Applied swimming is the ability of a person to keep balance in the water, that is, to have swimming skills and to move in the water.

Applied swimming is designed to fulfill the assigned applied tasks. The tasks can be:

1. Swim over an obstacle in the water.

2. Providing first aid to a drowning man.

3. Remove certain items from the bottom of the pool.

4. Moving objects over an obstacle in the water and more.

The ability to swim is necessary for people of many specialties, for example, fishermen, biologists, naval workers, or rescuers.

Applied swimming

includes:

1. Swimming with original, combined or sports swimming methods.

2. Movement under water or diving.

3. Applied diving.

4. Rescue a drowning person and help swimmers who are tired.

5. Swimming in extreme conditions.

6. Overcoming obstacles in the water.

To solve the problems of applied swimming, the technique is used sports ways swimming, mainly a breaststroke and a crawl on the chest as well as a crawl on the back. In addition, various elements of sports swimming methods are used, for example, swimming with a breaststroke or crawl only with the movement of the legs and a combination of elements of sports methods, such as legs crawl and arms breaststroke at the same time. Purely applied swimming methods include swimming on the side and breaststroke on the back.

Diving and jumping into the water is of great practical importance. When diving, a slightly modified technique of sports methods of swimming is used: crawl, breaststroke, or a combination of the technique of these methods. In addition, lateral swimming elements and dolphin style can be used. For a quick dive from a support position, for example, from a boat or shore, they use diving into the water upside down, or downside down. In addition, from the unsupported position, you can plunge down with your feet or head.

Applied types of swimming

1. Backstroke - applied swimming method

The breaststroke on the back has no sporting value, but it has great applied value. Swimming on the back with the help of breaststroke leg movements, it is very convenient to provide assistance to a tired friend and transport the victim. This method is also convenient for relaxing during a long voyage. The breaststroke on the back is quickly mastered by those who know the technique of swimming breaststroke on the chest and who know how to swim on the back "in their own way"

2. Swimming on the side - an applied way of swimming

The main purpose of the method on the side is applied. Using it, you can swim long distances in clothes, tow a tired person in the water, transport a victim.

The method on the side has no sporting significance: swimming competitions in this way are not held and records are not registered, therefore in sports schools and sections it is not studied. It is advisable to teach the method on the side to those who know how to swim “in their own way” on their side, who have limited time for swimming: pre-conscripts and military personnel, instructors-social activists, workers of OSVOD. People swim on their left or right side, depending on their individual characteristics.

Diving

Swimming underwater without artificial respiration is an important applied skill. It applies to salvation drowning people, searching for and retrieving objects from the bottom, during spearfishing and photographing. Swimmers with average physical data, after 3-5 workouts, can hold their breath for 30 to 60 seconds and swim under water from 20 to 30 m during this time.

There are two types of diving - depth and length. Long diving is sometimes referred to as underwater swimming.

Diving

Simple jumps into the water are performed with feet and head first. Jumping legs forward are used when the depth of the water and the nature of the bottom are unknown, as well as when jumping in clothes. In other cases, head jumps can be used.

Swimming in extreme conditions

Swimming in strong waves or currents. It is necessary to check the movement in the direction of the wave. In order for the wave not to disturb the inhalation, exhalation must be performed away from the oncoming waves. If the wave is oncoming, then it is better to crawl, crawl on the side, with a passing wave - breaststroke. If you hit the current, it is better to go with the current, approaching the shore.

Rescue a drowning person and help swimmers who are tired

Rescuing drowning people and helping swimmers who are tired are also considered to be sections of applied swimming. The rescuer who performs the actions can be divided into stages:

1. Entering the water.

2. Swimming up to a drowning or injured person.

3. Search for the victim who is under water.

4. Release from grapples that may be possible.

5. Transportation to the shore.

6. Provision of necessary assistance ashore.

Each of these stages is important, since the life of a drowning person, and sometimes the lifeguard himself, depends on the qualifications of the rescuer.

