Introduction to swimming

Swimming is an activity that burns lots of calories, is easy on the joints, supports your weight, builds muscular strength and endurance, improves cardiovascular fitness, cools you off and refreshes you in summer, and one that you can do safely into old age.

History of Swimming

THE ORIGINS AND ROOTS OF SWIMMING - FACTS AND INFORMATION ABOUT COLLEGIATE SWIMMING AND DIVING

The English are considered the first modern society to develop swimming as a sport. By 1837 swimming competitions were being held in London's six artificial pools, these competitions were organized by the National Swimming Society in England. As the sport grew in popularity many more swimming pools were built, and when a new governing body, the Amateur Swimming Association of Great Britain, was organized in 1880, it numbered more than 300 member clubs.

In 1896, swimming became an Olympic sport for men with the 100 meters and 1500 meters freestyle competitions held in open water. Soon after, as swimming gained popularity, more freestyle events were included, followed by the backstroke, butterfly, breaststroke, and lastly, the individual medley.

For a variety of reasons, women were excluded from swimming in the first several Olympic Games. In 1896 and again in 1906, women could not participate because the developer of the modern games, Baron Pierre de Coubertin, held firmly to the assumption, common in the Victorian era, that women were too frail to engage in competitive sports. It was only at the 1912 Games when women's swimming made its debut at the prompting of the group that later became known as the International Olympic Committee.

The first modern Olympic Games had only four swimming events, three of them freestyle. The second Olympics in Paris in 1900 included three unusual swimming events. One used an obstacle course; another was a test of underwater swimming endurance; the third was a 4,000-metre event, the longest competitive swimming event ever. None of the three was ever used in the Olympics again.

From this humble beginning with four swimming events, the Olympics have now developed to 32 swimming races, 16 for men and 16 for women. The Special Olympics includes competitive swimming for people with disabilities and has 22 events for men and 22 for women.

Recreational swimming

The most common purpose for swimming is recreation. Recreational swimming is a good way to relax, while enjoying a full-body workout. Several swimming styles are suitable for recreational swimming; most recreational swimmers prefer a style that keeps their head out of the water and has an underwater arm recovery. Breaststroke, side stroke, head up front crawl and dog paddle are the most common strokes utilized in recreational swimming, but the out-of-water arm recovery of freestyle or butterfly gives rise to better exploitation of the difference in resistance between air and water. 

The butterfly stroke, which consists of out-of-water recovery with even symmetry in body movements, is most suited to rough water swimming. For example, in a record-setting example of endurance swimming, Vicki Keith crossed the rough waters of Lake Ontario using butterfly. Most recreational swimming takes place in swimming pools, and calm natural waters (sea, lakes, rivers), therefore front crawl is suitable.

Occupational swimming

Some occupations require the workers to swim. For example, abalone divers or pearl divers swim and dive to obtain an economic benefit, as do spear fishermen.

Swimming is used to rescue other swimmers in distress. In the USA, most cities and states have trained lifeguards, such as the Los Angeles City Lifeguards, deployed at pools and beaches. There are a number of specialized swimming styles especially for rescue purposes (see List of swimming styles). Such techniques are studied by lifeguards or members of the Coast Guard. The training for these techniques has also evolved into competitions such as surf lifesaving.

Swimming is also used in marine biology to observe plants and animals in their natural habitat. Other sciences use swimming, for example Konrad Lorenz swam with geese as part of his studies of animal behavior.

Swimming also has military purposes. Military swimming is usually done by Special Forces, such as Navy SEALS. Swimming is used to approach a location, gather intelligence, sabotage or combat, and to depart a location. This may also include airborne insertion into water or exiting a submarine while it is submerged. Due to regular exposure to large bodies of water, all recruits in the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard are required to complete basic swimming or water survival training.

Swimming is also a professional sport. Companies such as Speedo, TYR Sports, Arena and Nike sponsor swimmers who are at the international level. Cash awards are also given at many of the major competitions for breaking records.

Benefits of Swimming

There are plenty of reasons to swim! Here's a list that should get you motivated.

