AQUATICS.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVIII, Issue 143, 16 June 1917, Page 14

AQUATICS.

SWIMMING. "We would have more swimmers in the championship class if those who take up this form of athletic sport would concentrate their attention —getting the power into the crawl stroke with their arms." This is the opinion of Sid Cavill, swimming instructor at the Olympic Club and one of the famous Oavill brothers, of Australia, who invented nnd perfected the crawl stroke. Cavill says:— " We have gotten away from the old idea that there is any particular value to the kick. The idea of the push from behind has been entirely supplanted by the pull from in front. If you will note the actions of such swimmers as Duke Kahanamoku, Ludy Langer, Ross, ami ofeher great watermen, you will observe the tremendous power they put into the shoulders and arms. The legs are kept perfectly straight, and the slight upward and downward movement of the feet acts more as a stabiliser for the body than anything else. This slight foot kick keeps the body up parallel with the surface of the water, and does but little more.

" There is no need of any stress being placed on the action of the legs and feet other than to keep them straight. They will look after themselves. The swimmer should concentrate all his attention on the action of his arms. There is also a tendency to continue to stroke through too far. As soon as the arms are brought down to a position perpendicular to the body the stroke should end. Carrying it along further merely mean* that the swimmer is bringing his arm upward toward the surface, which has ft tendency to pull the body down into the water, and is in no way aiding in its forward movement. "The fact that the feet cut comparatively little figure in speed swimming by means of the crawl stroke has been proved beyond any argument by tying them together. Progress is not "greatly retarded, and what loss of speed there 1» conies as much from inconvenience due jto loss of free action through the fettered limbs aa from any loss of motive [lower they may afford,"