Swimming is the movement by humans or animals through water, usually without artificial assistance. The front crawl, or forward crawl, is a Swimming style usually regarded as the fastest of all the styles developed Water is a common Chemical substance that is essential for the survival of all known forms of Life. Swimming is an activity that can be both useful and recreational. Its primary uses are bathing, cooling, travel, fishing, escape, and sport. Bathing is the immersion of the body in a Fluid, usually Water or an aqueous solution Travel is the change in location of people on a trip through the means of Transport from one location to another For the computer security term see Phishing. Fishing is the activity of catching Fish. Career smuggler David McMillan is arrested in Bangkok ’s Chinatown and soon finds himself with other Western inmates among over 6000 Thai locals in Klong Prem

Animals with lungs have an easier time floating than those without. lung is the essential Respiration organ in air-breathing Animals including most Tetrapods a few Fish and a few Snails The most primitive ^[1] Almost all mammals can swim by instinct, including bats, kangaroos, moles and sloths. Mammals ( class Mammalia) are a class of Vertebrate Animals characterized by the presence of Sweat glands, including sweat glands A kangaroo is a Marsupial from the family Macropodidae (macropods meaning 'large foot' The living sloths comprise six Species of medium-sized Mammals that live in Central and South America belonging to the families The few exceptions include apes and possibly giraffes and porcupines. The giraffe ( Giraffa camelopardalis) is an African Even-toed ungulate Mammal, the tallest of all land-living Animal Species There are several reports of apes in zoos falling and drowning in water moats without any struggle (see Bender 1999: 114-119). However, some apes can learn swimming: there is a report of two gorillas swimming in a zoo (Bender 1999: 116-117) and of some orangutans of the Kaja Islands who have learned to swim (Schuster, Smits & Ullal 2008: 102). Land birds can swim or float for at least some time. Birds ( class Aves) are bipedal endothermic ( Warm-blooded) Vertebrate animals that lay eggs. Ostriches, cassowaries and tortoises can swim. The Ostrich ( Struthio camelus) is a large Flightless bird native to Africa (and formerly the Middle East) Cassowaries ( Genus Casuarius) are very large flightless Birds native to the Tropical forests of New Guinea and Tortoises or land Turtles are land-dwelling Reptiles of the family of Testudinidae', order Testudines. Juvenile penguins drown if they accidentally fall in water since their down cover is not designed for aquatic activities.

Contents 1 Non-aquatic animals 2 Competitive swimming 2.1 Legendary swimmers 2.2 Changes to the sport 3 Recreational swimming 4 Occupational swimming 5 Swimming as exercise 6 The risks of swimming 7 Swimming lessons 8 Swimsuits 9 See also 10 References 11 Bibliography 12 External links

Non-aquatic animals

Humans do not swim instinctively, but they feel attracted to water and show a broader range of swimming movements than other non-aquatic animals (Bender 1999: 119-169). In contrast, many monkeys can naturally swim and some, like the proboscis monkey, crab-eating macaque, and Rhesus macaque swim regularly. A monkey is any member of either the New World monkeys or Old World monkeys two of the three groupings of Simian Primates the third group being The Proboscis Monkey ( Nasalis larvatus) also known as the Monyet Belanda (in Malay) the Bangkatan (in Indonesian) or simply The Crab-eating Macaque ( Macaca fascicularis) is a primarily Arboreal Macaque native to Southeast Asia. The Rhesus Macaque ( Macaca mulatta) often called the Rhesus Monkey, is one of the best known species of Old World monkeys Adult males measure

