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The Basics
Skills
The five competitive swimming strokes are freestyle,
backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and individual medley.
Competition
Each swim meet offers a variety of events and distances,
depending on the age group and classification. Each swimmer will
have a limit to the number of events he or she may swim each day,
depending on the meet rules.
In freestyle events, the competitor may swim
any stroke. The stroke most commonly used is sometimes called the
crawl, which is characterized by the alternate stroking of the arms
over the water surface and an alternating (up‑and‑down)
flutter kick. On turns and finishes, some part of the swimmer must
touch the wall. Most swimmers do a flip turn.
Backstroke consists of an alternating motion of
the arms with a flutter kick while on the back. On turns,
swimmers may rotate to the stomach and perform a flip turn and some
part of the swimmer must touch the wall. The swimmer must finish on
the back.
The breaststroke, which is the oldest stroke
dating back hundreds of years, requires simultaneous movements of
the arms on the same horizontal plane. The hands are pressed out
from in front of the breast in a heart shaped pattern and recovered
under or on the surface of the water. The kick is a simultaneous
somewhat circular motion similar to the action of a frog. On turns
and at the finish, the swimmer must touch the wall with both hands
simultaneously at, above or below the water surface.
Some consider the butterfly to be the most
beautiful of the strokes. It features a simultaneous recovery of
the arms over the water combined with an undulating dolphin kick.
In the kick, the swimmer must keep both legs together and may not
flutter, scissors or use the breaststroke kick. Both hands must
touch the wall simultaneously on the turns and the finish. (The
butterfly is the newest stroke and was developed in the early 1950s
as a variation of the breaststroke. It became an Olympic stroke in
1956 in Melbourne.)
The individual medley, commonly referred to as
the I.M., features all four strokes. In the IM, the swimmer begins
with the butterfly, then changes after one‑fourth of the race
to backstroke, then breaststroke and finally freestyle.
In the medley relay, all four strokes are swum.
The first swimmer swims backstroke, the second breaststroke, the
third butterfly, and the final swimmer anchors the relay with
freestyle.
The freestyle relay events consist of four
freestylers, each swimming one quarter of the total distance of the
event.
Starts: In the start, the swimmer is called to
the starting position by the starter who visually checks that all
swimmers are motionless. When all swimmers are set, the starting
horn is sounded to start the race. If the starter feels that one of
the swimmers has moved, left early or gotten an unfair advantage,
the guilty swimmer may be disqualified after the race for a false
start. Under USA Swimming rules, one false start disqualifies the
swimmer.
Rules
The technical rules of swimming are designed to provide
fair and equitable conditions of competition and to promote
uniformity in the sport. Each swimming stroke has specific rules
designed to ensure that no swimmer gets an unfair competitive
advantage over another swimmer.
The Course
Competition pools may be short course (25 yards or 25
meters), or long course (50 meters). The international standard (as
used in the Olympics) is 50 meters. World records are accomplished
in 25 and 50 meter pools. USA Swimming maintains records for 25
yard, 25 meter and 50 meter pools.
Teams
USA Swimming is made up of approximately 2,800 teams from
all over the country. Of these clubs, nearly half have 80 swimmers
or less, and a handful of teams have over 500 swimmers. A team may
be comprised of any number of swimmers, parents and coaches.
Participants compete in different age groups and meets depending
on their achievement level and how old they are on the first day of
the meet. Traditionally recognized age groups are 10 and under,
11-12, 13-14, 15-16, 17-18. Many local meets feature 8 and under,
single age groups, or senior events. Team practice groups are
usually determined by age and/or ability.
Officials
Officials are present at all competitions to enforce the
technical rules of swimming so the competition is fair and
equitable. Officials attend clinics, pass a written test and work
meets before being certified. All parents are encouraged to get
involved with some form of officiating.
Nutrition for Swimmers:
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find out the latest research about nutrition and
swimming):
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