In the early 1800s, swimming emerged as a competitive sport in England. The first indoor swimming pool, St George’s Baths, was opened for public use in the year 1828. The first national governing body, the Amateur Swimming Association, was formed in the year 1880.
The Olympic Games were held in 1896 in Athens, which was a male-only competition. Six events were planned for the swimming competition, but only four events were actually contested—100 m, 500 m, and 1200 m freestyle and 100 m for sailors. The first gold medal was won by Alfréd Hajós of Hungary in the 100 m freestyle.
In 1908, the world swimming body ‘Federation Internationale de Natation’ (FINA) was formed.
Women were first allowed to take part in swimming competitions in the 1912 Summer Olympics in Stockholm competing in freestyle races. In the 1912 games, Harry Hebner of the United States won the 100 m backstroke.
History of Swimming in India
In the year 1948, the Swimming Federation of India (SFI) was formed. Since then this body is looking after the promotion and administration of aquatic sports in India. The SFI is affiliated to FINA, the world governing body for the sport.
Few not able Indian swimmers are Sachin Nag, Sufyan Shaikh, Khajan Singh, Nisha Milled, Sikha Tandon, and Sandeep Sejwal.
Dimensions of Swimming Pool
Aerial view of swimming pool
Starting Platforms
Starting platforms shall be firm and give no springing effect. The height of the platform above the water surface shall be from 0.5 metre to 0.75 metre. The surface area shall be at least 0.5 metre×0.5 metre and covered with a non-slip material. Maximum slope shall not be more than 10 degrees.
Starting platforms
Teaching swimming in early stages
Teaching swimming sounds like a task for those who know how to swim. But if you are not careful, you can scare people away from the water for a good amount of years. So, how you teach swimming is very important. If swimming is not taught properly and correctly, children can develop a phobia.
Role of the Teacher
1. Cheerful attitude
2. Understand individual differences
3. Offer plenty of encouragement
4. Recognise the fear of the student
5. Develop self-confidence in students
6. Praise students
7. Have patience
The beginning
Assemble the class at pool side at a given point of time. First, orient the children with pool surroundings and swimming environment by taking them around the pool, showing various equipment, changing rooms, different depths of the pool, specially the limits of shallow water. Also brief the safety, health and hygiene rules which are to be followed by all at the pool. Engage them in talks and bring them closer to the pool. Make them sit on the deck around the shallow end with feet hanging and swinging in the water, making waves. Also encourage them to lean forward and touch the water with hands.
Entry into the pool
Organise a partner system (spotter system), one acting as a spotter for the other. If required, air tubes and arm bands may be used. Various methods of safe entry may be used, i.e., walking down the steps if provided at the shallow end facing the pool side, sit on the pool side, grip the railing with the other hand, try the same method by facing pool side and jump towards the teacher/partner already into the water to support.
Movement at the shallow end
Encourage the children to move along the wall, rail or scum gutter immediately on entering the water. Take support with one hand and paddle with the support of rail or wall and paddle with both hands while walking at the shallow end. Later, introduce hopping and let them sink down up to shoulder level.
Breathing with the mouth may be introduced by blowing into the water taken in both hands or by putting the face on the surface in standing position with feet apart.
Getting the feet off the bottom
Walking across the pool with shoulders submerged and arms at stretch for support and holding kick boards with both hands. Gradually increase the speed and lean forward until the feet rise from the bottom. Students stand back towards the wall in forward leaning position, approximately 2 meters away, arms stretched forward on the surface and shoulder submerged. From this position, they lean forward on the water, push off with the feet and glide towards a wall, rail or scum gutter.
Floating
Remember that it is much easier to float on the surface by keeping the body relaxed than by thrashing about with arms and legs. After having left the bottom with support, the child should now be ready to float without any support or help.
Types of Floats
There are many techniques of floating, such as—
1. Tuck float
2. Jellyfish float
3. Prone float
4. Star float
5. Supine float
Pushing off, gliding and standing up again
The beginners should now gain confidence, as swimming is based on the principle of gliding across the surface of the water. Stand with your back to the side walls of the pool and close up against it, leave the shoulders into the water keeping the head above the surface, now place the foot against the wall, take a deep breath, lower the face into the water and kick the wall with the raised foot.
Lift the other leg so that both the legs end up straight and pointed behind. The body will stretch on the surface and now glide towards the partner who is standing 4–5 meters away. The partner now holds the out stretched hand, lowers the hips, pulls the knees under the body, thrust them down to the bottom placing a little apart, and the beginner stands up on the floor raising the head and shoulders.
Practice gliding further with a float held in extended hands. It enables the beginner to stay on the surface and make him ready to learn the stroke.
Which Stroke First?
There are no set rules regarding the order in which swimming strokes should be taught to the beginners. There are various schools of thought about the stroke best suited to the beginners. Some suggest back stroke for beginners.
Whatever the merits of any stroke may be, a multiple stroke approach in the early stages may be preferred whereby the learner is given an experience of all the strokes and later the learner allowed to make up one’s own mind. The butterfly stroke, however, may be introduced at a later stage as it requires a high degree of swimming proficiency, strength and co-ordination.
