Swimming

What is it?
Swimming is a sport in the water for any age person.
It involves a lot of energy , Swimming can also be a
activity to burn off calories. Swimming can be very
good for your arm muscle and any other muscle in
your body. Some people would sometimes like to
swim to clear there mind any get off any worries or
stress thats bugging them. Its a very popular sport
all around the world . Swimming is even in the
Olympics and its the most popular sport in the
Olympics. So overall swimming is a really calm and
relaxing sport anyone can do it there is no age limit
unless you are really young then you are expected to
have a adult or a older person with you for safety
reasons.
 The History of it!
The history of swimming : Human beings have been swimming for
millennia. Stone Age cave drawings depict individuals swimming
and there are written references in the Bible and the Greek poems
The Iliad and The Odyssey going 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. By the 20th century,
swimming had become Really popular , 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 centres, Y's,
 What are the swimming
strokes
There are different types of swimming strokes like for example there are the
main ones people do in either there swimming lessons or just there swimming
pool / any pool. Breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly, and crawl (freestyle) are the
most popular swim strokes. The breaststroke and butterfly are more difficult to
learn than the backstroke and crawl.

Breast stroke: The breast stroke is hardest one according to people . It involves a
lot of timing and like I said again you need a lot of energy to be able to do it. The
stuff you need to do in the breast stroke is The
leg kick:
1. Bring the knees to chest.
2. Thrust the legs backward and straight.
3. Snap the legs together to push the water and propel you forward (frog kick).
4. Start with the arms overhead.
. Arm stroke
1. Pull on the water, and bring arms toward the chest.
2. Keep the hands cupped.
3. Return arms to starting position.
. Breathing
1. Breathe every time you stroke with your arms.
 Continuing
The butterfly stroke- The Butterfly stroke is sort of like the breast stroke it
is quite a difficult stroke and is highly not recommended for beginners why?
Because it requires a lot of timing and a lot of strength . In this stroke you
move your legs together like a dolphin kick for example like a mermaid!,
Your arms move together to push through the water down and backwards
Your leg in this stroke:
1. Bend the knees slightly, and keep them together.
2. Make a downward thrust by straightening the knees and whipping the feet
downward.
3. There should be two kicks for every arm stroke
. Your arm stroke:
1. Move your arms together and pull through the water with your hands
cupped.
2. Face the palms outward, and press down and outward.
3. Swing the arms forward above the water in a sweeping motion to complete
the stroke.
. Your breathing:
1. You breath at the end of each stroke
 Back stroke
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.
Your leg kick:
1. Is a flutter kick where the legs kick in an alternating order.
2. Bend the knees slightly.
3. Relax the feet and ankles they should be almost floppy
. Your arm stroke:
1. Move the arms in an alternating, windmill pattern as they rotate and pass
your face.
2. Cup the hands, and the thumb leaves the water first.
3. Move the hands in an "S" pattern when they are pushing the water.
. Your breathing:
1. Keep your head back and eyes toward the ceiling.
2. 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.
Your leg kick:
1. It's a flutter kick where the legs kick in an alternating order.
2. Bend the knees slightly.
3. Relax the feet and ankles (the should be almost floppy).
4. Emphasize the down-kick for propulsion.
. Your arm stroke:
1. Move the arms in an alternating windmill motion.
2. Pull each arm through the water with equal strength and arm reach to
ensure that you swim straight.
3. Pull arms underwater in an "S" pattern.
4. Cup the hands but keep the wrist and hand relaxed during recover
. Your breathing:
1. Raise one arm to begin the stroke. As the shoulder rises, turn the head to
catch a breath.
2. Turn the head only enough to leave the water to breathe. Do not lift the
head because it will slow you down.
3. Take as many breaths as necessary and then exhale through the nose and
mouth when the head returns to the water.
Breast stroke:
Butterfly Stroke
Backstroke
Crawl/Freestyle
 Equipment involved
There are a lot of equipment involved when it comes to
swimming . The equipment's that are useful for swimming a lot of
people use . Some of the equipment's evolve helping Beginners
and you use a lot of the different equipment's if your are involved
with swimming lessons like if youre a child. The next few slides
will show the different stuff we use in Swimming.
 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
 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 and is most comfortable.
 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 availability). To find the right pair of
goggles, do the following:

Put the goggles over your eyes without slinging the strap over
your head.
Press the goggles into your eye sockets and let go.
The goggles should stay in place.
Experiment until you find the pair that fits your eyes best.
 Flotation devices and other
equipment
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 web-foot). 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 you don't overwork your arms
and shoulder joints.
 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 stroke without fatigue and
increase your strength and endurance.
 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 to know how to swim or break frequently.
 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.
 The benefits of swimming
What are the benefits of swimming?
There are plenty of reasons to swim!
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 (check http://www.arthritis.org for
information). 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. If
you check the United States Masters Swimming (http://www.usms.org/) Web
site for age categories of their swim competitions, you will find a 100- to 104-
year-old age group! And the master of fitness, Jack La Lanne, who died in 2011,
reportedly still swam one hour every day at age 93!
Builds cardiorespiratory fitness
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) improved as much as 18%.
Builds muscle mass
 It's a family affair
swimming and other water activities are something the entire
family can share. With rising levels of obesity in children as well as
adults in the United States, family physical activities and good
role-modeling may be one way to stem the epidemic of inactivity
and obesity facing our nation.
Burns calories
Swimming burns lots of calories, anywhere from 500-650 per hour
depending on how efficiently you swim (you burn more flopping
around than swimming cleanly!) and how buoyant you are (the
more body fat you have, the more you float and the fewer calories
it takes to swim). Very early and original research on swimming
and calorie expenditure showed that swimming, 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. Stated another way, swimming burns about 11% fewer
calories than running but only 3% fewer calories than biking
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 strength and
tone that you will almost certainly gain.

An alternative when injured

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 without
the strain or impact that is experienced on land.
It's a break from the summer heat
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 and rhythmic, and it's a great
workout.