LEARN TO SWIM

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LX, Issue 15, 24 February 1939, Page 7

LEARN TO SWIM

THE FIFTH LESSON

BREASTSTROKE

Having learned the "crawl" stroke, the pupil wishing to develop general swimming efficiency is advised to learn breaststroke, which is essential in life-saving work and useful for swimming among obstacles^ The National Committee of Swimming and Life-saving gives the following instructions :— The ideal stroke shows an effortless, gliding motion. Lie on the water. The arms are pushed forward to full extent, (fingers together, palms down, thumbs touching. The legs are fully extended, knees and ankles together, toes pointed to the rear. In this position the mouth;is submerged, and the breath is expelled from the lungs. Press the arms downward, elbows up and make the drive until the arms are slightly ahead of the shoulder line. At the same time, take a breath, this being made easy because the pressure gained from the downward press of the arms causes the head to rise. Rotate the hands smartly, from the wrists and elbows, outward and inward, dropping the elbows at the same time. The elbows are now close to the sides of the body. The hands are in front of the chin. As this arm movement is taking place, the knees are bent well outward and the feet—heels touching, toes turned well but—are drawn toward the body. The hands are thrU3t forward as before described, the chin is lowered, and the legs are thrust outward and slightly downward, exerting strong pressure on the soles of the feet and on the thighs. Take care that the feet are-flexed until the full length of the leg has been reached. Without passing, the feet are now extended and the limbs brought (with strong pressure) together. The body is thus brought back into the ready position with feet and hands extended. Breathe out while the arms are moving forward. Common faults are as follows:— (i) Too great a sweep of the arms, (ii) The knees are hot kept in line while coming to the bend position; e.g., one knee downward and one sideways, causing a semi-side stroke and twisting at the knee so as to bring the top of the foot into play, rather than, if the knees had been in line, the soles of both feet exerting pressure. (iii) On account of this fault of a twisted knee and outward thrash of the leg, in order to bring the top of the foot into play, the shoulders will be badly screwed. Persistence will cause grave weakness of the knee joint and deformity of the back. (iv) The feet extended when they should be flexed. (To be continued)