Some breeds of dog swim recreationally. The dog ( Canis lupus familiaris) is a domesticated Subspecies of the gray wolf, a Mammal of the Canidae family of the order Umbra, a world record-holding dog, can swim 4 miles (6. 4 km) in 73 minutes, placing her in the top 25% in human long-distance swimming competitions^[2]. The kilometre ( American spelling: kilometer) symbol km is a unit of Length in the Metric system, equal to one thousand Although most cats hate water, adult cats are good swimmers. WikipediaManual of Style (spelling, articles should conform to one overall spelling style of English typically the one most linked to the article topic (if it is geographic The fishing cat is one wild species of cat that has evolved special adaptations for an aquatic or semi-aquatic lifestyle - webbed digits. The Fishing Cat ( Prionailurus viverrinus) is a medium-sized cat whose habitat range extends through Indochina, India, Pakistan Tigers and some individual jaguars are the only big cats known go into water readily, though other big cats, including lions, have been observed swimming. A few domestic cat breeds also like swimming, such as the Turkish Van. The Turkish Van is a breed of cat native to the rugged mountains of the Lake Van region in Eastern Turkey. In a unpublished research carried out 2002 at the University of Bern (Switzerland) , Bender & Hirt showed that the Turkish Van has less inhibition to enter in shallow water compared to another breed, the Russian Blue. This behavior can be partially explained by the character of the Turkish Van, who seems to be more curious and enterprising than other cat breeds (see Widmer 1990).

Horses, moose, and elk are very powerful swimmers, and can travel long distances in the water. The horse ( Equus caballus) is a hoofed ( Ungulate) Mammal, one of eight living species of the family Equidae. The moose (North America or elk (Europe Alces alces, is the largest extant Species in the Deer family. The elk, or wapiti ( Cervus canadensis) is one of the largest Species of Deer in the world and one of the largest Mammals in Elephants are also capable of swimming, even in deep waters. Elephants ( family: Elephantidae) are large land Mammals of the order Proboscidea. Eyewitnesses have confirmed that camels, including Dromedaries and Bactrians, can swim^[3], despite the fact that there is little deep water in their natural habitats. Camels are Even-toed ungulates within the Genus Camelus. The Dromedary, one-humped or Arabian camel has a single hump and the The Dromedary camel ( Camelus dromedarius) is a large Even-toed ungulate. The Bactrian Camel ( Camelus bactrianus) is a large Even-toed ungulate native to the Steppes of north eastern Asia.

Both domestic and wild rabbits can swim. Rabbits are small Mammals in the family Leporidae of the order Lagomorpha, found in several parts of the world Domestic rabbits are sometimes trained to swim as a circus attraction. A wild rabbit famously swam in an apparent attack on U. Dubbed the " Killer rabbit " attack by the media the Jimmy Carter rabbit incident involved a Swamp rabbit that caught press imagination after furiously trying S. President Jimmy Carter's boat when it was threatened in its natural habitat. James Earl "Jimmy" Carter Jr (born October 1 1924 was the thirty-ninth President of the United States, serving from 1977 to 1981 and the recipient of the 2002 ^[4]

The Guinea pig (or cavy) is noted as having an excellent swimming ability. The Guinea pig (also commonly called the cavy after its scientific name Cavia porcellus) is a species of Rodent belonging to the family Caviidae ^[5]. Mice can swim quite well. A mouse (plural mice) is a small Animal that belongs to one They do panic when placed in water, but many lab mice are used in the Morris water maze, a test to measure learning. In neuroscience the Morris water maze is a behavioral procedure designed to test Spatial memory. When mice swim, they use their tails like flagella and kick with their legs. A flagellum ( plural flagella) is a tail-like structure that projects from the Cell body of certain Prokaryotic and Eukaryotic cells and it

Many species of snakes are aquatic and live their entire lives in the water, but all terrestrial snakes are excellent swimmers as well. A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales. The larger pythons and anacondas spend the majority of their time in the water; their skeletons are not able to support their body weight well on dry land. Common names pythons The Pythonidae are a family of non- Venomous Snakes found in Africa, Asia Eunectes is a Genus of non-venomous boas found in tropical South America, commonly called anacondas. Many Beetles are able to swim, some species of diving beetle spend most of their time in the water. Beetles are the group of Insects with the largest number of known Species. Dytiscidae &ndash based on the Greek dytikos (δυτικός "able to dive" &ndash are the predaceous diving beetles, a family of

