a person is lying horizontally in the surface,
gravity tends to act on each body segment
individually to pull it down
à The buoyant force of the water will support each
segment horizontally if the specific gravity of each
part is less than 1.0 somebody segments maybe
more buoyant than others. An arm float, but a leg,
with a heavier bone structure, might not.
à The primary upward (buoyant) force of the water
is directed through a point in the chest area called
the center of buoyancy of the body. The air in the
lungs makes the chest area, with its light bone
structure and very light muscle structure, the most
buoyant part of the body. Consequently, the chest
tends to float at a surface.
à A motionless float occurs only when the center of
buoyancy is aligned directly over the center of
gravity. With persons of average build, these two
centers are aligned in a somewhat parallel position
to the surface of the water when the person
attempts to float in the horizontal position on the
back with the arms extended along the sides of the
body.
à In this position in the water, the average person
has more body weight located in the hips and the
legs than in the head and the shoulders. The force
of the gravity pulls the hips (center of weight) and
the legs downward. The buoyant force of the water
acts as if it were pushing upward on the chest area
(center of buoyancy). These opposing forces cause
the body to act like a teeter-totter. The body starts
to rotate forward as the hips and the legs move
downward.
à When the center of gravity in the pelvis has
rotated to a point directly below the center of
buoyancy in the chest, the person float motionless.
However, as the legs sink during forward rotation of
the body, their downward momentum increases.
This increased velocity of the legs, plus their
weight, may cause the body to submerge, since the
force of buoyancy is insufficient to overcome the
force of gravity and the downward movements of
the legs.
à Swimmers who float motionless in the vertical or
diagonal position can learn to float in a more
horizontal position by changing the positions of
their arms and legs. These swimmers may want to
learn to alter their normal floating position in order
to demonstrate the back float in more than one
position or merely to increase their overall aquatics
abilities.
LAW OF INERTIA
à The law of inertia states that a body remains at
rest or in uniform motion unless acted upon by
some external force. External forces that offer
resistance and impede forward momentum cannot
always be eliminated but they can and should be
minimized for most effective stroking. These
resistance forces are classified as frontal.
à The implications of the law of inertia are clear in
swimming. There is always a trade-off involved
between the duration of rest in the glide potion of a
stroke and the amount of propulsive effort
necessary to overcome the body slowing down
because of the resistance forces of water.
à If speed is the main concern, as in competitive
swimming or approach stroking for a rescue, the
glide portion is shortened to maintain a constant
speed. If swimming for relaxation or distance is
involved, then the glide portion can be lengthened
to provide a longer rest period.
à However, the glide portion should not be held
until forward momentum ceases, since extra effort
is required to re-establish forward motion. This
situation is comparable to pushing a car by hand.
Once the car starts moving it takes less effort to
keep it moving than the initial effort it takes to start
the action.
LAW OF ACCELERATION
à The law of acceleration states that the velocity of
a body is proportional to the force applied and
occurs in the direction in which that force acts.
Simply stated, the harder the swimmer presses
backward against the water, the faster the swimmer
will move forward. An increase in the velocity of the
swimmer in the desired direction is also dependent
upon the swimmer maintaining a good position and
smooth, well- coordinated, and efficient movements
of the arms and the legs.
 
LEVERAGE
à In stroking, the entire arm and the hand act as a
third-class lever. Force is applied between the
fulcrum (shoulder joint) and the resistance of water
to the surface of the arms and the hand.
à The law of levers states that the product of the
force times the length of the force arm is equal to
the product of resistance times the length of the
resistance arm.
RELAXATION AND BREATHING
In addition to physical laws that govern body
movements in the water, two other factors-
relaxation and breathing-also affect swimming
performance.
RELAXATION
à Swimmers attempting to propel themselves are
never completely relaxed.
à The aim of skilled swimmers is to relax those
muscles that are not contributing to a desired
movement. Activating muscles that need not to
used during a stroke can actually inhibit the desired
movement as well as hasten fatigue. The actions
and movements of beginners in the water are
usually awkward, tense and tiring , since they use
many more muscle groups than necessary.
