Swimming leg

“ Some swimmers draw the arms under the stomach, others use the arms entirely straight, a few place the arms in close to the head and extend to full length under water. As in the leg stroke, if the pupil tries the different methods he will find which stroke is the easiest to accomplish. ”

“ Then look at your foot, so ill adapted for walking that you have to cover it with stout leather to prevent it being cut to pieces by the ground you walk on; but so admirably fitted for propelling you in the water, whilst its curved and arched back offers the least resistance to the water when you draw up your leg towards your body in swimming, preparatory to striking out again. ”

“ A great deal may be learned about swimming strokes by practice on land. In fact some swimming teachers always follow the practice of teaching the pupil ashore how to make the stroke and how to breathe correctly. A small camp stool or a box will give us the support we need. The three things to keep in mind are the leg motion and the taking in of the breath through the mouth as the arms are being drawn in and exhaling as they are pushed forward. It is better to learn to swim in salt water, for the reason that it will support the body better. ”

“ On the other hand, these hind legs show none of those characters which naturally accompany a swimming function, such as a widening of the joints and an intricate articulation insuring rigidity of the legs, while the preceding legs, in some species as S. cestrotus, are provided with a dense fringe of contiguous spines or bristles well adapted to broaden the swimming surface of the limbs. To the first leg of S. excelsior which is the only one observed, paired flat spines are attached whose form suggests their adaptation to swimming. We are disposed to regard all legs as adapted for crawling. ”

“ The reason why the cramp of the muscles, which compose the calf of the leg, is so liable to affect swimmers, is, because these muscles have very weak antagonists, and are in walking generally elongated again after their contraction by the weight of the body on the ball of the toe, which is very much greater than the resistance of the water in swimming. ”

“ The bone of the leg is sharp, and vastly compressed sideways: the toes, when the foot is brought forward, close in behind each other in such a manner as to expose a very small surface in front, so that, in the action of swimming, very little velocity is lost in bringing the legs forward ”

“ Now all this is very easily performed with a little practice, but will be very difficult if the learner have not coolness and self-possession. A slow long stroke, the hand thrust forward with energy, and the legs brought up and struck out with a regular and even stroke, is the whole art of simple swimming. The swimmer must, however, be careful to draw his breath at the time when his hands are descending towards his hips; if he attempt it when he strikes out his legs, his head will partially sink, and his mouth will fill with water. ”

“ When the swimmer prepares to dive, he must take a full inspiration of air, the eyes must be kept open, the back made round, and the head bent forwards on the breast; the legs must be thrown out with force, and the arms and hands, instead of being struck forward as in swimming, must move backward. When the swimmer would ascend, the chin must be held up, the back bent inwards, the hands struck out high and brought sharply down, and the body will immediately rise to the surface of the water. ”

“ More important than the arms in swimming are the legs, but their movements are very simple and easy to learn. Grasp the rail that runs round the bath with one hand and place the other hand flat upon the side of the bath about Pg 43 a foot below. Draw the legs up to the body, with the heels touching each other, toes of each foot turned outwards, the toes of the right foot to the right, the toes of the left foot to the left. Keep the knees wide apart and turned outwards. When the legs have been drawn up as far as possible the soles of the feet should be only just under the water. ”

“ While I shrink with horror from even seeming to encourage dropping the hoe when the sewing-machine gets to going good, by its thunderous spinning throwing up an impervious wall of sound to conceal retreat into the back alley, across the street, up the alley back of Alexander's, and so on up to Fountain Avenue in time to catch up with the gang, still I regard swimming as an exercise of the extremest value in the development of the growing boy. It builds up every muscle. It is particularly beneficial to the lungs. To have a good pair of lungs is the same thing as having a good constitution. ”

“ The action of the legs in swimming is most important. The strokes should come from the knees, not from the hips, the feet spreading wide apart, and striking backward and downward, in order to obtain the greatest amount of resistance from the water, and the ankle-joints firm.
When you have learned the stroke with the arms and that with the legs, you are able to swim. Always make your strokes with steadiness, and not too rapidly, taking a fresh breath every time you strike out. ”

“ Upright swimming.—This is a new mode of swimming, introduced by Bernardi, a Neapolitan, and consists in adopting the accustomed motion of the limbs in walking. It gives great freedom to the hands and arms, affords a greater facility of breathing and of sight. It is true, that a person swimming in an upright position, advances more slowly, but as the method is more natural, the person is [Pg 84] able to continue his course longer, and can remain with greater safety in the water. ”

“ In swimming it is well to take various strokes, swimming on the back, on the side, and on the face. This brings nearly every muscle in the body into play and if the swimmer does not stay in too long it makes him feel fine. ”

“ Persons subject to this affection must be careful with regard to the selection of the place where they bathe, if they are not sufficiently skilful in swimming to vary their attitudes, and dispense instantly with the use of the limb attacked by cramp. Even when this does occur, the skilful swimmer knows how to reach the shore by the aid of the limbs which are unaffected, while the uninstructed one is liable to be drowned. ”

“ You must take care, lest while you lift up your arms, the thorax or breast be not contraeted, for in that case you sink. The whole art of this way of swimming consists in heaving up the breast as high, and keeping it inflated as much as possible, while your arms are held up. ”

