James H. Sterrett

“ Diving is a necessary part of a swimmer’s knowledge, and once the learner has mastered the simple strokes, there is but one way to enter the water—head first. What is known as the low or shallow dive is not only the best for the beginner, but is useful when one advances to the racing stage in their experience, while being the easiest to learn. To make a good dive, stand perfectly erect, with the hands first placed at the sides of the body, the position being the same as you would assume when making a broad jump. ”

“ To nothing else, so much as breathing, is due the inability of those who can swim to keep up the speed and regularity of movement for an indefinite period.
Annette Kellerman, the wonderful Australian woman swimmer, makes the matter of breathing very clear when she says, “Take a quick gulp of air through the mouth and let it ooze out slowly through the nose.” What could be more simple in explanation? In swimming you breathe entirely different from any other form of exercise, and you will never swim well, easily or far, until you breathe as described above and in unison with each stroke. ”

“ Before describing the over-arm side stroke, we wish to emphasize the fact that the idea is to have a power working continuously on the water, for as the over-arm is being drawn through the water the legs are drawn up and the under-arm is shot forward, and when the over arm extends the legs are brought together, and the body moves through the water with a continuous run, and, when the stroke is properly timed, or the swimmer acquires the alternative action, he glides along quick and fast from the power of each stroke, without much loss of pace. ”

“ The crawl stroke is undoubtedly the greatest stroke that has ever been invented or discovered in connection with the art of swimming, and until its adoption and subsequent improvement by experimenting with it until it was brought up to a high point of efficiency, the swimmers of the world had practically reached their limit of speed performances, having perfected the other strokes beyond further improvement, and thus it was that they were eager to take up the new-found method by which it has been discovered that a person can go still faster through the water. ”

“ If you are swimming with a friend or near another person who gets tired, it is the easiest thing in the world to help him, for all you have to do is to ask him to place his forefingers of both hands upon your shoulders, he lying on his back, his feet kept close together and between your legs, and then you swim the breast stroke, and as you have the use of all your limbs, the person will be very easy to carry for a long distance, providing you swim easy and slowly and do not try to hurry. ”

“ Many of the movements that seem remarkable to the uninitiated, however, are not really hard at all, but can be accomplished with practice, by being persistent and patient until finally acquired.
Among the feats that are at all times interesting and those that stamp the swimmer as being clever, are porpoise swimming; sculling on the back, using hands only; the running header; plunging, feet foremost; the sitting jump; imitation of a torpedo; the back dive; revolving; the twister; back somersault; marching on the water ”

“ But until everyone who attends school is taught to swim and be competent to take care of themselves in the water under all conditions, life-saving must be part of the educational work of swimming, in fact, made a strong feature of natatorial instruction; therefore, it behooves the skilled swimmer to learn the best ways to approach a person in the water who may need help, and better still, to know how to release one’s self from the death-grip of a drowning person. ”

“ It is much better to take the quick breath through the mouth and then submerge the head and exhale through the nose under water, for once you have mastered this you have learned the real secret of success in swimming. ”

“ If you swim on the right side you begin the movements of the double-over-arm stroke by diving into the water, or pushing off on your side from the side or end of the tank, or the shore, and, when at full length, with right hand under the water and extended beyond the head, and the left hand pointing backward, and at the count of “one,” bring the right hand downward, on the inside line of the body, and not behind the back, for this movement will keep you on your side like a cutter, while if you pull downwards and back of the body, you will be thrown on your chest too soon and stop your run. ”

“ Probably no other form of exercise or competitive sport among women and girls has advanced so rapidly in the United States as that of swimming, and with the recognition of women swimmers by registration in the Amateur Athletic Union, contests and championship events have been held in various cities throughout the United States, from the Atlantic to the Pacific, with the result that our women swimmers are rapidly coming to the front in speed swimming, and their records at various distances are very close to the best world’s marks for those of their sex. ”

“ Make the stroke easy, and in proper timing, or co-ordination, breathe regularly and with precision on each stroke, and, above all, do not keep the limbs stiff or rigid, but relax, as swimming is not a matter of strength or force, but skill.
Be patient and persistent and you will soon acquire an art you can enjoy, with much physical benefit and great pleasure, until extreme old age. ”

“ Touching and turning is a branch of swimming more practiced for racing than for ordinary purposes. There are several styles of touching and turning, but I will deal with the one most easily mastered, and shall begin by advising the learner to practice across the bath, from side to side, and not to be in the slightest hurry. Master the details of the turn by slow motions, nor need there be any desire to lengthen the push until one knows that he is performing all the motions perfectly. ”

“ If the legs are kept straight out and together the beginner will find that their weight in this position, in most cases, has a tendency to sink the body. This can be overcome by drawing up the lower limbs and extending them slightly apart and keeping them bent, which will have the effect of more evenly balancing the body, and then, later on, when the swimmer masters control of the breathing, so that the lungs can be kept partly inflated all the time, he will find that the legs can be gradually extended until they are straight, when the position in the water will be more graceful. ”

“ The swimmer takes a short run, similar to that taken by a high or broad jumper, in order to give sufficient impetus or force to the springing or forward movement. Then soaring upward and outward he shoots through the air, keeping the body straight until the declining turn toward the water is made, when a sudden twist of the body is given and the diver enters the water in a slanting position, keeping the upper and lower limbs straight and close together, the arms extended beyond the head, with the palms of the hands or fingers touching in a wedge-like manner. ”

“ The over-arm side stroke is still one of the very best methods, and is used by many of the world’s great swimmers, particularly for long distance swimming, as it is not only very easy and comfortable, but requires less exertion than any of the other strokes, and one can glide along smoothly and at a good pace and keep up the movements for an almost indefinite period. ”