Swimming- this is an extremely useful activity that is recommended to everyone and everyone. It comprehensively develops all the muscles of the body, and. Being in the water tones up, so you can exercise for a longer time. It is not for nothing that they say that the one who cannot swim loses half his life. However, in order to receive maximum effect from classes, you need to know the types and styles of swimming, and be able to perform them in practice. Let's consider the issue in more detail.

• sports- includes a wide variety of sports disciplines in the water. As a rule, they consist in overcoming the required distance for the maximum a short time... And, sometimes, just overcoming a certain distance, like in a triathlon.
• applied- swimming in water, associated with solving specific problems. For example, saving a drowning man.
• synchronous- girls in swimsuits perform elements in the water to the music. It looks beautiful, however, it requires maximum coordination and effort of each team member.
• play- they are treated as serious Olympic disciplines e.g. water polo and simple games in the style of "catch me".
• wellness- swimming and doing different exercises in water is recommended for the prevention and treatment of many diseases and injuries. However, for such classes, you need to either find a suitable instructor, or immediately contact a specialized center.
• underwater- perhaps oldest species swimming, since even in ancient times, people dived deep into water bodies to get ... anything from pearls to lost keys.
• diving- a spectacular sport and very traumatic when trying to repeat. Never jump into water in open bodies of water. Seriously, even if you are absolutely sure you will not hit the bottom, you shouldn't risk it. You can easily break your spine or twist your neck.

Swimming styles

Swimming style determines not only how fast you will cover the distance, and how quickly you get tired, but also the muscles that are included in the work when moving. Therefore, in your studies, we recommend that you choose a couple of suitable techniques and use them alternately. To distribute the load more evenly and not get tired for a long time.

Freestyle (crawl)

In general, the concept “ freestyle»Came to us from big sport because there is such a sports discipline where swimmers are allowed to swim in any way. Yes, you can swim even backwards, but despite this, all athletes use a crawl. It's simple - it's faster this way. Yes, this method is more exhausting, however, this way you will cover more distance in a minimum of time, which is more important in competitions.

When swimming, you need to move with wide and alternating movements of the arms, while the legs make movements in the vertical plane. At the same time, according to the technique, most of the time the head should be kept in the water, raising it in order to take a breath. It is not recommended to keep it above water all the time, as it can injure the neck.

Backstroke

Not only a sports discipline, but also great way don't drown. Are you tired? Roll over onto your back, don't drown. It takes very little strength to maintain the position. In addition, you can move slowly but surely, making movements with your legs. Despite the fact that it seems like a lazy style, in sports, swimmers develop really high speeds by working with their hands. Naturally, this requires proper preparation and flexibility, especially in the shoulders.

Breaststroke

In other words - " frog style". In fact, it is very similar to the movement of this creature, since all movements are performed in a horizontal plane. As with backstroke, this method takes up little strength, therefore it is used to overcome long distances.

Butterfly

As the name suggests, you will have to move like a butterfly, performing symmetrical strokes with both hands. The swimmer pushes himself out of the water while simultaneously performing wave-like and synchronous leg movements. If you want to fizzle out in a couple of minutes, use this style as it is the most energy consuming of all.

Swimming is one of the most popular and popular sports. Swimming is undoubtedly one of the healthiest activities physical activity... The purpose of this article is to familiarize the reader with the types of swimming and some water sports.

According to the classification of the International Olympic Committee (IOC) swimming as a sport, includes: sports swimming, water polo, diving and synchronized swimming... The coordination of the development of swimming in the world is carried out by the International Swimming Federation (FINA), founded in 1908 and holding world championships since 1973, and in Europe - by the European Swimming League (LEN), created in 1926 and holding European championships since 1926. By the number of medals played for Olympic Games ah, swimming is second only to athletics.

You can consider swimming not as a set of water sports, but from the point of view of the purpose of movement. Then swimming can be divided into several types (sports, applied, health, figure, play, underwater). Each type of swimming is characterized by special movements or modes of movement in the aquatic environment. And the method of movement in the water, in turn, determines the technique of swimming.

Let's present the above in the form of a diagram and consider in more detail the types of swimming and some types of water sports.

