1-
History & Object
2- Strokes
3-The
Essentials (events, scoring,
etc.)
4- Pool
Diagram
5- Diving
The Essentials
Strokes
It is helpful to understand
basic swim strokes before learning
about competitive swimming events.
There are four major strokes
used during swimming races.
While others exist, such as
the sidestroke and dog paddle,
only the crawl, backstroke,
breaststroke, and butterfly
are used in competition.
Crawl (Freestyle):
The fastest stroke. Consists
of flutterkick a scissor-like
kick and overhead alternating
arm pulls, like a windmill.
Crawl is swum during 8 of the
11 events, including the 50
freestyle (or free”),
100 free, 200 free, 500 free,
the last section (or leg) of
the individual medley, the last
leg of the medley relay, and
in both freestyle relays. Technically,
any stroke may be swum during
a freestyle” event;
however, all swimmers elect
to swim the crawl because it
is faster than any other stroke.
Because all freestyle races
require swimming more than one
lap, swimmers execute a flip
turn” to turn around at
the wall and push off to start
the next lap.
Backstroke:
The only stroke swum on
a persons back. Consists
of flutterkick and backwards
alternating arm pulls. Backstroke
is swum during 3 of 11 swim
events: 100 backstroke, one
leg of the individual medley,
and one leg of the medley relay.
Swimmers use a flip turn to
start each additional lap. Also
called back.”
Breaststroke:
Consists of a frog kick
and a double-armed pull and
shrug through the water. Legs,
as well as arms, must always
been moving in unison. Tends
to be the slowest stroke. Breaststroke
is swum during 3 of 11 swim
events: 100 breaststroke, one
leg of the individual medley,
and one leg of the medley relay.
Swimmers touch the wall with
both hands on the turn and execute
a long pull-down underwater
before surfacing. Also called
breast.”
Butterfly: Consists
of a dolphin kick and a double-armed
pull over the water, in which
both arms move together. Legs,
as well as arms, must always
move in unison. Butterfly is
swum during 3 of 11 swim events:
100 butterfly, one leg of the
individual medley, and one leg
of the medley relay. At the
end of each lap, swimmers touch
the wall with both hands, turn,
and dolphin kick underwater
before resurfacing. Also called
fly.”
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