Swimming
Swimming is an excellent activity for an all-over workout. It is an aerobic activity that can increase your cardiovascular endurance. In addition to the aerobic benefits; swimming works arm and shoulder muscles, leg and hip muscles, and even abdominal and back muscles.
Swimming is a competitive sport, but is also a very popular leisure activity.
The four competitive strokes are: front crawl (freestyle), back crawl, breaststroke, and butterfly.
Front Crawl:
Body Position: Body is face-down in the water and straight. Water should be at the hairline. Keep head in line with your body.
Arm Stroke: Enter water with elbow flexed (enter about ¾ the distance you can extend). Sweep arm back (under water) towards feet. Stay RELAXED!!! It is a semi-alternating pattern. Your arm will almost “catch” the other hand.
Kick: Flutter kick-ankles and feet are relaxed and “floppy”. The kick’s motion begins at the hip. Stay relaxed! Heels just break the surface of the water.
Breathing/Timing: You can either breathe only on one side (every arm stroke cycle), or you can alternate sides (every 1½ arm stroke cycles) Always turn you r head to the side to breathe. NEVER lift you face up and out of the water. Be sure to completely exhale before your mouth breaks the surface of the water, so you are ready for your next breath.
CUES: Relaxed, Elbow High, “Catch” other arm, Spear the fish OR punch a hole in the water.
Back Crawl:
Body Position: Lie flat on your back. There is some body roll in this stroke. Ears should be underwater (water at hairline). Keep head down and back (look at ceiling).
Arm Stroke: Arms move continuously. They are ALWAYS opposite each other (alternating pattern). Thumbs come out of water first. Before entering the water, rotate hand so that pinkies enter first.
Kick: Flutter Kick (Same as the front crawl). Only difference: Toes (not heels) just break the surface of the water.
Breathing/Timing: Face is out of water-breathe when needed
CUES: Windmill, Thumb out, Pinkie In
Elementary Back Stroke:
Uses symmetrical arm and leg motion
Body Position: Stroke is done while on your back. Face is out of the water with ears submerged.
Arm Stroke: “Monkey”: arms are out, bent at elbow, with hands in armpits.
“Airplane”: Arms are straight out to side (forms 90 degree angle with body)
“Soldier”: Arms are flat against sides, touching sides of thighs
After “soldier,” return to monkey by bringing hands up the side of the body- “zip up.”
Kick: Whip kick- legs bend at knee and circle around in a whipping motion.
Glide: Legs straight and together. From the glide drop heels towards bottom of pool. Next, bring heels out towards side (keep knees close together). Then whip feet back together in a glide. Hold the glide.
Breathing/timing: Face is out of water-breather when needed.
CUES: Monkey, Airplane, Soldier-arms
Down, out, and around- kick
CONTINUED ON BACK PAGE
Breaststroke:
Uses symmetrical arm and leg motion
Body Position: Face down in the water. Waterline is at the hairline.
Arms Stroke: Glide position is arms straight out, together, in front of body. From glide position, press hands out to just wider than your shoulder. Bend elbows and press downward and backward (until they just pass elbows). Then sweep inward to chest (bring hands under chin). ALWAYS keep elbows higher than hands and lower than shoulders. They should NEVER pass behind your shoulders.
Kick: Same as the elementary backstroke. This time you are on your stomach. Spread the knees farther apart than in the elementary backstroke. From the glide (legs straight out together), drop knees down to the bottom of the pool. Then bring heels out. Finally, whip feet back together (glide). Hold the glide.
Breathing: As you pull back and down with the arms, your mouth will clear the surface of the water so you can take a breath. Exhale in a slow steady manner until your next breath. Breathe during each arm stroke.
CADENCE CUES: Pull, Breathe, Kick, Glide
Scoop a bowl of ice cream, read a book
Safety Topics:
NEVER swim alone: no matter how good of a swimmer you are, anything can happen. There should always be someone with you that can help or get help. Even the best swimmers get cramps or can become exhausted.
Swim only in supervised areas: When swimming at a public beach or pool, make sure a lifeguard is on duty. Public beaches have marked swimming areas. If you swim out of these areas you are unsupervised and may be in dangerous waters, such as near a boat launch, sudden drop-offs, or excessively weedy areas.
Never chew gum while you swim: It is very easy to choke on gum or food while swimming. Swimming requires different breathing patterns making it easier to inhale gum or food, causing you to choke.
The dangerous Too’s: TOO tired, TOO cold, TOO far from safety, TOO much sun, and TOO much hard playing. All of these can cause a water emergency. Hypothermia can set in even when the weather is warm (especially in the spring or fall when the water is cold). When tired it is easier to suffer from exhaustion, making you unable to move through the water to safety. Too much sun can cause heat injuries (heat exhaustion, heat cramps, and heat stroke) which can lead to the shutdown of vital organs and death. Warning signs include flushed face, dizziness, cramping (especially in legs and abdomen), nausea, and disorientation.
Always check the water depth before entering: Even diving AND jumping into water, injury can occur from water that is shallower than you believe. It is also unsafe to enter water that is deeper than you believe, especially if you are not a proficient swimmer. If entering water where the depth is unknown, enter feet-first and slowly.
Use common sense about swimming after eating: Although you do not have to wait the hour or half hour to swim after eating, it is wise to let digestion begin after eating a large meal. Digestion requires energy transported by blood flow. When exercising immediately after eating, blood is redirected to the muscles. Digesting is put on hold. You are more likely to suffer from cramps, causing swimming complications.
Always use Coast-Guard approved life jackets: If you can raise your arms and slip through the life-jacket it is TOO BIG. There are 5 types of approved life-saving jackets and/or devices.
Type-1 life preserver: Turns an unconscious person from a face-down position to a slightly vertical or tipped back position in the water.
Type-2 buoyant vest: same as above but provides less buoyancy.
Type-3 special-purpose device: Same as Type-1, but this jacket is more comfortable for active water sports.
Type-4 buoyant cushions and ring buoy: can be thrown to a victim in an emergency. They are NOT designed to be worn.
Type 5- restricted-use life-jacket: Approved for specific activities such as commercial white-water rafting. It is used when a regular (Type 1 or 2) life-jacket would interfere, or when more protection is needed (i.e. hard shell for white water rafting).