Sports swimming

Sports swimming includes various kinds of competitions held in pools with a length of 50 or 25 meters at a distance of 50 to 1500 meters, as well as in open water in the form of swimming long distances(5, 10, 25 km). The winner is the swimmer (team) who is the first to finish.

The distance must be overcome in various ways, strictly regulated by the rules of the competition. Sports swimming methods include: freestyle (crawl on the chest), butterfly (dolphin), breaststroke, backstroke (crawl on the back). In terms of speed, the fastest way to swim is a chest crawl, followed by butterfly, back crawl and breaststroke.

Sports swimming methods (from left to right): back crawl, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle

Swimming was included in the program of the First Olympic Games of 1896, held in Athens. Then the following distances were presented: 100 meters, 500 meters, 1200 meters freestyle and 100 meters for sailors.

At present Olympic swimming program in 50 yards pool includes 32 numbers (16 distances for men and 16 for women):

• single swimming in sports ways at various distances: freestyle (50, 100, 200, 400, 800 meters for women and 50, 100, 200, 400 and 1500 meters for men), back crawl (100 and 200 meters), breaststroke ( 100 and 200 meters), butterfly (100 and 200 meters),
• complex swimming (200 and 400 meters). Equal segments of the distance are overcome by different swimming methods, alternating in a clear sequence;
• freestyle relay 4 * 100 and 4 * 200 meters. Four swimmers alternately swim in freestyle for the same segment;
• combined relay race 4 * 100 meters. Each participant swims his stage in a certain way of swimming.

Since 2008, the Olympic program has included open water marathon swimming at a distance of 10 km.

World championships and others program international competitions somewhat different from the Olympic. In addition, short run competitions (in a 25-meter pool) are held separately.

A variety of sports swimming are swims- Swimming over long distances (more than 2 km), carried out on natural reservoirs. Marathon heats are held at a distance of 5, 10, 25 km. There are known swims up to 100 - 150 km long. Participants in swims have the right to use any swimming methods at a distance, change them while overcoming the distance, and also take food while in the water in an unsupported position.

Sports swimming at various distances is included as compulsory exercise v different kinds all-around (modern pentathlon, officer's pentathlon, etc.).

Following the links, you can get acquainted with the successes of the Soviet and Russian Olympians, read about the outstanding swimmers and swimmers of the world, read.

Play swimming

Play swimming- This is the use of all kinds of outdoor games in the aquatic environment. Games evoke great emotion, increase activity, develop coordination, and foster a sense of camaraderie and initiative. Various games and entertainment are widely used in health camps and during the organization of water holidays. One of these games - water polo - has become an Olympic sport.

- sports team game with the ball on the water, the goal of the game is to throw the ball into the opponent's goal as many times as possible and not let the ball into your own goal. The game takes place in a pool measuring 30x20 meters, with a depth of at least 180 cm. There are marking lines at the bottom of the water field, they are also indicated by floats of different colors along the border of the pool. The game involves 2 teams, 7 players each, one of them is the goalkeeper. Gate size: 3 meters wide, 90 cm high. The goalkeeper is the only player on the team who can touch the ball with both hands. A water polo ball is similar to a volleyball, it must not absorb water, the color of the ball is usually yellow, the circumference is from 68 to 71 cm, the weight is from 400 to 450 grams (there are 3 sizes in total: for children, juniors and adults). The game consists of 4 periods, lasting 8 minutes of net time. Each team can have possession of the ball for a maximum of 30 seconds.

Water polo was invented in the second half of the 19th century by the Scotsman William Wilson. The prototype of the game was rugby. Water polo is one of the oldest Olympic sports. Men's water polo entered the Olympic program in 1900, and women's water polo only 100 years later. The largest number of medals in the Olympic Games (gold and total) were won by Hungarian water polo players. Soviet water polo players have been participating in the Olympic Games since 1952 and have repeatedly won Olympic medals (2 gold, 2 silver, 3 bronze). Russian water polo players have 1 silver and 2 bronze medals.

The World Water Polo Championship for men has been held since 1973, for women since 1986 under the auspices of FINA.

