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Swimming (sport)
Swimming (sport)
Swimming
Competition
The goal of competitive swimming is to be the fastest over a given distance. Competitive swimming became popular in the nineteenth century, and comprises 36 individual events – 18 male events and 18 female events, however the IOC only recognizes 34 events – 17 male and 17 female events. Swimming is an event at the Summer Olympic Games, where male and female athletes compete in 13 of the recognized events each. Olympic events are held in a 50 meter pool. Competitive swimming’s international governing body is FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation), the International Swimming Federation.
Highest governing body Characteristics Category Olympic
Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA)
Aquatics Since 1896
The aquatic sport of swimming involves competition amongst participants to be the fastest over a given distance under self propulsion. It has been part of the modern Olympic Games since inception in 1896. Along with the other aquatic disciplines of diving, synchronised swimming and water polo, the sport is governed by the Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA).
Swimming styles
See also: List of swimming styles The four competitive strokes are the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and (freestyle). "Freestyle" and "front crawl" are often used interchangeably, but "freestyle" properly refers to an unregulated competitive event rather than to any particular stroke. Swimmers generally choose to swim front crawl in a freestyle event since it is the fastest stroke. In events that require specific strokes, disqualification will occur if the stroke is not swum correctly, for example if the swimmer does not touch the wall with two hands during breaststroke or butterfly. These strokes can be swum individually or together in an individual medley (IM). The stroke order for such events is: 1) butterfly, 2) backstroke, 3) breaststroke, and 4) freestyle. Team competitions take the form of relay events in the freestyle and medley styles. The medley relay has a different stroke order to the individual IM event. The relay order is: 1) backstroke, 2) breaststroke, 3) butterfly, and 4) freestyle. Teams consist of four swimmers, each swimming one quarter of the overall race distance.
History
Competitive swimming in Europe started around 1800, mostly using breaststroke. In 1873 John Arthur Trudgen introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native Americans. Due to a British disregard for splashing, Trudgen employed a scissor kick instead of the front crawl’s flutter kick. Swimming was part of the first modern Olympic games in 1896 in Athens. In 1902 Richard Cavill introduced the front crawl to the Western world. In 1908, the world swimming association, Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA), was formed. Butterfly was developed in the 1930s and was at first a variant of breaststroke, until it was accepted as a separate style in 1952.
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Swimming (sport)
common different style backs include: racerback, diamondback, butterflyback.
Competition pools
The majority of competitions are held either in a long course (50 m) or short course (25 m or 25 yd) pool. Non-competitors can swim at any swimming complex or club.
Drag suits
Drag suits are used for increasing the resistance against the swimmer in order to help adjust the swimmer to drag. This way when swimmers switch back normal practice suits they swim faster as a result of feeling less resistance.
Officials
There are several types of officials[1]: • A starter sends the swimmers off the blocks and may call a false start if a swimmer leaves the block before the starter sends them; • Finish judges determine the order of finish and make sure the swimmers finish in accordance with the rules (two hands simultaneously for breaststroke and butterfly, on the back for backstroke, etc.) • Turn judges check that the swimmers’ turns are within rules; • Stroke judges check the swimmers’ strokes; • Timekeepers time the swimmers’ swims; • The referee takes overall responsibility for running the race and makes the final decisions as to who wins the competition. If an official catches a swimmer breaking a rule concerning the stroke he or she is swimming, that swimmer is said to be disqualified (commonly referred to as a "DQ") and the swim is not considered valid.
Open water swimming Changes to the sport
Swimming times have dropped over the years due to better training techniques and to new developments. The first four Olympics competitions were not held in pools, but in open water (1896The Mediterranean, 1900- The Seine River, 1904- an artificial lake, 1906- The Mediterranean). The 1904 Olympics’ freestyle race was the only one ever measured at 100 yards, instead of the usual 100 meters. A 100 meter pool was built for the 1908 Olympics and sat in the centre of the main stadium’s track and field oval. The 1912 Olympics, held in the Stockholm harbour, marked the beginning of electronic timing. Male swimmers wore full body suits until the 1940s, which caused more drag in the water than their modern swimwear counterparts did. Competition suits now include engineered fabric and designs to reduce swimmers’ drag in the water and prevent athlete fatigue. In addition, over the years, pool designs have lessened the drag. Some design considerations allow for the reduction of swimming resistance, making the pool faster. Namely, proper pool depth, elimination of currents, increased lane width, energy absorbing racing lane lines and gutters, and the use of other innovative hydraulic, acoustic and illumination designs. The 1924 Summer Olympics were the first to use the standard 50 meter pool with marked lanes. In the freestyle, swimmers originally dived from the pool walls, but diving blocks were incorporated at the 1936 Summer Olympics. The flip turn was developed by the 1950s and goggles first were used in the 1976 Olympics. There were also changes in the late 20th century in terms of technique. Breaststrokers
Swimwear
Competitive swimwear seeks to improve upon bare human skin for a speed advantage. For extra speed a swimmer wears a body suit, which has rubber or plastic bumps that break up the water close to the body and provides a small amount of thrust--just barely enough to help a swimmer swim faster. Brands include: Arena, Speedo, TYR, Nike, Dolfin
Regular practice-swimwear
Men
Men’s most used practice swimwear include speedos and jammers.
