SWIMMING

Dominion, Volume 31, Issue 70, 16 December 1937, Page 22

SWIMMING

Breaststroke Instructions

FAULTS TO AVOID

(By

Trudge.)

While at the Thorndon, Karuri and Te Aro public bathe last week 1 was inundated with ciuestioiiH by learners as to how they could develop the breaststroke and crawl stroke. In dealing with the breaststroke I would advise those learners who desire to adopt this stroke to bear in mind that thev are still in the elementary stages and that it would be inadvisable to rush a stroke. It is far better to advance in gradual stages than to risk the consequences of over-confidence. The breaststroke conies into its own for swimming among obstacles and is unexcelled for manoeuvring for position when approaching a drowning person. It is also a fine physical corrective exercise. The ideal breaststroke is an effortless gliding action. The arms are pushed forward to the full extent, the fingers together, palms down, thumbs touching. The legs should be fully extended, with knees and ankles together, the toes being pointed to the rear. In this position the mouth should be submerged, and the breath expelled from the lungs. The arms should be inclined downward and swept round, with palms turned slightly outward, the movement finishing almost in line with the shoulders. At the conclusion of this movement the hands should be about three inches below the surface of the water'. | The pressure gained from the downward inclination of the arms enables the head to be raised for breath. Bend the elbows, bring them close to the sides, and the hands, with palms downward, in front of the chin. As this movement is being performed the knees should be bent well forward, with the feet drawn up toward the body, heels touching and toes turned well out. Thrust the hands forward as already described, lower the chin, and thrust the legs outward and slightly downward, exerting strong pressure on the soles of the feet and on the thighs. Be careful that the feet are flexed until the full length of the leg has been reached. Without pause the feet should now b<f fully extended and the limbs brought together with strong pressure, returning the body to the original position, with feet and hands extended. Exhale while the arms are moving forward. Common faults in breaststroke are too great a sweep of the arms, failure to keep the knees in line while coming to the bend position, screwing of the shoulders, and having the feet extended when they should be flexed.

Next week I shall deal with the craw stroke.

Miss Gotlieb's Aucldand Invitation. It was stated in this column a fortnight ago that the Auckland Centre had decided to invite Miss Gotlieb to participate in the Empire Games trials, but Miss Gotlieb received no word until the day of the trials. Apparently Auckland posted the invitation to the Wellington Centre on December -1, ten days before the trials, but why Miss Gotlieb was not ofiicially notified by the ? secretary of the centre until last Tuesday is difficult to understand. Her absence from the trials through no fault of her own must leave a wrong impression in the north, the general view being that she is unwilling to meet the competition. Had she received the invitation in reasonably good time Miss Gotlieb would have been a competitor at Tuesday’s trials, and it is most unfortunate that through an oversight on the part of the Wellington Centre she ’was prevented from taking part in the trials.

Lack of Instructors. In view of the interest that was displayed before learn-to-swim week it is to be regretted that, despite the great success of the campaign, so far as Wellington is concerned, the promised support from some clubs did not reach expectations. There was a shortage of instructors. notably at Karori and Thorndon. When a similar campaign is projected next season thia no doubt will be rectified, for experience will be valuable. A point that the national committee might consider next year is the extending of the period from one to two weeks. Time was the bugbear of instructors, who were compelled to speed up. their instruction in the. hope of attending to each learner,

Holiday Patrol Duty. Realising that, it will be necessary to maintain at least a minimum patrol duty during tbo Christmas-New Year holiday period on Oriental Bay beach, the Y.M.C.A. Club has arranged with the following club members to be in attendance:—K. Thwaites. C. Fitt.es, C. Hulston, I. Williamson, W. Mori, M. Stubbs. F. Bishop, E. Moncur. F. Penlington and any other member desiring to assist.

Short Splashes. An interesting member of the New South Wales water polo team to visit New Zealand next March will be the brilliant 17-year-olcl swimmer, Robin Biddulph. Moving through the water with a relaxed, easy style, Miss Kathleen. Grey, Auckland, last week lowered the New Zealand 220 yards intermediate free-style record by one second, covering the distance in 2.40 2-5. The record is held by Miss Islay Purdie, Otago, who registered 2.40 as an intermediate last Easter, but chose'to have the performance recognised as a senior women’s record. Tbe Wellington Centre intermediate and junior trials will be held on January 8 at Thorndon baths.

Biddulph and Gaines 440yds. Title. It looks as if one of the Empire Games titles held by Australia will change hands next February—but.it is an Australian who aspires to win it. Last week Robin Biddulph, the 17-year-old New South Wales swimmer, broke the Empire Gaines 440 yards freestyle record and was not extended in doing so. The man who swam second to him was Noel Ryan, who won the title at London in 1934 in the record Games time of smin. 3sec. But Biddulph covered the distance in 4.58 3-5—4.25 faster than Ryan’s record. His time was close to Andrew Charlton’s Australian record of 4.55 2-5. Excepting a Japanese no youth of IT has ever equalled tßkidulph’s time, even Charlton failing to equal at that age, his best times being 5.11 4-5, and 5.6, when 16 years of age and 4.59 4-5 when 19 I’®“*’?-,, , , , ~ It is only a question of Biddulph holdin- his form to achieve the expected. He is more than six feet and is still growin- He has never been beaten in an age’ event since he began competitive swimming five years ago.