Sports diving

Sports diving- one of the most spectacular competitions in aquatic species sports. Athletes jump from a springboard or platform, performing a number of acrobatic actions (screws, turns, rotations) during the jump. There are single jumps and synchronous double jumps. The judges evaluate the run-up and stance on the apparatus, take-off, quality of execution acrobatic elements in flight, entry into the water and synchronicity (in pair jumps).

Sports diving

Diving shells are:

1. Springboard- a special spring board, one end of which is fixed to the side of the pool. Board size: length - 4.8 meters, width 50 cm. The front edge of the springboard protrudes from the edge of the pool at least 1.5 meters. Performing a springboard jump, the athlete first swings on it and then, pushing off powerfully, jumps into the water. The springboard is one meter and three meters.
2. Tower- a structure with several platforms at different heights. Each platform is 2 meters wide and 6 meters long. The edge of the platform protrudes at least 1.5 meters beyond the edge of the pool. Jumps are performed from a platform of 5, 7.5 and 10 meters.

Each sports jump has its own coefficient of difficulty (from 1.2 to 3.9). Jumping into the water is distinguished: starting position- from the front and rear racks, from the handstand; in the direction of rotation - forward, backward and with screws (rotation around the longitudinal axis). Jumps from the A-pillar can be performed from a standing position or from a run. The combination of various elements allows you to perform more than 60 options for jumping from a springboard and more than 90 from a platform.

As a sport, diving appeared in the middle of the 19th century in Germany. For the first time, single jumps entered the program of the Olympic Games in 1904, synchronized in 2000. The most successful athletes in this sport were athletes from the United States, who won more than 130 by 2013 Olympic medals(more than a third of which are gold). At the Olympic Games, 8 sets of medals are played: 4 sets are played out for men and women in jumps from a 3-meter springboard (single and synchronous) and a 10-meter platform (single and synchronous). Diving is included in the program of the World and European Aquatics Championships.

Figure swimming

Figured (artistic, synchronized) swimming is a collection of different movements, including elements of choreography, acrobatic and gymnastic combinations... Can be performed individually (solo), in pairs and in groups. Synchronized swimming is one of the most beautiful sports.

Synchronized swimming originated in Canada in the 1920s, when this type of swimming was called "water ballet". Olympic view synchronized swimming became a sport in 1984. The competition consists of a technical (compulsory) and a long (free) program. In the technical program, athletes must perform certain figures to the music. V free program there are no restrictions on musical or choreographic composition. A jury of 10 judges evaluates the technique and artistry of the performance on a 10-point scale. By the total number of medals for Olympic history this sport is ahead of the Japanese woman (12 awards). At the Olympic Games in 2000, 2004, 2008, 2012 All gold medals were won by the Russian national team - this is the largest number of gold medals in the Olympic synchronized swimming.

Applied swimming

Applied swimming- the ability of a person to stay on the water (that is, to have the skill of swimming) and to perform vital actions and measures in the water.

Applied swimming is used when performing certain applied tasks, such as swimming across a water hazard, helping a drowning or tired swimmer, retrieving objects from the bottom, transporting objects across a water hazard, etc. The ability to swim is necessary for people of many professions, for example, fishermen, naval workers, biologists, military personnel, geologists, rescuers.

Applied swimming includes:

• swimming in sports, original and combined swimming methods
• diving and movement under water
• applied diving
• rescue drowning and help tired swimmers
• swimming in extreme conditions
• overcoming water obstacles

To solve the problems of applied swimming, the technique of sports methods of swimming is used (crawl on the chest, breaststroke on the chest, crawl on the back, dolphin), elements of sports methods of swimming (for example, swimming only with the help of leg movements by crawl or breaststroke) and a combination of elements of sports methods (for example , legs crawl - arms breaststroke), purely applied methods of swimming (swimming on the side, breaststroke on the back).

More often than others, breaststroke, breaststroke on the back, swimming on the side are used to transport drowning people; for a quick swim up to the object - a crib on the chest (if the swimmer is not constrained by clothes); for overcoming long distances - breaststroke, crawl on the chest without arms, for transporting goods - breaststroke on the back, breaststroke on the chest, swimming on the side.

