HOW TO SWIM

Waipa Post, Volume 50, Issue 3589, 7 March 1935, Page 5

HOW TO SWIM

THE ART EXPLAINED. PROGRESSIVE DEVELOPMENT OF STYLES. Not the least interesting part of the swimming carnival at the municipal baths last Thursday was the exhibition given by Professor D. B. Anderson, of Auckland, the well-known and exceedingly effective instructor. It can be said, inter alia, that Professor Anderson has probably done more for swimming than any other individual in New Zealand and the total number of pupils he has instructed in the past two decades must run into thousands. Needless to say, his visits to Te Awamutu are eagerly availed of, and he is exceedingly popular here.

On Thursday evening, during an intexwal in the competitions, Professoi - Anderson demonstrated some of the la/test methods adopted by champion swimmers and by himself as a px-o-fessional instructor, and he combined theses with several novel exhibitions. First he was tied by hands, knees and ankles, and plunged into the bath to swim thxis hampered. Then he demonstrated the. buoyancy of the body to shoAV how easy it is to keep afloat if one remembers not to get flustered; absolutely rigid he was able to hold up an iron bar without sinking below the surface; then he propelled himself feet first for, some distance while the bar rested on his chest. Next the pi’o.fessor showed some of the more common mistakes made by the inexperienced swimmer, and urged that when in the water, endeavouring to keep afloat, one should take care to keep the arms still and level on the surface of the water. Struggling below the surface prevents a body from rising to the top. Then he demonstrated that shouting for help only precipitates trouble; instead, the breath should be held, for then one cannot sink.

The professor next showed several of the innovations used by swimming competitors, such as the shai-k turn and somersaxxlt txxrn, that gains quite an appreciable advantage at the end of the. baths in a contest. Vax*ious strokes used in swimming were demonstrated, progressively from the frog or breastroke, the side stx-oke, tho single overarm or Trudgeoxi, the Austx-alian crawl or splash—“ like a baby creeping,” he aptly explained—the old American crawl with the feet beating high, the livdroplane style, as used by Duke Kahanamoku, the Japanese style, etc. Then he showed the system of double-bi-eathing evolved and developed by Jean Taris, and which he said was steadily coming into vogue with the most successful swimmers.

At the close the pi’ofessor was ■he'a.rtily applauded* and Mr A. E. Pattei'son, president of the Te Awamutu Club, voiced the appreciation of all for the valuable help given by Professor Anderson, whom he added, had this week instx-ueted about 120 new swimmers from Te Awamutu and neighbourhood. At his call, three hearty cheers were accox’ded the professor.