BREATHING
The importance of proper breath control while
swimming cannot be overemphasized. Persons
who do not get a regular, sufficient supply of
oxygen will soon tire. Rhythmic for facedown
strokes can be learned and perfected when
practiced constantly.
In all strokes, inhalation and exhalation must be
done in a manner that will result in minimum
interference with stroking rhythm and that will
minimize any change in correct body position.
à Proper breathing techniques are also important
for health reasons, especially for strokes in the
facedown position.
à Water that enters the sinus cavities or the inner
ear canals through the nasal passages can lead to
infection. While exhaling under water, some air
should be exhaled through the nose, at a pressure
equal to or greater than the pressure of the water
inward, in order to prevent water from entering
nasal passages.
à In the strokes where the face is carried beneath
the surface, the interval when air is inhaled is short;
therefore, air must be inhaled quickly through the
mouth. The exhalation begins through the mouth
and the nose as soon as the face re-enters the
water, and continues, slowly and steadily, until the
next inhalation is ready to be taken, it should be
expelled quickly as the mouth is clearing the water.
à Some highly skilled swimmers who posses good
breath control do not exhale until just before they
take another breath, at which time they expel the
air rapidly through both the nose and the mouth.
RULES FOR SAFETY SWIMMING
 Learn to swim well enough to survive in an
emergency.
 Never swim alone and swim only with a
buddy who has the ability to help when
necessary;
 Swim only in supervised areas.
 Follow the rules set up where you are
swimming.
 Learn the simple and safe reaching
rescues.
 Know how to administer artificial respiration.
 Know your limitations and do not
overestimate your ability.
 Stay out of the water when overtired.
 Dive only into known waters of sufficient
depth.
 Always swim a safe distance away from
diving boards and platforms.
 Call for help ONLY when you really need it.
 Remember that a non-swimmer should
never attempt a swimming rescue.
PROCEDURE IN USING THE SWIMMING POOL
 Secure clearance from your teacher in using
the pool.
 Do you warm-up exercises and stretching
exercises.
 Secure your belongings in your lockers.
 Take your shower and do bring along your
towel.
 Enjoy your swimming activities with your PE
teacher concerned.
 After the swimming class, take a shower the
second time around.
Swimming Benefits to your Body, Mind and
Spirit:
Low impact —Swimming is regarded as one of the
safest exercises, with very little risk of injury. And
many people who have been injured turn to
swimming as a way to exercise, and even
rehabilitate their injuries. 
Anyone can do it — No matter your age, weight,
skill level, or fitness level, swimming is an excellent
choice for anyone including overweight people,
people with disabilities , pregnant women and
seniors.
Longevity — A recent study shows that
swimming helps you live longer. In a study of more
than 40,000 men ages 20 to 90, swimmers were 50
percent less likely to die during the 32 year study
period than were walkers or runners. 
Weight loss —  You burn around three calories a
mile per pound of bodyweight. So if you weigh 150
pounds and you swim one mile in 30 minutes, then
you will burn 900 calories per hour. Of course, how
many calories you burn depends on how much you
weigh and the intensity of your workout. If you
weigh 150 pounds and swim at moderate intensity,
you will burn around 600 calories per hour.
Cross- training — Swimming is also a great way to
do cross-training, when added to your regular
workouts. Before a land workout, swimming helps
you warm up. After a land workout, swimming helps
you cool down, recover your muscles and relax.
Physical health benefits — Swimming
builds flexibility, endurance, muscle
strength and cardiovascular health. Water adds 12
times more resistance than air, so it takes more
work to move through water than air. Swimming not
only helps strengthen muscles, it also helps builds
lean, flexible muscles.
Mental benefits — For many swimmers, swimming
is like a form of mediation. This is because
swimming is a focused activity that cannot be
combined with distractions like reading or watching
television. Swimming forces you to regulate your
breathing, and allows you to focus on nothing but
the rhythm of your stroke. It reduces stress and
leaves you feel relaxed and refreshed.