Diving and jumping into the water is of great practical importance. When diving, a slightly modified technique of sports swimming methods is used: breaststroke, crawl, or a combination of the technique of these methods. Sideways and dolphin style swimming elements can also be used. For fast dive from the support position (from the shore, boat) use diving into the water downside down and upside down. From the unsupported position, you can also dive upside down or with your feet.

Rescuing drowning people and helping tired swimmers is also a section of applied swimming. The actions of the rescuer can be divided into stages: entering the water, swimming up to the victim, searching for the victim under water, releasing from possible captures, transporting to the shore, providing first aid on land. Each of these stages is very important, because the life of the rescuer (and sometimes the rescuer himself) depends on the qualifications of the rescuer.

Health-improving swimming

Health-improving swimming- using the features of swimming movements and finding the body in water for therapeutic, prophylactic, restorative, tonic, hygienic, hardening and other purposes. Swimming is one of the most effective means of health improvement. Recreational swimming is used in the system physical education a person throughout his life, from infancy to old age. Swimming has a minimum of restrictions for people with various health impairments, compared to other types of physical exercise.

Swimming regularly have a beneficial effect on human health and performance, trains the maximum number of organs and systems of the body, while being one of the least traumatic types physical activity... Swimming strengthens the cardiovascular and respiratory system, develops and strengthens the musculoskeletal system, helps to form a beautiful silhouette, allows weight control, improves skin smoothness. Children who swim a lot and regularly grow faster. Swimming contributes to the development of endurance and coordination of movements. Swimming allows you to maintain excellent flexibility of the spine and a normal range of motion of the joints until a ripe old age, and prevents the development of osteochondrosis. Swimming has a beneficial effect on nervous system engaged. Swimming improves sleep, reduces stress, relieves stress and increases performance. A person who regularly swims is less susceptible to colds due to the improvement of the thermoregulation mechanism.

Swimming is recommended as remedy with various curvatures of the spine, posture defects, degenerative joint diseases, respiratory and cardiovascular systems, obesity, neurosis, for recovery from operations and injuries.

V recreational swimming a wide variety of swimming methods can be used (both sports and recreational), and special exercises in the water, game swimming elements.

Diving

Diving- This is a person's swimming underwater with the help of various supporting means and devices. Scuba diving also exists as a type (more precisely, a group of types) of underwater sports. Underwater sport is a broad concept that includes a set of sports disciplines associated with the stay of an athlete partially or completely under the surface of the water. The International Federation underwater sports is the World Confederation of Underwater Activities (CMAS), recognized by the International By the Olympic Committee... However, underwater sports are currently not part of the Olympic Games program.

Underwater sports (from left to right): scuba orienteering, swimming with flippers, underwater rugby, underwater shooting

The disciplines of underwater sports include:

1. Apnea (freediving)
   A group of underwater sports disciplines that require an athlete to perform certain exercises or cover a distance while holding his breath. Competitions are held in the pool and in open water. The following directions of apnea can be distinguished:
   • Dynamic apnea with and without fins (monofin)... The goal is to overcome the maximum distance in length while holding the breath. Competitions are held in the pool.
   • Static apnea... Purpose: to demonstrate the longest possible holding of the breath in a stationary state, lying on the surface of the water with a face submerged in the water. Competitions are held in the pool.
   • Diving with constant or variable weight... Purpose: dive to maximum depth while holding your breath and ascend. Depending on the type, special equipment (drop weights, trolley, fins) may or may not be used. Also, depending on the variety, the descent / ascent along the rope with the help of hands is allowed or not. Competitions are held in open water.
   • Apnea square... Objective: to overcome the maximum distance along the trajectory along the sides of a cube with a side of 15 meters. Competitions are held in open water.
2. Sport diving
   Sports diving competitions are held in the pool in the following disciplines:
   • Combined swimming 300 meters... Goal: cover the distance in the shortest possible time. Part of the distance is required to be covered under water using a basic self-contained breathing apparatus, and part is on the surface using a breathing tube.
   • Obstacle course 100 meters... Objective: to cover the distance in the shortest possible time, while performing certain exercises that demonstrate basic diver skills and overcome special obstacles.
   • Night diving... Purpose: to collect in the shortest possible time three weights, weighing 1 kg, located at a given distance from the trigger end. A light-proof cover is put on the athlete's mask.
   • Lifting the load... Goal: In the shortest possible time, reach a 6 kg load located under water at a distance of 25 meters from the start line. Then lift the load using a standard buoy.
3. Snorkeling with flippers
   The goal of the flippers diving competition is to cover the distance on / under the surface of the water in the least amount of time. Athlete's equipment: swimming suit, bilasts or monofin, mask. In this group of disciplines, there is a very large number of competitive distances, some of which are covered using snorkel and scuba gear.
4. Underwater orienteering
   Underwater orienteering competitions are held in open waters. Athlete's equipment: wetsuit, scuba gear, mask, fins, magnetic compass, log (distance counter) and depth gauge. The task of an athlete is to overcome a certain route with maximum accuracy in a minimum time. The competition program includes various individual ("zones", "landmarks", "star", "map", "parallels") and group exercises("MONK", "command search"). The results are assessed by the accuracy of orientation and by the time it takes to cover the distance.
5. Underwater tourism
   Underwater tourism - participation in expeditions to explore various reservoirs. The readiness of an underwater tourist is assessed by the number and degree of complexity of expeditions, the fulfillment of special control standards.
6. Underwater shooting sports
   Underwater sports shooting - the defeat of fixed and moving targets from a certain distance from an underwater gun. Shooting is carried out without scuba gear while holding the breath. Competitions are held in the pool.
7. Spearfishing
   Spearfishing is carried out in open reservoirs and involves the search and defeat of a live target - fish for a certain time in a given area. Hunting is carried out by holding the breath. Equipment: mask, fins, spear gun or crossbow.
8. Aquatlon (underwater wrestling)
   Aquatlon is a competition between two athletes who make short fights in water and under water holding their breath, trying to get hold of the tape attached to the opponent's ankle. The fight takes place in the ring 5 * 5 meters, the depth of the pool is 2-6 meters. The competition consists of three 30-second rounds. Wrestlers' equipment: bathing suit, fins, mask, 2 cuffs on the ankles, 2 cloth tapes attached to the cuffs.
9. Underwater hockey
   The game involves 2 teams, each of which consists of 6 players, equipped with fins, masks, pipes, clubs. Purpose of the game: to drive the puck into the opponent's goal by pushing it along the bottom of the pool. The size of the hockey pool is 2581582 meters. The length of the gate is 3 meters. The game lasts 2 periods of 15 minutes each.
10. Underwater rugby
    Competitions are held under water in a pool with a depth of 3.5-5 meters. On the playing field, 10-12 meters wide and 15-18 meters long, there are 2 teams, 6 people each. Players' equipment: fins, mask and snorkel. Purpose of the game: to hammer the ball, which has negative buoyancy, into the opponent's basket located at the bottom of the pool. The diameter of the basket is 40-45 cm, the diameter of the ball is 25 cm. The game lasts 2 periods of 15 minutes each.
11. Underwater photography
    Underwater photography is carried out in open water. The task of athletes is to make the most successful photograph from an artistic point of view within a certain time and having a limited number of frames. Equipment: digital camera, basic set of diving equipment.

Swimming is one of the oldest sports. Sports swimming appeared at the end of the 15th century. In 1515, a swimming competition was held in Venice, it was one of the first swimming competitions. In 1538, the first swimming guide by the Dane P. Winman was published. The first swimming schools appeared in the second half of the XVIII - early XIX century in Germany, Austria, Czechoslovakia and France. In the middle of the 19th century, the first artificial pools appeared, and this was due to the sharp rise in the popularity of this sport at the end of the 19th century.