Competitive swimming

The goal of competitive swimming is to be the fastest over a given distance. Competitive swimming became popular in the nineteenth century, and comprises 34 individual events - 17 male events and 17 female events. Swimming is an event at the Summer Olympic Games, where male and female athletes compete in 13 of the recognized events each. The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an International Multi-sport event, usually quadrennial organised by the International Olympic events are held in a 50 meter pool. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International Competitive swimming's international governing body is FINA (Fédération Internationale de Natation), the International Swimming Federation.

The four competitive strokes are the butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle (front crawl). The butterfly, ( fly for short is a swimming stroke swum on the breast with both arms moving simultaneously The backstroke, also sometimes called the back crawl, is one of the four Breaststroke is a Swimming style swum on the Breast. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the Freestyle is an unregulated Swimming style used in swimming competitions according to the rules of FINA. While "freestyle" and "front crawl" are often used interchangeably, freestyle is the more common name and is used in almost all competitive, club-swimming or international competitions. Swimmers generally choose to swim front crawl in a freestyle event since it is the fastest and easiest stroke. Disqualification will occur if the stroke is not swum correctly, for example if the swimmer does not touch the wall with two hands during breaststroke or butterfly.

These strokes can be swum individually or together in an individual medley (IM). Medley is a combination of four different Swimming styles into one race The IM order is: 1) butterfly, 2) backstroke, 3) breaststroke, and 4) freestyle. There are two types of relays: medley and freestyle. The medley relay order is: 1) backstroke, 2) breaststroke, 3) butterfly, and 4) freestyle. Each of the four swimmers in the relay swims a predetermined distance, dependent on the overall length of the relay. The three relay lengths are 200 meters or yards, 400 meters or yards, and 800 meters or yards (which is only swum freestyle). The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A yard (abbreviation yd) is a unit of Length in several different systems including English units Imperial units and United In a 50 meter pool, each swimmer swims one length for the 200 relay, two lengths for the 400 relay, and four lengths for the 800 relay. In a 25 meter or yard pool, each swimmer swims two lengths for the 200 relay, four lengths for the 400 relay, and eight lengths for the 800 relay. There have also been 100 yard relays that have been done by 8 and under swimmers, but is very rare except in summer recreation leagues. Many full-size competition pools in the United States have a length of 50 meters and a width of 25 yards (the Olympic pool size, allowing both short course (25 m or 25 yd pool) and long course (50 m pool) races to be held. A yard (abbreviation yd) is a unit of Length in several different systems including English units Imperial units and United

There are several types of judges: a starter sends the swimmers off the blocks and may also call a false-start if a swimmer leaves the block before the starter sends them; finish judges make sure the swimmers touch the wall with the appropriate number of hands (one hand for freestyle and backstroke, two for breaststroke and butterfly with the swimmer's hands touching the wall at the same time, not one after another) turn judges check that the swimmers' turns are within rules; stroke judges check the swimmers' strokes; time keepers time the swims; and the referee along with the starter and the officials make sure everything is running smoothly. If an official catches a swimmer breaking a rule concerning the stroke he or she is swimming, that swimmer is said to be disqualified (commonly referred to as a "DQ") and the swim is not considered valid. An official is someone who holds an office (function or mandate, regardless whether it carries an actual working space with it in an Organisation or

There are two types of meets. 'A' meets are official meets that allow qualification for a special or bigger meet if the qualifying time is met. Scores are kept to see how each team did at the end of the season. 'B' meets are used as practice meets, where the normal, or prime stroke is swum if not yet qualified. Scores are not kept.

In the USA and the UK, communities may sponsor competitive swimming leagues for children and teenagers, made up of swim teams. These leagues for the most part adhere to recognized swimming rules, swim the standard strokes, but swim shorter lengths as events in swim meets. These leagues are usually active in the warmer months, and are not directly associated with a national or world swim organization. However, swimmers who begin their competitive swimming experience on such a local swim team may go on to join a nationally-governed team.

