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than 20 min. For the first time, the Japanese, and Tsuruta defeated in distance 200 m breaststroke, and the Japanese team in the relay 4 X 200 m freestyle won second place for the United States team. With the advent of the swimming competitions it became necessary to prepare for them. Especially acutely workout after the revival of the Olympic Games since the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries.In competitions at the Olympics the strongest swimmers every four years fighting for the high title of world champion.

Swim styles

In competitive swimming, four major styles have been established. These have been relatively stable over the last 30-40 years with minor improvements. The four main strokes in swimming are:

•Butterfly (fly).

•Backstroke (back).

•Breaststroke (breast).

•Freestyle (free).

Events in competition may have only one of these styles except in the case of the individual medley, or IM, which consists of all four. In this latter event, swimmers swim equal distances of butterfly, then backstroke, breaststroke, and finally, freestyle. In Olympic competition, this event (called the "IM") is swam in these distances – 200 or 400 meters. Some competition also swims the 100 yard or meter IM - particularly, for younger swimmers (typically under 14 years) involved in club swimming, or masters swimming (over 18).

What are the swimming strokes?

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.

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

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are that your arms pull, you breathe, you kick (arms alternate with the kick), and you glide. Here are details.

The leg kick:

•Bring the knees to chest.

•Thrust the legs backward and straight.

•Snap the legs together to push the water and propel you forward (frog

kick).

The arm stroke:

•Start with the arms overhead.

•Pull on the water, and bring arms toward the chest.

•Keep the hands cupped.

•Return arms to starting position.

The breathing:

•Breathe every time you stroke with your arms.

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.

The leg kick:

•Bend the knees slightly, and keep them together.

•Make a downward thrust by straightening the knees and whipping the feet downward.

•There should be two kicks for every arm stroke.

The arm stroke:

•Move the arms together, and pull through the water with the hands

cupped.

•Face the palms outward, and press down and outward.

•Swing the arms forward above the water in a sweeping motion to complete the stroke.

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The breathing:

•Breathe at the end of the arm stroke.

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 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.

The leg kick:

• Is a flutter kick where the legs kick in an alternating order.

•Bend the knees slightly.

•Relax the feet and ankles (they should be almost floppy).

•Emphasize the up-kick for propulsion. The arm stroke:

•Move the arms in an alternating, windmill pattern as they rotate and pass

your face.

•Cup the hands, and the thumb leaves the water first.

•Move the hands in an "S" pattern when they are pushing the water.

The breathing:

•Keep your head back and eyes toward the ceiling.

•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.

The leg kick:

•It's a flutter kick where the legs kick in an alternating order.

•Bend the knees slightly.

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•Relax the feet and ankles (the should be almost floppy).

•Emphasize the down-kick for propulsion.

The arm stroke:

• Move the arms in an alternating windmill motion.

•Pull each arm through the water with equal strength and arm reach to ensure that you swim straight.

•Pull arms underwater in an "S" pattern.

•Cup the hands but keep the wrist and hand relaxed during recovery.

The breathing:

•Raise one arm to begin the stroke. As the shoulder rises, turn the head to catch a breath.

•Turn the head only enough to leave the water to breathe. Do not lift the head because it will slow you down.

•Take as many breaths as necessary and then exhale through the nose and mouth when the head returns to the water.

•Repeat the head turn to the other side in coordination with the beginning of the opposite arm stroke.

The freestyle flip turn (when swimming the crawl)

There are a couple of options for turning around when you reach the wall during lap swimming. You can simply touch the wall and turn around and start swimming again or you can do a flip turn. The flip turn is essentially a somersault in the water where you flip and turn and use your legs to power-kick off the wall. The flip turn, when completed properly, is fast, efficient, and time-saving. If you've ever watched Olympic swimming, you see the swimmers gracefully execute their flip turns. Here are the basics.

•Start the somersault before reaching the wall by tucking the chin and pulling the knees into a tuck position.

•Blow out air to avoid inhaling water.

•Straighten out the body-tuck halfway through the flip and extend the legs toward the wall.

•You will be on your back at this point.

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•Push off the wall.

•Roll over onto the belly and glide toward the surface of the water.

•Hold the glide until you break the surface of the water, and then start stroking immediately.

The flip turn takes practice, but with consistent work, you can master it. It's worth trying if you swim laps for exercise.

FLY kick

In the past two decades, the most drastic change in swimming has been the addition of the underwater dolphin kick. This is used to maximize the speed at the start and after the turns in all styles other than Breaststroke (where an underwater 'pull-out' is allowed). The first successful use of it was by David Berkoff. At the 1988 Olympics, he swam most of the 100 m backstroke race underwater and broke the world record on the distance during the preliminaries. Another swimmer to use the technique was Denis Pankratov at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, where he completed almost half of the 100 m butterfly underwater to win the gold medal. In the past decade, American competitive swimmers have shown the most use of the underwater dolphin kick to gain advantage, most notably Olympic and World medal winners Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte; however these swimmers are not able to go any further than fifteen metres underwater due to rule changes by FINA.