The first European swimming championship was held in 1890. In 1896, swimming was included in the program of the Olympic Games. In 1908 the International amateur federation swimming FINA, and in 1973 this organization united 96 national federations... In Russia at the beginning of the twentieth century, swimming was not as widespread as in Europe. During this period, there were only seven technically imperfect indoor pools in Russia, and yet sports swimming about one and a half thousand people were already engaged. The insufficient number of pools meant that training had to be carried out mainly in open water in the summer. The results were poor. In 1913, the Russian swimming championship was held for the first time. In 1918, the first USSR swimming competition was held in Moscow. In 1920 V.N. Peskov organized the Dolphin swimming sports society, which had an outdoor pool. In the 1920s, several swimming schools were opened in Moscow. In 1921, the first championship of the USSR was played on the Moscow River. Swimming competitions were included in the program of the USSR Spartakiad in 1928. Since then, swimming competitions have been held regularly.

Swimming consists of four sections, which are called sports, game, applied and figured (artistic) swimming.

Sports swimming includes a different nature of the competition in types and distances, determined by special rules. Competitions are held in pools of standard sizes (25 and 50 m) at distances from 50 to 1500 m, as well as in open reservoirs in the form of swims at different distances.

Sports (correct) swimming methods are used in competitions, which, in comparison with original methods, have a great advantage in speed.

Play swimming contains a variety of outdoor games and activities in the water. This type of swimming is mainly used for teaching and training young swimmers. Games evoke great emotions, increase the activity of children, promote the emergence of initiative, foster a sense of camaraderie, etc.

Applied swimming includes techniques for rescuing a drowning person, diving in length and depth, as well as overcoming water obstacles.

Swimming, as such, originated a long time ago. This is evidenced by ancient drawings and pictures that date back to the periods before our era. At the end of the 19th century, this sport entered Olympic program to this day it occupies an important place there.

Swimming styles

• Butterfly, he's a dolphin. This swimming method is considered to be the most technically difficult and tiring one. This is due to the fact that the swimmer needs to synchronously coordinate the movements of the arms and legs, while breathing correctly. Due to a strong hand stroke, the athlete's body rises above the water, while the pelvis needs to make wave-like movements. This swimming style is very fast and ranks second after chest crawl;

• A back dock is technically similar to a chest dock. The athlete should alternate strokes with his hands, while simultaneously working his legs in an up and down trajectory. At the same time, the swimmer's body slides over the surface of the water. The back of the head is submerged in water. The main feature of this style is low start, straight out of the water. Swimming on the back is inferior in speed to crawl and butterfly;

• Freestyle - swimming style (or crawl on the chest); This means that an athlete can cover the distance in any style convenient for him and even change it in the course of the distance. Over the years of the competition, American athletes have managed to improve their crawl swimming technique so much that it was this style that replaced the others during freestyle swimming;

• Breaststroke is one of the main swimming styles in which symmetrical movements of arms and legs are performed parallel to the surface of the water. When this style first appeared, the head was always on the surface of the water. It was later noted that if you submerge your head in water while stroking, your speed increases significantly. Thus, in the modern breaststroke, it is necessary to raise the head only for inhalation.

There are no light or heavy styles in swimming. In order to achieve results in each of the swimming styles, it is necessary to master the technique. Only in this case will the speed become high. For staging correct technique swimming and breathing takes on average from two to three years of active training with a trainer, then work on the result begins. You need to develop endurance, hone your movements to automatism and work on speed.

Basic swimming methods

• Chest swivel
• Back crawl
• Breaststroke
• Butterfly (dolphin)

The four styles listed are the main methods of swimming that are included in the Olympic program of competitions, as well as World and European Championships.

Swimming is very useful view sports, since almost all muscle groups are involved in any style. Athletic swimmers have great figures.

You can start swimming from childhood, but serious training in the pool it is better to start no earlier than 6.5-7 years. This is due to the fact that more Small child distracted by the water, cannot concentrate on the learning process, and also, he cannot stay in cool water in the pool for a long time.

A person who follows the instructions of the coach, exercises conscientiously and has a natural ability to swim can repeat and break the records of such famous swimmers as Michael Phelps, Ian Thorpe, Yana Klochkova, Alexander Popov and many others.