In Australia such competition is usually conducted under the auspices of a club affiliated with the State Association which in turn is affiliated with Swimming Australia, the FINA accredited body. This provides a direct pathway to top level competition for those capable of taking it while still providing a more relaxed environment for those whose main intent is to have fun swimming competitively.

Masters swimming is a club sport for adults who have a competitive spirit. Swimming at this level differs from competitive club swimming. In swim meets masters are allowed to compete in the 50, 100 and 200 of backstroke, fly and breaststroke and the 50, 100, 200, 500 and 1650 of freestyle. The age groups are organized into 5 year increments (Masters, 1). “Swimming has continually been identified as the best way to exercise. Stress reduction, weight control, cardiovascular fitness, reduced cholesterol, muscle tone and endurance are all positively influenced by exercise. Masters Swimmers swear by it (Masters, 1). ” Shoulder injuries are the most common because of the repetitive motion of freestyle, butterfly, and backstroke. Knee injuries often occur from breaststroke due to the unnatural kick. Incorrect stroke technique can also lead to injuries.

Legendary swimmers

Swimmers who have gained fame for their competition performances include Dawn Fraser, Libby Trickett (formerly Libby Lenton), Kristin Otto, Ian Thorpe, Tamás Darnyi, Krisztina Egerszegi, András Hargitay, Mary Meagher, Michael Phelps, Stephanie Rice, Eamon Sullivan, Susie O'Neill, Janet Evans, Petria Thomas, Alexander Popov, Vladimir Salnikov, Kieran Perkins, Grant Hackett, Pieter van den Hoogenband, Michael Klim, Ian Crocker, Federica Pellegrini, Leisel Jones, Kieran Perkins, Inge de Bruijn, Natalie Coughlin, Lisa Curry-Kenny, Larsen Jensen, Brendan Hansen, Jack Groselle, Mark Spitz, Mark Foster, Simon Burnett, Peter Mankoc, and Aaron Piersol. Dawn Lorraine Fraser AO, MBE (born on 4 September 1937 is an Australian champion swimmer Lisbeth "Libby" Constance Trickett ( née Lenton) OAM (born 28 January 1985 in Townsville, Queensland, Australia Lisbeth "Libby" Constance Trickett ( née Lenton) OAM (born 28 January 1985 in Townsville, Queensland, Australia Kristin Otto (born February 7, 1966 in Leipzig, East Germany is a German Olympic swimming champion Ian James Thorpe OAM (born 13 October 1982 in Sydney, New South Wales) also known as the Thorpedo or Thorpey Tamás Darnyi (born June 3, 1967 in Budapest) is a Hungarian retired male swimmer. Krisztina Egerszegi ˈɛgɛrsɛgi}} (born 16 August 1974 is a Hungarian former swimmer one of the greatest Hungarian Olympic champions of the modern András Hargitay (born March 17, 1956) is a former medley Swimmer from Hungary, who won the bronze medal as a sixteen-year old Mary Terstegge Meagher Plant (born October 27, 1964 in Louisville Kentucky) is a former competitive swimmer from the United States Michael Fred Phelps (born June 30 1985 is an American swimmer. Stephanie Rice (born 17 June 1988 in Brisbane, Queensland) is an Australian swimmer. Eamon Sullivan (born 30 August 1985 in Perth, Western Australia) is an Australian Sprint Swimmer. Susan ("Susie" O'Neill (born August 2 1973) is an Australian former competitive swimmer from Brisbane, Queensland, who was famously Janet Elizabeth Evans (born August 28, 1971) is a American competitive Swimmer. Petria Ann Thomas OAM (born August 25 1975) is an Australian swimmer and Olympic gold medallist and a winner of 15 national titles Aleksandr Vladimirovich Popov (also Alexander Popov Александр Владимирович Попов (born November 16, 1971) is a Russian former Vladimir Valeryevich Salnikov (Владимир Валерьевич Сальников born May 21, 1960) is a Russian former Swimmer who Kieren John Perkins OAM (born August 14, 1973) is a former Australian professional swimmer Grant George Hackett OAM (born May 9, 1980) is an Australian swimmer most famous for winning the men's 1500 metres freestyle Pieter Cornelis Martijn van den Hoogenband (born 14 March 1978 in Maastricht) is a Dutch former swimmer and a triple Olympic champion Michael Klim OAM (born August 13, 1977) is a Polish -born Australian swimmer Ian Crocker (born August 31 1982 in Portland Maine) is an American swimmer who won gold medals in 2000, 2004 and 2008 Summer Olympics Federica Pellegrini (born August 5, 1988) is an Italian swimmer Leisel Marie Jones OAM (born 30 August 1985 in Katherine, Northern Territory, Australia is an Australian Olympic gold medalist Swimmer. Kieren John Perkins OAM (born August 14, 1973) is a former Australian professional swimmer Inge de Bruijn (born August 24 1973 is a former Dutch swimmer and a four-time Olympic champion Natalie Anne Coughlin (born August 23, 1982) is an American Swimmer who has represented the United States at the Lisa Gaye Curry-Kenny AO MBE (born 15 May 1962 known before her marriage as Lisa Curry) is a former Australian Swimmer and is an Larsen Alan Jensen (born September 1, 1985 in Bakersfield California) is an American swimmer, who graduated from the University Brendan Joseph Hansen (born August 15 1981 in Havertown Pennsylvania) is an American Swimmer who specializes in the Breaststroke. John "Jack" Groselle is a noted Swim enthusiast and world record holder from Hiram Ohio. Mark Andrew Spitz (born February 10 1950 is a retired American Swimmer, best known for winning seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games Mark Foster may refer to Mark Foster (music critic (1935&ndash2001 American music critic and writer Mark Foster (swimmer (b Career Simon was born at the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, the second of the three sons of Ray Burnett and Melanie Verhoeven Peter Mankoč (born July 4, 1978 in Ljubljana, Slovenia) is one of the best Slovenian swimmers of all time and one of the most successful Aaron Wells Peirsol (born July 23, 1983 in Irvine, California) is an Olympic-level swimmer from the United States of America