Women
Women wear one piece suits with different backs. Backs vary mainly in strap thickness and in geometric design of the back. Most
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are now allowed to dip their head completely under water, which allowed for a longer stroke and faster time. In addition, a split stroke in the breaststroke start and turns has been added to help speed up the stroke. Backstrokers are now allowed to turn on their stomachs before the wall in order to perform a "flip-turn". Previously, they had to reach and flip backwards.
Swimming (sport)
resembling the event schedule that was in use at the Olympic Games. The increase in accuracy and reliability of electronic timing equipment led to the introduction of hundredths of a second to the time records from 21 August 1972. Records in short course (25 m) pools began to be officially approved as "short course world records" from 3 March 1991. Prior to this "record" times were not officially recognised, but were regarded a "world best time" (WBT). From 31 October 1994 records in 50 m backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly records were added to the official record listings. FINA currently recognises world records in the following events for both men and women.[2] • Freestyle: 50 m, 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, 800 m, 1500 m • Backstroke: 50 m, 100 m, 200 m • Breaststroke: 50 m, 100 m, 200 m • Butterfly: 50 m, 100 m, 200 m • Individual medley: 100 m (short course only), 200 m, 400 m • Relays: 4×100 m freestyle, 4×200 m freestyle, 4×100 m medley
Records in swimming
Michael Phelps currently holds the most world records in swimming with seven The foundation of FINA in 1908 signalled the commencement of recording the first official world records in swimming. At that time records could be established in any swimming pool of length not less than 25 yards, and records were also accepted for intermediate distance split times from longer distance events. The Danish swimmer Ranghild Hveger established forty-two records between 1936 and 1942 due to these rules. Records in events such as 300 yd, 300 m, 1000 yd and 1000 m freestyle, 400 m backstroke, 400 m and 500 m breaststroke were no longer ratified from 1948. A further removal of the 500 yd and 500 m freestyle, 150 m backstroke and 3×100 m medley relay from the record listings occurred in 1952. In 1952 the national federations of the United States and Japan proposed at the FINA Congress the separation of records achieved in long course and short course pools, however it was four more years for action to come into effect with Congress deciding to retain only records held in 50 m pools as the official world record listings. By 1969 there were thirty-one events in which FINA recognised official world records – 16 for men, 15 for women – closely
Sports nutrition
Competitive swimming is an example of an endurance sport that requires a large amount of carbohydrates in order to maintain stamina throughout a swimming event. Carbohydrates are recommended for highly demanding sports due to the complete sources of energy that they provide.[3] Carbohydrates promote muscle stamina and strength because the breakdown product of carbohydrate-glucose is a primary source of energy for muscles during exercise. Commonly the nutrient and energy needs of swimmers can be compromised by their intense schedules. Time should be allowed for a light meal before swimming, and time for a well-balanced generous meal should be allotted after the workout. Additionally, healthy snacking can at times, be more efficient in fueling the body than a main meal. Healthy snacking ideas include: low fat yogurt, fresh or dried fruit, crackers, oatmeal and raisins, granola, and cereal.
See also
• Swimming at the Summer Olympics
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• • • • • List of world records in swimming FINA World Aquatics Championships Paralympic swimming Sports nutrition Aquatic Timing Systems
Swimming (sport)
References
[1] FINA Technical Rule SW1.2 [2] FINA Technical Rule SW12.1 and 12.2 [3] Jackson, Catherine G Ratzin. Nutrition and Strength Athlete. Nutrition in Exercise and Sport. Boca Raton Fla: CRC P, 2001.
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