The Complete Idiot's Guide to Swimming: Jump Right in with This Illustrated, Stroke-By-Stroke Guide

300 Pages·2011·2.54 MB·English

by  Mike Bottom

Swimming

�
by Mike Bottom and Nathan Jendrick
A member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.

Swimming

�
by Mike Bottom and Nathan Jendrick
A member of Penguin Group (USA) Inc.
ALPHA BOOKS
Published by the Penguin Group

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Copyright © 2011 by Mike Bottom and Nathan Jendrick
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Publisher: Marie Butler-Knight Copy Editor: Lisanne V. Jensen
Associate Publisher: Mike Sanders Book Designers: William Thomas, Rebecca Batchelor
Senior Managing Editor: Billy Fields Indexer: Tonya Heard
Senior Acquisitions Editor: Paul Dinas Layout: Brian Massey
Development Editor: Lynn Northrup Proofreader: John Etchison
Senior Production Editor: Janette Lynn
To my mother, who has supported my swimming for over 45 years with the attitude
that when I am happy about a race, this is good, and if not, a full plate of her spaghetti
and meat sauce will always make me feel better; and to the late George Haines, whose
innovative and caring coaching has motivated me to be a better man.
—Mike Bottom

�
Contents
Part 1: Get with the Wet Set ..................................................1

1 Learn to Swim at Any Age .........................................3

What the Experts Say .................................................................... 4

The Effects of Exercise on the Brain ............................................ 5

The Social Aspect .......................................................................... 6

Goal-Setting ................................................................................... 6

Conquering Your Fears ..................................................................8

Finding Lessons.............................................................................. 9

What to Look for in an Instructor ............................................. 10

Joining a Team..........................................................................12

What to Ask Your New Coach ................................................... 12

Working with Your Instructor ................................................... 13

2 All the Essentials Except Water .............................. 15

The Basics of Swimwear .............................................................. 15

Types of Material....................................................................... 16

Swimsuit Styling ....................................................................... 16

Getting the Most from Your Suit ............................................... 17

Goggles 101 .................................................................................. 18

Choosing Your Eyewear .............................................................. 18

Goggle Accessories ...................................................................... 20

Latex or Silicone Cap, or No Cap at All? ...................................21

Additional Gear............................................................................22

Nose Plugs ................................................................................. 22

Fins, Monofins, and Zoomers..................................................... 23

Kickboards ................................................................................. 24

Pull Buoys .................................................................................. 24

Snorkels ..................................................................................... 24

Hand Paddles ............................................................................ 25

Additional Exercise Equipment ...................................................26

Aquatic Fitness Gloves ............................................................... 26

Hydro Dumbbells.......................................................................26

Hand Weights............................................................................ 27

Jogging Belt ............................................................................... 27
vi The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Swimming
3
At Home in the Pool ................................................. 29

A Brief History of Pools ............................................................... 29

A Guided Tour of the Pool .......................................................... 31

Other Pool Types ......................................................................... 31

Endless Pools ..............................................................................32

Natural Pools ............................................................................. 32

What Goes into the Pool ............................................................. 33

Chlorine ..................................................................................... 33

Bromine ..................................................................................... 34

Pool Components ......................................................................... 34

Flags .......................................................................................... 34

Lane Lines .................................................................................34

Bottom Line............................................................................... 35

Blocks and Backstroke Grips ....................................................... 35

Pace Clock ..................................................................................36

What a Drag: Moving Through Water ......................................36

Form Drag ................................................................................ 37

Frictional Drag ......................................................................... 37

Basic Water Safety........................................................................ 38

Basic Public Pool Etiquette ......................................................... 38

Public Swimming Pool Fees ........................................................ 39

Part 2: Taking the Plunge: The Basic Strokes ....................41

4 Freestyle ...................................................................... 43

What Is Freestyle?........................................................................ 43

Basic Techniques..........................................................................44

Body Position .............................................................................44