While the dolphin kick is mostly seen in middle-distance freestyle events and in all distances of backstroke and butterfly, it is not usually used to the same effect in freestyle sprinting. That changed with the addition of the so-called "technical" suits around the European Short Course Championships in Rijeka, Croatia in December 2008. There, Amaury Leveaux set new world records of 44.94 seconds in the 100 m freestyle, 20.48 seconds in the 50 m freestyle and 22.18 in the 50 m butterfly. Unlike the rest of the competitors in these events, he spent at least half of each race submerged using the dolphin kick.

Seasons

Club swimming in the US has two major seasons. During the short-course season, swimmers swim in 25-yard pools. This season lasts from late-September to

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the end of March. The long-course season takes place in 50-meter pools and lasts from April to the end of August.

The longer freestyle events vary in lengths in each season. In the short course season, the 500 yard, 1000 yard, and 1650-yard freestyle events are swum, while during the long course season the 400 meter, 800 meter, and 1500-meter freestyle events are swum instead. However, this difference in distance holds true for all meter pools, i.e. short course meter pools also swim the 400 meter, 800 meter, and 1500 meter freestyle events instead of their yard counterparts.

Training in both short course and long course has become more of an American Standard. Internationally, long course meters is the standard, as seen in the Olympics. This standard of two separate seasons in America may be because it is so much easier for new swimmers to learn to compete in a smaller pool during the short course season. Smaller pools allow for shorter distance races, so for example in short course season if a younger swimmer wanted to compete in a stroke they had just learned, a 25-yard 8 years old and under race is available to them, opposed to the long course season when they would need to be able to swim at least 50 meters of that new stroke in order to compete. Many swimmers in high school, on club teams, and on YMCA teams also use short course swimming pools during their meets.

The seasons in Australia are much the same, although the short course season is, again, made for younger swimmers, and so no short course national events occur. During the short course season, swimmers swim in a 25-meter pool, whilst in the long course season, swimmers swim in a 50-meter pool. All longer freestyle events (including the 400m, 800m and 1500m) can be swum in either season for both males and females, although some restrictions occur due to time restraints and gender physiology at national events. The 1500m event is permitted for males only, and males between the ages of 12 and 13, along with all females are the only swimmers eligible to swim in the 800m freestyle event.

Officials

There are several types of officials, which are needed to manage the competition.

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Referee: The referee has full control and authority over all officials. The referee will enforce all rules and decisions of FINA and shall decide all questions relating to the actual conduct of the meet, and event or the competition, the final settlement of which is not otherwise covered by the rules. The referee takes overall responsibility for running the race and makes the final decisions as to who wins the competition. Referees call swimmers to the blocks with short blasts of his or her whistle. This is the signal for the swimmers to stand next to their blocks. Then the referee will blow a long whistle that will tell the swimmers to step on the block. For backstroke (otherwise known as backcrawl) events, the long whistle is the signal for the swimmers to step in the water. The referee will then blow another long whistle, signalling the swimmers to grab the gutter or the provided block handle (for backstoke/backcrawl events only). The referee will then hand over control to the starter.

Starter: The starter has full control of the swimmers from the time the referee turns the swimmers over to him/her until the race commences. A starter sends the swimmers off the blocks and may call a false start if a swimmer leaves the block before the starter sends them.

Clerk of course: The clerk of course (also called the "bullpen") assembles swimmers prior to each event, and is responsible for organizing ("seeding") swimmers into heats based on their times. Heats are generally seeded from slowest to fastest, where swimmers with no previous time for an event are assumed to be the slowest.

Timekeepers: Each timekeeper takes the time of the swimmers in the lane assigned to him/her. Unless a video backup system is used, it may be necessary to use the full complement of timekeepers even when automatic officiating equipment is used. A chief timekeeper assigns the seating positions for all timekeepers and the lanes for which they are responsible. In most competitions there will be one or more timekeepers per lane. In international competitions where full automatic timing and video placing equipment is in use timekeepers may not be required.

Inspectors of turns: One inspector of turns is assigned to one or more lanes at each end of the pool. Each inspector of turns ensures that swimmers comply with the

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relevant rules for turning as well as the relevant rules for start and finish of the race. Inspectors of turns shall report any violation on disqualification reports detailing the event, lane number, and the infringement delivered to the chief inspector of turns who will immediately convey the report to the referee.

Judges of Stroke: Judges of stroke are located on each side of the pool. They ensure that the rules related to the style of swimming designated for the event are being observed, and observe the turns and the finishes to assist the inspectors of turns.

Finish judges: Finish judges determine the order of finish and make sure the swimmers finish in accordance with the rules (two hands simultaneously for breaststroke and butterfly, on the back for backstroke, etc.)

If an official observes a swimmer breaking a rule concerning the stroke he or she is swimming, the official will report what they have seen to the referee. The referee can disqualify (or DQ) any swimmer for any violation of the rules that he/she personally observes or for any violation reported to them by other authorised officials. All disqualifications are subject to the decision of the referee.

What equipment do I need for 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 (see the resources section). Comfort is the most important quality in selecting a swimsuit. 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

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(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 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

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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 exercises in the water.

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