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, still swims one hour every day at age 93 years.

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

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.

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. One important caveat about this data is that calorie expenditure is dependent on the intensity of exercise, and so it's entirely possible to burn more calories swimming than running in the same period of time as long as you swim hard enough, and particularly so if compared to running at light intensity.

Equipments of 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. The bottom line to a swimsuit is to select one that's comfortable. You're less likely to swim if you're uncomfortable in your suit.

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.

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.

Flotation devices and other stuff

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 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 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 exercise 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 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. This type is a great training aid and is also used for rehabilitation, but it is very expensive. 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.

There is one other option for swimming in place, and it's inexpensive. Swim stretch cords attach to the side of a pool and to your body so you can swim without going anywhere, or they come with a drag belt (sort of like a mini-parachute) that catches water as you swim and drag it behind you. Both are fine options for getting a great workout.

Swimming Style

Breaststroke, backstroke, butterfly, and front crawl (freestyle) are the most popular swim strokes. The breaststroke and butterfly are more difficult to learn than the backstroke and crawl.

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 kick), and you glide.

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.

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 (1) that your arms move with equal strength, otherwise you will swim off to one side, and (2) that your body rolls from side to side so that your arms catch enough water to propel you forward.

Front 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.

Swimming Techniques

Breastroke

To improve your speed through the water, your body position and power will play a big role.

Step One

• Breaststroke is not a very streamlined stroke so it is important to make the most of your body position whenever you can.
• Stretch out at the end of each stroke and make sure your arms are close and your legs are together, with your face in the water.

Step Two

• To do breaststroke correctly you must make the body lift and drop.
• Practice lifting your shoulders and chest as your arms pull, so that your shoulders are clear of the water.
• You can also make your hips rise and fall slightly by kicking down into the water with the feet flat.

Step Three

• When you bend your legs, try to make sure that your knees stay behind your body, and keep your feet slightly apart as you lift them to your bottom.
• This part of the kick is called the recovery because it gets the legs ready to kick again.

Step Four

• Bend the elbows and keep them near the surface of the water as you start to circle with the hands.
• Then, as you finish the circle, tuck the elbows in to your chest.
• This ensures your hands are pulling towards your feet and makes your pull much stronger.
• You should now be swimming with your face in the water. Breathe out just before you lift your head.
• Take a breath with every stroke as your head lifts naturally and your arms pull back.

Backstroke

The backstoke is different to most strokes because you cannot see where you are going.

Step One

• It is difficult to keep your body traveling in a straight line if you don't kick your legs.
• Use long fast kicks, making sure your legs are moving up and down.
• Keep your knees underwater and bent a little, and your toes should make a small splash when you kick.

Step Two

• The arms provide the power in back crawl, making a circling action as they move in and out of the water.
• You start by putting one arm in the water in a straight line above your shoulder.
• Once your hand is in the water it should push down and towards your feet. Bend your elbow slightly and pull your arm by your side to your thigh.
• Keep pushing your hand towards your feet until your elbow is straight. Then lift it out of the water, back to its original position and repeat the motion again.
• Keep the arm straight all of the time it is out of the water.
• The left and right arms do the same movement, but not at the same time. One should come out of the water at about the same time as the other enters it.

Butterfly

Butterfly needs both stamina and technique, but the body movements are not difficult because you will have done many of them before in other strokes.

Step One

• Both of your arms work at the same time and keep moving throughout the stroke.
• Put your hands in the water in front of your shoulders and pull them towards your feet.

Step Two

• When your hands reach your thighs, lift them out of the water and throw them back to the start.
• You should keep your head in the water all the time, except when you need to breathe in.
• If you lift your head up at other times it will be almost impossible to get your arms over the water.
• The easiest way to breathe in is to push your chin forwards so that your mouth comes out of the water.
• It is best to do this when your arms are almost at your thighs.

Step Three

The difficult part is getting everything in the right order, so:

• Kick your legs down as your hands go in
• Kick your legs down as your hands come out
• Keep your head down when your arms go over the water
• Keep your head down until your arms are near your thighs
• Breathe in quickly.

