SWIMMING ASSIGNMENT 1

I. HISTORY OF SWIMMING
• Swimming was practiced as early as 2500 BCE in Egypt, and later in Assyrian,
Greek, and Roman civilizations, according to archaeological and other evidence.
• Swimming was part of martial training in Greece and Rome, and it was also part of
male elementary education, along with the alphabet.
• Swimming was evidently taught to children before they could walk among the
Pacific's preliterate maritime peoples.
• Swimming pools were built separately from baths by the Romans. The first heated
swimming pool is said to have been built by the Roman Gaius Maecenas in the first
century BCE.
• Swimming dates to at least the first century BCE in the Orient, with evidence of
swimming races in Japan dating back to that time. By the 17th century, an imperial
edict had made swimming instruction in schools mandatory.

II. WHAT IS SWIMMING?

• Swimming is the propulsion of the body through water by combining arm and leg
motions and natural flotation of the body in recreation and sports.
• Swimming is popular as an all-around body developer and is especially beneficial in
therapy and exercise for physically disabled people.
• It is also taught for the purpose of saving lives. Swimming-related activities include
diving, lifesaving, surfing, synchronized swimming, underwater diving, and water
polo.

IV. WHEN AND WHO INVENTED SWIMMING?

• Swimming was discovered 4,500 years ago by the Ancient Egyptians.
• Swimming has been practiced for centuries and is even mentioned in ancient texts.
The first recorded swimming competition took place in 424 BC at Delphi's Temple of
Apollo.
 • Swimming became popular as a recreational activity in England in the 1830s. This
was due primarily to the popularity of bathing at the time, as well as the ability to
swim indoors.
• The National Swimming Society held regular swimming competitions in six artificial
swimming pools built around London by 1837.

V. WHEN AND WHO INVENTED THE SWIMMING STROKES? 1.

FRONT CRAWL
• John Trudgen invented the front crawl swimming stroke in 1873.
• The front crawl eventually became what is known as the freestyle in modern
swimming.
• The freestyle is now the fastest and most common stroke.

2. BACKSTROKE
• Backstroke is an ancient swimming style popularized by Harry Hebner.
• It was the second stroke to be swum in competitions after the front crawl.
• The backstroke began to develop early in the 20th century.

3. BREASTSTROKE
• The "Cave of the Swimmers," discovered in 1933 on the Gilf-el-Kebir Plateau in
southwestern Egypt, contains numerous drawings of people swimming breaststroke.
• The French author Thevenot first described a type of breaststroke done with the face
out of the water and an underwater arm recovery (the stage of a stroke when the arms
and/or legs relax and return to the starting position) in The Art of Swimming in 1696.

4. BUTTERFLY
• The recognizable butterfly dolphin kick to accompany the overarm recovery is
credited to American swimming coach David Armbruster, with one of his swimmers,
Jack Sieg, using it to devastate effect in 1935.
• The International Swimming Hall of Fame credits an Australian, Sydney Cavill, with
inventing the butterfly arm stroke, while others credit a German, Erich Rademacher,
and still others, Henry Myers, with the honor.
VI. WHEN DOES SWIMMING BECAME A SPORT IN OLYMPICS?
• Competitive swimming rose to prominence following its inclusion in the modern
Olympic Games in 1896.
• Originally, Olympic events were only for men, but women's events were added in
1912.

VII. DO’S AND DON’TS IN SWIMMING • Do’s in Swimming

1. Breathe slowly.
2. Warm up well.
3. Hydrate.
4. Use proper technique.
5. Apply sunscreen.
6. Use different styles or strokes to enrich swimming experience.
7. Treat other swimmers with respect.

• Don’ts in Swimming
1. Do not eat a lot before swimming.
2. Do not dive headfirst into the water source.
3. Do not cut off swimmers, stay on the imaginary lane.
4. Do not overdo, take swimming easily. Let your body take a break and relax.
5. Do not run on the pool deck.
6. Do not horseplay in the pool.
VIII. EQUIPMENTS

1. Swimwear
• Swimwear is designed to be comfortable to wear when
entering the water.
• Remember that most swimwear is made of materials
that don’t quickly soak up water.
• Swimsuit is made to fit close to the body, making it easier to move around in the
water.
2. Swimming Cap
• Swimming caps are another important piece of
swimming gear, especially swimming in a pool.
• A swimming cap keeps hair safe from chlorine and
makes swimming more accessible, especially for
people with long hair.

3. Swimming Goggles
• Swimming goggles keep water out of your eyes so that
it doesn’t get in them when you’re swimming.
• With the help of swimming goggles, swimmers can see
better under the water and don’t have to worry about
their eyes hurting from the chlorine in pool water.

4. Swimming Tires and Buoys

• Swimming tires and floats are pieces of swimming
gear that helps swimmers stay afloat.
• Tires and swimming buoys keep the body balanced,
so, it doesn’t sink too quickly. Not only that but
swimming tires and buoys are great for practicing
leg movements and giving your hands a break while you swim.

5. Pull Buoys
• Pull buoys are used to train the upper body,
especially the hands, for swimming.

6. Fin
• You can use swimming gear like frog legs
or fins if you want to swim quickly. As
the name suggests, the ends of frog legs
are long and wide.
 7. Towel
• Use a thick towel that soaks up moisture quickly,
so the body dries quickly.

8. Sunblock
• Sunblock is an essential piece of swimming gear that you
shouldn’t forget.
• Putting on sunblock before swimming is a great way to
keep your skin from turning red or sunburned.

References

[1] The 14 Do’s & Don’ts of Swimming | Open Swim San Diego. (2020, September 29). The
Plunge. https://plungesandiego.com/what-do-dont-swimming/
[2] The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. (2019). Swimming | sport and recreation. In
Encyclopædia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/sports/swimming-sport
[3] Sokolovski, M. (2022, September 6). Who Invented Swimming As A Sport. Metro League.
https://www.metroleague.org/who-invented-swimming-as-a-sport/
[4] History Of Swimming. (n.d.). Www.rookieroad.com.
https://www.rookieroad.com/swimming/history/#who-invented-swimming

[5] B.Eng, R. A. (2022, August 5). 8 Swimming Equipment and Their Functions. YaleTools.
https://yaletools.com/swimming-equipment/