COMPETITIVE SWIMMING

Swimming  is far  from being a recent activity! This sport, which consists of performing a set of regular and repetitive movements in the water, to move, has its roots in Mesopotamia. Complete and very gentle sport, these propulsive movements, favored by the body's energy, allow the swimmer to move gradually in the pool by soliciting the majority of their lower and upper muscles. Currently, the  French Swimming Federation  has more than 300,000 members. It is the tenth federation by its number of licensees with lifeguard classes.

Birth and history of swimming

• Competitive swimming
• Size and composition of an Olympic swimming pool
• Equipment necessary for the practice of swimming

The history of swimming dates back to the 3rd millennium BC, in the lands of Mesopotamia. Already present in many civilizations and in ancient mythologies (Egyptian, Greek, Roman, etc.), swimming has always been a favorite pastime for royal families. Moreover,  the Greco-Roman civilization considered that knowing how to swim was a sign of culture .

Over the years, this hobby has turned into a real sporting discipline, hence the birth of modern swimming.

The enthusiasm generated around swimming will encourage the establishment of the first competitions on English soil (1837). The creation of the  National Swimming Society will therefore mark a turning point in modern swimming, with the organization of the first breaststroke competitions. This sporting discipline will evolve until its official recognition in 1870, in favor of the creation of a dedicated federation in Great Britain.

Since then, the practice of swimming has clearly evolved thanks to the effort of an instructor named Trudgen. He proposed a new swimming technique of the same name in Europe. His technique boils down to a reversal of the body on one side, while releasing the arms alternately on the water. This method was taken up and improved by Frederick Cavil, then living in Australia.

By combining the Trudgeon technique with other swimming practices developed in this country, the Briton was able to create the crawl (crawl in English). A movement that completely immerses the body, thanks to a combined movement of the legs and arms extended to one side.

But above all, swimming won its letters of nobility in 1896 thanks to its formalization as an event of the Olympic Games with Lifeguard Classes Near Me.

Competitive swimming

The breaststroke

Practiced since the 19th century in France, breaststroke is a flagship discipline of the Olympic Games. Since the establishment of the first Olympic Games in Athens, it was practiced in freestyle, before being the subject of an official category. In competition, races are held over 50, 100 and 200 meters.

The breaststroke is practiced on the stomach, relying on the coordination of the movements of the arms and legs. The swimmer's head remains constantly above water throughout the exercise. Simple and very practical for beginner swimmers, the breaststroke remains the most practiced swimming technique. Regarding the turn, to avoid disqualification, the sportsman is obliged to touch the wall with both hands at the same time. The same goes for validating his arrival. It is a symmetrical stroke.

Also Read About: Learn to swim: how long does it take?

The butterfly

Like the breaststroke, the butterfly stroke is a style of belly swimming. Thanks to the traction exerted by the arms and the coordinated movement of the legs, the body is thus propelled forward in the water. This allows the swimmer to be in continuous movement and to progress in the water.

In competition, the butterfly is performed over 50, 100 and 200 meters and obeys very strict rules. First, the swimmer must start with a dive. Then, the movement must be perfectly executed throughout the race: body lying on the stomach and the shoulders positioned parallel to the surface of the water. It is a symmetrical stroke.