Front crawl (Freestyle)

Front crawl is the fastest stroke and gives you the feeling of being powerful in the water.

Step One

• Swim with all of your body close to the surface of the water, keeping your hips and legs behind your shoulders.
• Imagine you are trying to swim through a narrow tube without touching the sides.
• A good way of doing this is to put your face in the water and keep your legs kicking all of the time.

Step Two

• Try to use long fast kicks, making sure all of your leg is moving up and down.
• Your knees should bend a little bit and your feet should make a small splash.
  
• Try counting to six quickly and kicking your legs in time with this.

Step Three

• Your arms provide the power for the stroke, so one arm should follow the other through the water and over the top.
• Try putting your hand into the water in front of your head and stretch it forwards as far as it will go, slicing it into the water with your thumb first - the less splash the better.
  

Step Four

• Increase your speed by bending your elbow and pushing your hand towards your feet, keeping it going until it reaches the top of your leg.
• Lift your arm out of the water and try to control it as it goes back to the starting point.
  

Step Five

• Breathe regularly. Your face is in the water so you need to remember to turn your head when you want to take a breath.
• Try to turn your head smoothly, leaving the side of your head resting in the water.

Risk in swimming

Swimming is a healthy activity that has minimal impact on the joints. A swimmer benefits from a low risk of injury compared with many other sports. Nevertheless, there are some health risks with swimming, including the following:

Drowning, inhalation of water arising from:

• Adverse water conditions swamping or overwhelming the swimmer or causing water inhalation.


• Actions of others pushing under water accidentally in play or intentionally.


• Exhaustion or unconsciousness.


• Incapacitation through shallow water blackout, heart attacks, carotid sinus syncope or stroke.

Adverse effects of immersion

• Secondary drowning, where inhaled salt water creates foam in the lungs that restricts breathing


• Salt water aspiration syndrome


• Thermal shock after jumping into water can cause the heart to stop.


• Exostosis which is an abnormal growth in the ear canal due to the frequent, long-term splashing of water into the ear canal. (Known as Swimmer's ear.)

Exposure to chemicals

• Disinfectant Chlorine will increase the pH of the water, if uncorrected the raised pH may cause eye or skin irritations.


• Chlorine inhalation; breathing small quantities of chlorine gas from the water surface whilst swimming for long periods of time may have an adverse effect on the lungs, particularly for asthmatics. This problem may be resolved by using a pool with better ventilation, with an outdoor pool having the best results.


• Chlorine also has a negative cosmetic effect after repeated long exposure, stripping brown hair of all color, turning it very light blonde. Chlorine damages the structure of hair, turning it "frizzy." Chlorine can dissolve copper, which turns blonde hair green. Proper pool maintenance can reduce the amount of copper in the water, while wetting the hair before entering a pool can help reduce the absorption of copper.


• Chlorine will often remain on skin in an anhydrous form, even after several washings. The chlorine becomes odorous once it is back in an aqueous solution (when salivated on, during a shower, etc.).

Infection

• Water is an excellent environment for many bacteria, parasites, fungi and viruses affecting humans depending on water quality


• Skin infections from both swimming and shower rooms can cause athletes foot (boat bug). The easiest way to avoid this is to dry the space between the toes.


• Microscopic parasites such as Cryptosporidium can be resistant to chlorine and can cause diarrheal illness when swimmers swallow pool water.


• Ear infections, otitis media, (otitis externa).


• When chlorine levels are improperly balanced, severe health problems may result, such as chronic bronchitis and asthma.

Swimmer's own actions

• Overuse injury; competitive butterfly stroke swimmers for example may develop some back pain, including vertebral fractures in rare cases, and shoulder pain after long years of training, breaststroke swimmers may develop knee pain, and hip pain. Freestyle and backstroke swimmers may develop impingement syndrome, a form of tendinitis, commonly referred to as swimmer's shoulder.


• Hyperventilation in a bid to extend underwater breath-hold times lowers blood carbon dioxide resulting in suppression of the urge to breathe and consequent loss of consciousness towards the end of the dive, see shallow water blackout for the mechanism.