Thinking “Long” ....................................................................... 45

Complete Each Cycle .................................................................. 45

Just Keep Kicking ......................................................................46

Streamline, Streamline, Streamline........................................... 46

Kicking Is Always Your Friend....................................................47

The Freestyle Pull........................................................................48

Freestyle for Beginners in Six Easy Steps ...................................50

The Traditional Freestyle ............................................................ 51

Lift and Shift Recovery..............................................................52

Straight-Arm Recovery.............................................................. 52
Contents vii
Shoulder-Driven Freestyle ...........................................................53

Body-Driven Freestyle .................................................................54

Common Mistakes in Freestyle Swimming ............................... 55

5 Backstroke ....................................................................57

The Reverse of Freestyle .............................................................57

Backstroke Terminology ..............................................................58

Turnover ................................................................................... 59

Position in the Water ................................................................. 59

Flat............................................................................................ 60

Backstroke Pulling ....................................................................... 60

Double-Arm Drill .....................................................................63

One Arm at a Time................................................................... 64

Backstroke Kicking ......................................................................64

Backstroke for Beginners in Six Easy Steps ............................... 65

Common Mistakes in Backstroke Swimming ............................ 65

Over-Reaching ........................................................................... 66

Getting Water Up Your Nose ..................................................... 67

Letting the Hips Sink ................................................................ 67

Not Adjusting for Distance ........................................................ 67

Tips for Swimming the Backstroke Outdoors ........................... 68

6 Breaststroke ................................................................. 71

What Is Breaststroke? ..................................................................72

Terminology Explained ............................................................... 73

Pull-Out .................................................................................... 73

“Snapping” Your Kick ............................................................... 74

“Rounding the Corners” ............................................................. 74

The Breaststroke Kick.................................................................74

The Breaststroke Pull .................................................................. 75

The Glide ...................................................................................... 77

Pull and Kick Timing..................................................................78

Breaststroke for Beginners in Six Easy Steps ............................. 79

Body Alignment in the Breaststroke...........................................79

Common Mistakes in Breaststroke Swimming.......................... 80

The Kick ....................................................................................80

Incorrect Timing ........................................................................ 81

Lifting the Head ........................................................................ 81

Pulling Back Too Far .................................................................82
viii The Complete Idiot’s Guide to Swimming
7 Butte
rfly ........................................................................85

What Is Butterfly?........................................................................85

Two Ways to Swim Fly ................................................................ 86

Terminology Explained ............................................................... 87

Getting “Up” on Your Elbows .................................................... 87

Staying “Low” on the Surface .................................................... 87

The Butterfly Pull........................................................................88

Pulling Pattern .......................................................................... 89

The Recovery ............................................................................. 90

Timing Your Breathing ............................................................... 91

The Butterfly Kick.......................................................................92

Butterfly for Beginners in Six Easy Steps ...................................93

Common Mistakes in Butterfly Swimming...............................93

Pushing Down on the Water Instead of Back .............................. 94

Incorrect Timing on Breathing................................................... 95

Lifting the Head Too High......................................................... 95

Part 3: Starts and Turns .......................................................97

8 On Your Mark, Get Set, Start! ................................. 99

Block Starts: Not Just for Competitors ....................................... 99

Push Start from the Water ......................................................100

Starting from the Deck ............................................................ 101

Entering the Water .................................................................... 101

Flat Start from the Blocks........................................................ 103

Track Start from the Blocks ..................................................... 104

Which Start Is Right for You? ................................................. 105

Backstroke Starts Broken Down ............................................... 106

Common Start Mistakes............................................................107

Belly Flops ................................................................................ 107

Starting Too Deeply.................................................................107

Rules About Relay Starts ........................................................... 108

Dry-Land Exercises for Explosive Starts.................................. 109

Squat-Jump ............................................................................. 109

Broad Jump............................................................................. 110

One-Leg Squats....................................................................... 110