Introduction:
Swimming is a wonderful skill to have so that you can enjoy the outdoors. Learning to swim will allow you to be comfortable in and around the water, while canoeing, boating or just relaxing. This skill can also be the starting point for enjoying snorkeling and diving. But in order to do any of these things we need to learn to swim. Learning to swim starts with being comfortable in the water and learning to float and then moving on to learning to swim and the different swimming strokes. Your Pioneer Train more than likely does not have a pool or access to a pool for you to learn so you will have to go to a swimming school and or the YMCA in your area that offer classes in learning to swim.
Learn Basic Swimming Techniques
If you are a novice, it is important to learn a few basic swimming techniques so you can feel safe in the water. If you master these basic techniques first, you will feel more at ease and relaxed when you tackle the popular swimming strokes.
Getting Comfortable in the Water
The first step for a novice is to be able to enter the water without being afraid and to be able to control breathing once being in the water.
Learning How to Float
If you can’t swim, you might believe that in the water you would sink to the ground like a stone. However, this isn’t true. In fact it is very easy to float in the water as long as your lungs are filled with air.
Learning the Flutter Kick
The flutter kick is a simple yet effective swimming technique where your legs execute kind of a whipping motion. As a beginner you should learn to do this technique in a prone and in a supine position. You’ll be then able to use the flutter kick to tread water and to swim dog paddle. Later on, you’ll use this technique while swimming backstroke and the freestyle stroke.
Learning the Breaststroke Kick
As a beginner, it is also
important to know the breaststroke kick, even though it’s more difficult to
learn than the flutter kick. Beginners can use the breaststroke kick to tread
water and to swim elementary backstroke. Obviously the breaststroke kick is
also used while swimming breaststroke.
Sculling Water
Sculling water is another basic swimming technique. Basically you float in an upright position with your head above water and with your arms extended sideways at shoulder level. You use quick sweeping movements of your arms at the water surface to stay afloat. This technique is best used in combination with a kicking movement of the feet (see below).
Treading Water
Treading water allows you to stay afloat in the same spot while keeping your head above water and your body upright. It is a very useful technique when you need to orient yourself in the water or to observe something that happens around you on land.
Learning how to tread water is easy once you know how to flutter kick and how to scull water. Treading water is then simply a matter of being able to combine both swimming techniques.
Requirements:
- – Float for 5 minutes
- – Tread water for 10 minutes