Recreation — Swimming is a lot of fun and can be
a great way to socialize. Whether at the beach or a
pool, it is fun to swim with other people. You can
join a water aerobics class or a master’s swim
practice, and socialize while you workout.
Prominent swimmers during Olympic Games
Mark Spitz - 5 gold medal winner in swimming at
the 1972 Olympics.
Alison Streeter has her name already appeared
four times in The Guinness Book of Records.
Ian Thorpe -  An Australian, Ian Thorpe has won 5
Olympic gold as well as 11 gold medals in the
World Championships.
Jennifer Beth Thompson -  She has won 12
Olympic medals, which includes 8 gold, while she
represented the United States in the Summer
Olympics.

Matt Biondi - has won 11 Olympic medals,
participating in the 1984, 1988, and 1992 Olympics.
He equalled Mark Spitz’s feat of winning 7 medals
in a single Olympic Games, in 1988. Biondi won 5
gold in Seoul, while he set records in four of the
events.
Michael Phelps - He is a holder of world records in
a number of events. Amongst his achievements are
the 8 medals he won at the Summer Olympics of
2004 held in Athens, of which 6 were gold. He was
named the World Swimmer of the Year in 2003,
2004, 2006, and 2007.
 
EQUIPMENT FOR WATER FUN AND SAFETY
SWIMMING
 Mask – designed to cover the eyes and
nose. Normally used for skin and SCUBA
diving. Increased underwater visibility and
allows the swimmer to drive deeper than
with goggles.
 Goggles – designed to keep the water out of
the eyes. Creates an air space in front of
the eye in which increases visibility
underwater. May decrease apprehension of
facial submersion. Give the swimmer better
awareness of the body position in the water.
Dangerous if used in depths more than 3-4
feet and when diving from a height such as
the springboard.
 Earplugs – used to reduce the chance of
ear infection. Dangerous if used in depths
than 6-8 feet underwater .
 Nose plugs – used to keep the water out of
the nose. Approximately used for more
advanced skills such as synchronized
swimming skills, where the time because
the swimmer does not have to exhale to
keep the water out of the nose during
inverted skills.
 Kickboard – designed to float and used
primarily for practicing the kicking skills. Can
be held in many different positions.
 Pull buoy – designed to be worn between
the legs ( somewhere between the knees
and crotch) to isolate the arms for stroke
drills.
 Life Jacket – a Personal Flotation Device
(PFD) designed to be worn by the user. Will
keep the swimmer on the surface of the
water. Should fit snugly. Life jackets are the
safest choice for non-swimmers who wish to
venture into deep water.
 Fins – designed to increased propulsive
effect of the kick. May be used by weak
swimmers to experience better body
positions or swimming faster. Can be used
as equalizer in a game or activity situation.
Can be used for fitness swimming to
improve kick strength and endurance and to
improve ankle flexibility.
 Safety Line – designed to divide shallow
water ( 5 feet or less) from deep water.
Should be standard at all tools with deep
water.
 Rescue Equipment - standard most pools
and includes aluminum reaching pole.
 Ring Buoy – a life preserver in a form of a
ring.
 Weighted Objects – designed to go to the
bottom. Most often used for object recovery.
Examples are: rubberized rings and
rubberized bricks.
TERMS IN SWIMMING
 Aquatics – pertaining to water or sports
performed in the water.
 Buoyancy – the upward force of the water in
a submersed object.
 Breath Control – involves the ability to hold
breath as well as exchange air through the
mouth and nose in a rhythmic manner.
 Float – to be suspended in the water or
staying on surface of the water without
support: types of Floats:
 Tuck Float – to float with your hips and
knees flexed, with your hands holding the
shins, head in the water and your rounded
back bobbing above the surface.
 Prone or Stomach Float – to float face down
with arms and legs extended on both sides.
 Supine or Back Float – to float face up with
arms and legs extended.
 Gutter – the edge of the pool at water level.
Water from the surface splashed over the
gutter and is drained away. This helps keep
the water surface clean and less agitated.
 Swimming – is the physical adjustment of
your body to the environment of water with
the use of the arms and legs. (Nillos, 1983).