“ The double-over-arm, because of the submerging of the face on each stroke, and because of the forced regularity of breathing, and no effort being required to keep the body afloat, is well adapted for swimming in rough water, as the waves will not be so apt to dash in your face and mouth at the wrong time, to disconcert you, and interrupt the regularity of your breathing. ”

“ The right arm, like the left, assists in supporting the anterior portion of the body. In swimming on the left side the major propelling factors are the right arm and hand and the right and left legs and feet. Swimming by the side stroke is, on the whole, the most useful, graceful, and effective yet devised. It enables the swimmer to make headway against wind, wave, and tide in quite a remarkable manner. Indeed, a dexterous side-stroke swimmer can progress when a powerful breast-swimmer would be driven back. ”

“ Most progress is made when the two arms and the two legs are employed. An expert swimmer can do whatever he chooses in water. Thus he can throw himself upon his back, and by extending his arms obliquely above his head until they are in the same plane with his body, can float without any exertion whatever; or, maintaining the floating position, he can fold his arms upon his chest and by alternately flexing and extending his lower extremities, can propel himself with ease and at considerable speed ”

“ When swimming he presents a curious appearance: his body, as if too heavy for the element it floats in, sinks like a waterlogged boat, until the flat back is on a level with the surface. When alarmed, he sinks his body deeper and deeper at will, until the head and long neck alone appear, looking like the head and neck of a serpent swimming with body submerged. ”

“ Swimming is a glorious exercise—one of the best that can be taken; it expands the chest; it promotes digestion; it develops the muscles, and brings into action some muscles that in any other form of exercise are but seldom brought into play; it strengthens and braces the whole frame, and thus makes the swimmer resist the liability of catching colds; it gives both boys and girls courage, energy, and self-reliance,—splendid qualities in this rough world of ours. Swimming is oftentimes the means of saving human life ”

“ The first stroke that a self-taught small boy learns is what is called “dog fashioned.” This name accurately describes the stroke, as it is in reality very similar to the motions by which a dog swims. No amount of book instruction can teach a person to swim, but a clear idea of the best general strokes will be of great assistance.
Swimming is probably the best general exercise among athletic sports. Practically every important muscle in the body is brought into play, and measurements show that swimmers have the most uniform muscular development of any class of athletes. ”

“ By this way you remain upright in the water without making any motion with your hands, only you move the water round with your legs from you, the soles of your feet being perdendicular to the bottom : you may make use of this if you are cast into the water bound hand and foot. Swimming on the belly is also serviceable in this rencounter. Treading the water is very advantageous, for it leaves us the free use of our hands. One may make use of it in defending one's self ”

“ If swimming under water for a long distance, the body should be kept near the surface, for the reason that the pressure is greater in the corresponding depth. Care should be taken to fill the lungs before starting, and as soon as the first symptoms of asphyxiation are noticeable, the swimmer should rise to the surface. ”

“ Taking your position in water, no higher than your breast nor shallower than your waist, you lie very gently on your back, with your chest elevated, your hands on your stomach and your feet extended in a straight line, close to the surface. If you wish to swim on your back, you have only to draw up your legs and strike out as when swimming in the natural position. ”

“ 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. ”

“ When you have gone so far in that the water reaches your breast, you are to put yourself in a right posture for swimming, by lying down gently on your belly, keeping your head and neck upright, your breast advancing forward, and your back bending ; then withdraw your legs from the bottom stretching them out in imitation of a frog; stretch out your arms also, and spread them open then draw them in again towards your breast: strike forward as may strokes as you can, first with your hands, and then with your feet, and you will find this way easy and pleasant. ”

“ One mode of swimming is very singular; one arm is always out of the water, advanced in front, alternately with the other, sweeping or drawing the water towards them, and raising the body out of the water at each stroke. ”

“ The toes should be pointed behind and the feet turned inward. Be careful that you do not make the mistake of kicking them too high or opening them too much, also that they do not come out of the water. In doing this thrash stroke you will readily know if you are making these mistakes, because the legs will become tired and cramped very quickly. Some fast swimmers bend their legs at the knees as illustrated in Fig. 27, others take a sort of pedalling motion by bending the ankles back and forth. ”

“ In swimming like a porpoise, the right arm is lifted entirely out of the water, the shoulder is thrust forward, and while the swimmer is striking out with his legs, he reaches forward with his hand as far as he can ”

“ While the hand is again brought forward in a flat position, and the feet are contracted, the stretched-out hand is, while working, drawn back towards the breast, but not so much impelling as sustaining. As swimming on the side presents to the water a smaller surface than on the waist, when rapidity is required, the former is often preferable to the latter. ”

“ This arrangement reduces the amount of resistance to forward motion, conserves the energy of the swimmer, and secures in a great measure continuity of movement, the body being in the best possible position for gliding forward between the strokes.
In good side swimming the legs are made to diverge widely when they are extended or pushed away from the body, so as to include within them a fluid wedge, the apex of which is directed forwards. When fully extended, the legs are made to converge in such a manner that they force the body away from the wedge, and so contribute to its propulsion. ”