Swimming

Back to: PHYSICAL HEALTH EDUCATION JSS3

Welcome to class! 

In today’s class, we will be talking about swimming. Enjoy the class!

Swimming

Swimming is a sport or activity of propelling oneself through water using the limbs. Gymnastics is a sport involving the performance of exercises requiring strength, flexibility, balance and control. Swimming is a sport that involves the propulsion of the body through water by combined arm and leg motions and the natural floatation of the body. To be a good swimmer, one must master certain swimming styles and advance general swimming skills, and both of these are achieved through regular practice.

Swimming styles

Swimming styles are those styles that are generally accepted as standard, and used in competitions. Swimmers should learn as many styles as possible since it puts the body in different positions, and will use different muscles. The following are descriptions of popular swimming styles usually called strokes:

1. Front Crawl: This is also known as freestyle stroke. It calls for the swimmer to kick hard with the feet while bringing the arms over the head and into the water one at a time. The body must be kept as straight as possible, as any lateral movements will cause the swimmer to slow down. The swimmer must also learn how to time his breathing with the movement of each stroke.
2. Backstroke: This has many similarities to the front crawl, except that the swimmer floats on his back rather than propelling his front through the water first. The swimmer begins the stroke by floating in the water with his lungs on the surface, but the rest of the body beneath the water. The body should be kept horizontal as one moves through the water; this is achieved through leg kicks. This stroke involves pulling the water beneath the body, which resultantly propels the body through the water.
   

3. Butterfly: This stroke calls for one to bring both arms over the head at the same time and push them into the water to propel oneself. The butterfly stroke uses a dolphin-style kick, which means that the legs will stay straight and together as one kicks them through the water. When using the butterfly stroke, one must remember to stabilize oneself with the core of the body and create a rhythm between the underwater and above-water portions of the stroke.
4. Breaststroke: This uses a frog-style kick; where a swimmer bends his knees and then kick the legs out beneath the water. The arm stroke begins with a sweep out from the breast and then a sweep in back to the breast. The swimmer must ensure that his body remains completely straight between the strokes, as he will allow the body to move through the water easily.
   

5. Sidestroke: This stroke is important or swimmers, as it can be used to rescue someone since it only requires one arm. The stroke resembles picking apples, as you will float on your side, reach up like when picking an apple and then reach down like when putting the apple into a basket. A swimmer can glide in-between strokes, which allows him to move easily through the water while tugging along some person or thing.

Swimming skills

Beginners usually find swimming difficult until they are in tune with their basic skills. Swimming skills are acquired through regular practice, and when mastered one becomes naturally comfortable with water making swimming fun. Basic swimming skills include:

1. Water Comfort: This is the most basic and essential swimming skill. To become more comfortable in the water, spend time in a shallow pool or wading in the ocean. Never enter the water alone, especially if you are not a strong swimmer.
2. Breath Control: Breathing is often difficult for beginners. With water all around, having some water enter the nose and mouth is a common occurrence. Learning to control one’s breathing is a key component in learning how to swim, and it begins with simple exercises such as drawing a breath, submerging, blowing bubbles and then resurfacing for another breath.
   

3. Floating: This involves keeping the body in a horizontal position in the water If you accidentally fall in the water, you may be able to float until you are rescued, even if you are not strong enough to swim to safety. Humans are naturally buoyant, and floating is not difficult.
4. Kicking: This provides propulsion through the water. Once you are comfortable with floating, kicking is the logical next step. Kicking is also used in treading water, which is the process of remaining in one place while keeping the head above the waterline.
5. Strokes: These are the arm movements used to pull the body through the water. The front crawl, sidestroke, breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly are the five most common swimming strokes. Each stroke uses different body positioning, breathing techniques and arm movements.

Swimming equipment

These are equipment that makes it easy and safe to swim. They include the following:

1. Goggles: This protects the eyes from chlorine and anything else that may be in the water, and they help keep the eyes open while swimming to see where one is going.
2. Fins: These fit on the feet and add propulsion to kicks (it bears semblance to a duck’s webfoot). Fins are great training for the legs and will help one to swim faster. They come in long fins for beginners and short fins for advance swimmers, to help you go faster without overworking your legs.
3. Hand paddle: These attach to the hands and add propulsion to 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.
   

4. Gloves: Like hand paddles, gloves add resistance for the arms. These might be a better choice than paddles if one is just starting with resistance exercises in the water.
5. Noodle: This is a flexible, tube-shaped floatation device that is wrapped under the arms or around the waist to keep a swimmer buoyant so that he can keep moving in the water.
6. Aqua jogger: This is a floatation device that one wears like a belt. Like a noodle, it permits a swimmer to keep on moving without fatigue, so that he can work on strokes as well as strength.
7. Bathing caps: These can serve several purposes. Bathing caps are worn by individuals with long hair to keep hair from getting into the pool, or to protect their hair from the chlorine in the water. One may also decide to wear a bathing cap to cut down on resistance in the water.

 

In our next class, we will be talking about Recreation, Leisure and Dance Activities.  We hope you enjoyed the class.

Should you have any further question, feel free to ask in the comment section below and trust us to respond as soon as possible.

School Owner? Looking for ready-made content and tools to save time and grow easily? Book a free demo session now

Get more class notes, videos, homework help, exam practice on Android [DOWNLOAD]

Get more class notes, videos, homework help, exam practice on iPhone [DOWNLOAD]