“ However, after the swimmer has mastered the leg action, he can bend slightly at the knees, in order to get the sort [Pg 23] of propelling movements necessary to help move the body in its steady pace through the water. But remember, the legs do not play so large a part in the crawl stroke as the arm movements, and are used mostly to keep them afloat and accelerate the run, and the fellow who gets it into his head that the more work and greater fuss he makes with his legs the faster he will go, will soon find that he is retarding his movements and not getting the full speed. ”

“ The back dive is always an interesting swimming feat. It brings into play considerable gymnastic ability, but, on [Pg 35] account of the confidence the performer has as to the certainty that the water will not hurt him much, barring a slight sting to the flesh, should he come down flat on his back, it does not require so much courage, in attempting the first trial, as tumbling on land, in which the back dive may be in a measure likened. ”

“ The operator kneels down on one knee, grasps the sides of the body just below the lower ribs, making pressure steadily and firmly inwards and upwards, and releasing suddenly, the idea being to make the lungs work something like a rubber ball would act after pressure and on sudden release, or in other words producing an artificial gasp, for the purpose of bringing back respiration, for when this is accomplished, the circulation will be restored, and by keeping the patient warm and rubbing the limbs you will be able to bring the apparently dead back to life. ”

“ During the third week increase your distance to three-quarters, and endeavor to swim it clear through from start to finish, not holding back for the sprint, but depending upon your energy and spirit to sprint out the last 150 yards. The full distance should be swam not later than one week before the race, and at very nearly your best speed. Three days before the race do at your best speed three-fifths of your distance, and rest quietly until the day of the race, doing just enough exercise to keep yourself pliant. On the day keep cool—don’t fret and worry. ”

“ Some pretty turning movements like the directing of the course of a boat with a rudder can be made by propelling with one hand only or each alternately, as the case may be, as, by sculling with the right hand, the body will glide or take an opposite course, while the left hand movement will direct to the right. ”

“ Most people can float in salt water, no matter what may be their build. In learning, the first movement is to gradually throw the body on the back, arching the spine, keeping the chest well inflated, crossing the arms over and back on the head, the thumbs locked or fingers touching, which latter movement tends to increase the expansion of the chest and thus make the body more floatable. ”

“ He is not literally drowned, he is shocked to death, for I mean to say it, and most medical men and other experts competent to judge will bear out my statement when I tell you that there are very few people drowned in the water, and that most of the deaths occur from heart-failure, as I have stated above, while the fact that many of the drowning cases in the surf are found floating face down, show that the shock has closed up the epiglottis, and no water has penetrated the stomach or lungs. ”

“ Having mastered the breast stroke sufficiently to feel comfortable in the water, the pupil is now ready to learn the more advanced swimming strokes, and the best one to take up next is the over-arm side stroke, a method by which Joey Nuttall, of England, held all the world’s records and won all the championship events from 100 yards to one mile, defeating all comers and being unbeatable throughout the world for over twenty-one years. ”

“ A most dangerous hold is for the person to grasp you around the neck with both arms, and clutching you tight, draw you very close to them in a strangle-hold. When this hold is taken, you must put your right arm under their left shoulder, placing your thumb and forefinger tightly over their nose and shutting off the wind, while you press your left hand against his back, drawing him to you and pushing his head back. ”

“ One of the very easy methods [Pg 47] is to grasp the person by the hair of the head, unless he be bald, and as the body is easy to carry this way and floats well, you can use both your lower limbs and one arm to tow him to shore or to the upturned boat or canoe, if the latter is near, for it is not wise to go further than necessary, for someone will be very apt to come to your assistance if you hold on to the craft, and numerous cases are on record of the rescuer becoming exhausted when having to carry a person very far. ”

“ From nine to fifteen feet is the distance generally covered by the push off before renewing the stroke. One must be especially careful to guard against pushing off, even to the smallest extent, stronger with one foot than the other, else a slip may take place on the smooth tile work, and that means a loss of perhaps a yard or two, and, in the case of a competition, puts the swimmer off his course, or station, and bumping against another swimmer and fouling are likely to occur. ”

“ One must jump well out and be sure to judge the distance safely in order that there be no danger of striking the upper part of the body on the ledge of the bath, pier or wharf, as the case may be.
The number of ornamental feats in swimming is almost unlimited, according to the ability and ingenuity of the performer; but, in addition to the above-described movements, such figures as porpoise swimming, where the expert describes, by going under and over the water, the swimming of a porpoise ”

“ It matters not which side the swimmer lies on, as the side that comes most natural will be found to be the better side, although some people, being ambidextrous, can swim as easy on one side as the other. ”

“ Regulations for Diving Competitions
Instruction to Judges. In making awards for points for each dive the judges shall have regard to the character of the respective dive to be performed, and shall take into consideration: The manner of the dive (proper carriage, confidence and form) , the force and speed of the dive, the entrance into the water and how the run or take-off is performed. When judging the carriage the individuality of the diver should be taken into consideration. The bearing in the air should be natural, easy, supple and graceful. ”

“ The best way to learn to swim on the back is to place yourself in the water on the back, the same as you would when floating. This position can be easily attained by holding the arms straight down close to the sides, the hands pointing toward the feet, and by giving a few sculling movements with the hands, you will at once get into a good floating position. ”

“ The arms must be brought straight down, stopping the pull about on a line parallel with the shoulders, and in recovering, describe a long oval, making sure that before the power of one hand is fully expended the other has taken up the motion, that it may be continuous, for it is this regular and steady pull of the arms, and not the thrash of the legs, that has the most to do with propelling the crawl swimmer through the water. ”

“ In attempting a rescue, never approach a person from in front, if you can possibly avoid it, and you invariably can, unless you are in a boat with them and you are suddenly thrown in the water, and coming up near someone they may grasp you before you have time to get back of them. ”