Swimming

SWIMMING
IMPORTANCE OF
SWIMMING
• Swimming increases the

metabolism and helps energize
your body and mind. It really is
the only exercise like it.
Swimming is the only exercise
that has an effect on the entire
body.
IMPORTANCE OF
SWIMMING
• Additionally, doctors suggest

swimming to patients after
surgery because the density of
water takes pressure off of their
bones and joints which helps
them recover without additional
pain.
• Swimming has been
recorded since
prehistoric times; the
earliest recording of
swimming dates back to
Stone Agepaintings from
around 7,000 years
ago. Written references
date from 2000 BC.
• Ancient times
Cave paintings from the
Stone Age were found in
the "Cave of Swimmers"
near Wadi Sora on the
Gilf Kebir plateau in
southwestern Egypt,
near the Libyan border.
These pictures seem to
show breaststroke or
dog paddle, although it
may also be possible
that the movements
have a ritual meaning
• Competitive swimming in Europe started around 1800, mostly
using breaststroke. Swimming was part of the first modern
Olympic games in 1896 in Athens. 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.
• Medley is a combination
of four different
swimming styles into one
race. This race is either
swum by one swimmer
as individual medley (IM)
or by four swimmers as
a medley relay.
1. Freestyle
• Also known as the front crawl,
freestyle is the fastest and most
efficient competitive swimming
stroke. Often referred to as a
long-axis stroke, the technique
for swimming freestyle is
maintaining a fully horizontal,
face-down position. The head
remains in a neutral position
except for each time the
swimmer takes a breath.
• The arm stroke and body position
work in tandem with the body
rolling gently from one side to the
other along with the arm that is
pulling out of the water for a full
stroke and taking a breath.
Finally, swimmers get a great
2. Backstroke
• The backstroke is the only stroke

not performed facing downward.
This stroke is another long-axis
stroke that uses many of the same
principles and body positioning as
the front crawl or freestyle but
performed on one’s back.
• With the swimmer’s face looking up
at the sky or ceiling, it’s essential to
maintain head and hip alignment or
else the hips will drop and the
swimmer will lose proper position,
speed and efficiency. The arm pull
is the reverse of the freestyle,
focusing on the thumb exiting the
water first and the pinky entering
3. Breaststroke
• The basic principle behind
swimming the breaststroke is
summed up in the mantra:
pull, breathe, kick and glide.
One of the most important
aspects of understanding
breaststroke, performed in a
face-down position, is the
glide, which takes place at the
beginning and end of each
stroke cycle. The arm pull
features four phases: glide,
outsweep, insweep and
recovery, while the leg motion
is similar to a frog’s kick.
4. Butterfly
• Many swimmers look in awe at
butterfly swimmers, wondering
how to do butterfly stroke with
such ease and grace. It’s a
complex stroke that requires
coordination, strength and
practice.
• In a face-down position, the
swimmer starts with their head in
a neutral position, their arms
shoulder-width apart and their
palms facing down. The swimmer
pulls both arms down, out and
SWIMMING FACILITIES
BASIC TERMS
• Deck :
The hard surface around

the pool.
• Flags :
Triangular pennants alternating two or more contrasting colors

suspended on line stretched over each lane; Short course
yard pool they are 15 feet from the wall, in a meter pool they
are 5 meters from the wall. Used primarily to notify
backstrokers the wall is coming!
• Lane :
Specific area in which

the swimmer is
assigned to swim.
• Lane Lines :
The floating markers

which separate adjacent
lanes. The first 5 yards (or
meters) and the last 5
yards (or meters) of the
lane line are usually
marked as one solid color.
This to alert swimmers for
turns. In between the lines
usually alternate colors.
• Lap :
Distance from one end of

the pool to the other end
and back. In a 25 yard
pool a lap is 50 yards, in
a 50 meter pool a lap is
100 meters.
Pool :
The body of water we hope you will be moving through and getting out of at the end
of a
Wall :
Vertical portion of the pool, or the touch pad at the end of the course.
• Long course :
Used as both an adjective and a noun in describing a 50 meter long pool.
Short course :
Used as both an adjective and a noun in most of the world to describe a 25 meter
long pool. In the United States, it commonly describes a 25 yard pool.
• Touch pad :
Part of an automatic
timing device placed on
wall of each lane that
will register the time
when the swimmer
completes the
distance. The unit is
activated when
touched by whatever
part of the body that
hits it first, be it the
hand, head or foot.
Swimmers /
Officials
• Team :
A group of swimmers representing the

same club.
FINA (Federation Internationale

Natation Amateur): the world's
governing body of swimming.
Heat the division of an event in which

there are too many swimmers to
compete at one time.
Stroke judge the official who inspects

competitors to determine that the
stroke being used is legal.
Turn Judge is the official who ensures

that all turns are completed correctly in
a race.
• Gliding-The swimmer is
stretched with the arms to
the front, the head between
the arms and the feet to the
back. This streamlined
shape minimizes resistance
and allows the swimmer to
glide, for example after a
start, a push off from a wall,
or to rest between strokes.
Bubbling - inhaling air out

from the water, exhaling air
when in the water as
producing bubbles in the
Materials in
Swimming
• Kickboard :
A flat rectangular piece

of styrofoam used to
isolate leg muscles in
kick sets.
• Swim Cap
Swim cap prevents your
hair from heading
towards your eyes. Swim
caps are usually made up
of plastic or rubber.
Remember to dry your
cap properly after usage
and sprinkle some talc
on it.
• Pull buoy :
Usually two cylinders of

styrofoam tied together
with rope and placed
between the legs. It
enables you to focus on
your pull without
kicking. (also called pull
girt)
• Googles
Goggles are essential

parts of swimming
accessory. You have to
choose these carefully, for
a wrong choice lead to
problems in future,
regarding which you
might have to repent.
Goggles' role is to keep
the water out of your
eyes. Never compromise
on quality and try out
different pairs to find
which one is right for
• Stopwatches
These are timing

devices that let one
decide on time
accurately. A
swimming
competition is just
not possible sans
stopwatches.

Swimming

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SWIMMING

• Swimming increases the

• Additionally, doctors suggest

• The backstroke is the only stroke

The hard surface around

Triangular pennants alternating two or more contrasting colors

Specific area in which

The floating markers

Distance from one end of

A group of swimmers representing the

FINA (Federation Internationale

Heat the division of an event in which

Stroke judge the official who inspects

Turn Judge is the official who ensures

Bubbling - inhaling air out

A flat rectangular piece

Usually two cylinders of

Goggles are essential

These are timing

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