Adverse water and weather conditions

• Currents, including tides and rivers can cause exhaustion, can pull swimmers away from safety, or pull swimmers under water.


• Wind enhances waves and can blow a swimmer off course


• Hypothermia, due to cold water, can cause rapid exhaustion and unconsciousness.


• Sunburn severity can be increased by reflections in the water and the lack of clothing worn during


• swimming. Long-term exposure to the sun contributes to risk of skin cancer.

Objects in the water

• Propeller damage is a major cause of accidents, either by being run over by a boat or entanglement on climbing into a boat.


• Collision with another swimmer, the pool walls, rocks or boats


• Diving into a submerged object, or the bottom, often in turbid water


• Snagging on underwater objects, particularly submerged branches or wrecks.


• Stepping on sharp objects such as broken glass.

Aquatic life

• Stings from jellyfish and some corals


• Piercings caused by sea urchins, zebra mussels, stingrays.


• Bites from sharks and other fish and snakes, and pinches from lobsters or crabs


• Electrocution from electric rays and electric eels

Organizations publish safety guidelines to help swimmers avoid these risks

List of water sports

There are a large number of sports that involve water.  The following is a List of water sports, divided by category. These categories are based on the relation of the sports to the water. Some of the sports include only one part related to swimming, as for example Triathlon.

In the water

•       Swimming includes pool swimming and open water swimming

•       Triathlon is usually a combination of swimming, cycling and running

•        Modern pentathlon includes epee fencing, pistol shooting, swimming, a show jumping              course on horseback, and cross country running

•       Rescue swimming is swimming with the goal to rescue other swimmers or the practice           thereof
  

•       Water polo is a team sport played in water.
  

•       Synchronized swimming is a hybrid of swimming, gymnastics, and ballet.
  

•       Water aerobics is aerobics in the water
  

•       Water gymnastics is gymnastics in the water
  

•       Snorkeling is the practice of swimming at the surface (typically of the sea) being                        equipped with a mask and a short tube called a snorkel.
  

•       Diving off springboards or off platforms
  

•       Synchronized diving
  

•        A water slide is a slide with water flowing down it  

 Under water

•  Scuba diving is swimming under water using a (self contained) breathing apparatus
  

•   Free-diving is the aim to maximize the depth dived using no breathing apparatus
  

•   Underwater hockey is hockey played under water with short wooden curved sticks and a   heavy puck. Players wear diving masks, snorkels, and fins, and must surface to breathe   while team mates continue the game on the pool bottom.
  

•   Underwater rugby is rugby played under water. Two teams try to score goals by sending a   slightly negatively buoyant ball into the opponents' goal, which is situated on the bottom of   the pool.
  

•   Underwater photography is photography done under water. Numerous contests worldwide   are arranged every year. The digital cameras have revolutionized how many divers   participate.
  

 On the water

•  Scuffing is where the participant "scurf’s" behind a boat on a surfboard
  

•   Barefoot water skiing is waterskiing with no skies
  

•    Boating is the use of boats
  

•    Body boarding is similar to surfing, but the board is smaller and the person (normally) lies        down on the board

•    Canoeing

•    Fishing is the recreation and sport of catching fish
  

•    Jet Ski
  

•    Kayaking
  

•    Kite surfing on flat water using a kite for propulsion
  

•    Parasailing where a person is towed behind a vehicle (usually a boat) while attached to a        parachute
  

•    Rafting
  

•    Rowing
  

•    Sailing using the wind for propulsion
  

•    Skim boarding is a boardsport in which a board is used to ride on an incoming wave.
  

•    Stand Up Paddle Boarding a surf style board with a paddle, used in flatwater or waves
  

•    Surfing downhill on ocean waves or artificial waves in an artificial wave pool
  

•    White Water Rafting
  

•    Wakeboarding is similar to water skiing, but using only one board attached to the feet
  

•   Wake skating is similar to wakeboarding, but the board is not attached to the feet
  

•   Water skiing is using skis to slide over the water while being pulled by a boat or other   device