Ancient times
How to prepare before go swimming
1.Check the weather If you know it is going to be hot and sunny, make sure you have sunscreen and water. If there is a chance of thunderstorms later on you can still go swimming. However, make sure you have a plan for inclement weather, such as shelter to get under, and that everyone you're with knows where to meet if you hear thunder.
2.Avoid large meals within an hour of swimming The dreaded swimmer's cramp is caused when your body is both trying to digest food and exert itself to stay afloat. Avoid this by avoiding large meals, particularly greasy, fatty foods like hamburgers, cheese, etc. that take a long time to digest. This doesn't mean you need to swim hungry. Rather, try to graze and eat lightly over time instead of loading up on one big meal.
3.Apply 30 SPF sunscreen 15-20 minutes before heading out. UV radiation still penetrates cloud cover, so don't assume you're fine just because the sun isn't shining. Make sure you are using a waterproof "sport" sunscreen that won't wash off as soon as you get in the water. While swimming, reapply sunscreen every 30 minutes to prevent burning.
4.Pack up a towel, swimsuit, and swimming cap. If you're going to change at the pool or beach, you should consider an extra shirt or pair of underwear as well, in case your dry clothes accidentally get wet. If you want goggles, be sure to pack them as well.
5.Bring water to stay hydrated. It doesn't matter where you're swimming; it is always a good idea to have water on your hand. Dehydration causes serious health issues. It seems obvious, but make sure you have water before you go into the water. At the very least, aim to drink more of water in the hour leading up to your swim. 1 water bottle per person should be good for 1-2 hours of activity.
RULES PRIMER 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. Trained officials observe the swimmers during each event to ensure compliance with these technical rules. If a swimmer commits an infraction of the rules that is observed by an officIal, a disqualification (DQ) will result. This means that the swimmer will not receive an official time and will not be eligible for an award in that event. A disqualification may result from actions such as not getting to the starting blocks on time, false starting, performing strokes in an illegal manner, or unsportsmanlike conduct.
freestyle Walking on the bottom, pulling on the lane rope, not touching the wall on a turn, or not completing the distance.
Breaststroke An illegal kick such as flutter (freestyle), dolphin (butterfly), or scissors (side stroke); not on the breast; alternating movements of the arms; taking two arm strokes or two leg kicks while the head is under water; touching with only one hand at the turns or finish.
backstroke Pulling or kicking into the wall once a swimmer has turned passed the vertical onto the breast. Turning onto the breast before touching the wall with the hand at the finish of the race.
butterfly Alternating movements of the arms or legs; pushing the arms forward under instead of over the water surface (underwater recovery); a breaststroke style of kick; touching with only one hand at the turns or finish.
Benefits of swmming 1. It's a Great Aerobic Exercise Not only is swimming fun, but it's also a great aerobic exercise. And now that the weather is warm, it's the perfect time to start swimming laps. While you might not be the next Michael Phelps, any person at any age can start swimming to increase their overall health. "Swimming is a good, whole-body exercise that has low impact for people with arthritis, musculoskeletal, or weight limitations,, director of the exercise physiology laboratories at The University of New Mexico in Albuquerque says, "because it is low impact and can be done by people of any weight, age or physical ability." 2. Anti-Aging It might not help with wrinkles or laugh lines, but swimming has been shown to cut the risk of dying by nearly 50 percent. According to a done by Dr. Steven Blair at the University of South Carolina, "Swimmers have the lowest death rate." The study was over the course of 32 years. The research team followed 40,000 men, ranging from 20 to 90 years old and discovered that those who swam had a 50 percent lower death rate than runners, walkers, or men who got no exercise. 3. Flexibility Water is one the best mediums in which to increase flexibility. Some rheumatologists recommend swimming to not only increase a person's range of motion but also help to increase physical activity without causing stress on the body's joints. 4. Improved Asthma Symptoms Swimming, like many other aerobic exercises, increases your lung capacity; it forces your body to work overtime. Since water is denser than air, your lungs need to work that much harder to supply enough oxygen to your blood, giving your lungs a good workout and thus decreasing asthma symptoms. According to a done at The Children's Exercise and Nutrition Centre at McMaster University, "Swimming as a training modality has definite benefits for the patient with asthma. These include an increase in aerobic fitness and a decrease in asthma morbidity."
5. Lowers Diabetes Risk By exercising regularly, you're decreasing your blood glucose levels. "Aerobic exercise and resistance training, alone or in combination, improves blood sugar control in patients with type 2 diabetes." 6. It Improves Mental Health According to the water-based exercise improves mental health. Swimming can improve mood in both men and women. For people with fibromyalgia, it can decrease anxiety, and exercise therapy in warm water can decrease depression and improve mood. Water-based exercise can improve the health of mothers and their unborn children. People with type 2 diabetes also have an increased risk for heart disease. Therefore, maintaining their heart health and weight is an important factor for diabetes maintenance. In a study done by Leiden University Medical Center at the Departments of Endocrinology and Metabolism, a six-month exercise plan with patients who have type 2 diabetes was shown to decrease cardiovascular risk factors. 7. It Helps You Lose Weight Swimming for at least an hour can burn upwards of 500 calories. It works every body part and muscle without causing strain on your body. "You can swim almost every day without risking injury," says Joel Stager, Ph.D., director of the Counsilman Center for the Science of Swimming at Indiana University at Bloomington, who has studied the effects of swimming for years. "You can't say the same for running or strength training." 8. It's Good for Pregnant Women Exercising while pregnant is not only good for the expectant mother, but also good for the unborn baby. "Water exercises involve no impact, overheating is unlikely, and swimming face down promotes optimum blood flow to the uterus," says a study from The University at Maryland.