Changes to the sport

Swimming times have dropped over the years due to better training techniques and to new developments.

In the first four Olympics competitions were not held in pools, but in open water (1896- The Mediterranean, 1900- The Seine River, 1904- an artificial lake, 1906- The Mediterranean). The 1904 Olympics' freestyle race was the only one ever measured at 100 yards, instead of the usual 100 meters. The 1904 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the III Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event which was celebrated in St A 100 meter pool was built for the 1908 Olympics and sat in the center of the main stadium's track and field oval. The 1908 Summer Olympics, officially the Games of the IV Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event which was held in 1908 in London The 1912 Olympics, held in the Stockholm harbour, marked the beginning of electronic timing. The 1912 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the V Olympiad, were an International Multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1912 in

Male swimmers wore full body suits until the 1940s, which caused more drag in the water than their modern swim-wear counterparts. Competition suits now include engineered fabric and designs to reduce swimmers' drag in the water and prevent athlete fatigue. Also, over the years, pool designs have lessened the drag. Some design considerations allow for the reduction of swimming resistance, making the pool faster. In Fluid dynamics, drag (sometimes called fluid resistance) is the force that resists the movement of a Solid object through a Fluid (a Namely, proper pool depth, elimination of currents, increased lane width, energy absorbing racing lane lines and gutters, and the use of other innovative hydraulic, acoustic and illumination designs.

The 1924 Olympics were the first to use the standard 50 meter pool with marked lanes. In the freestyle, swimmers originally dove from the pool walls, but diving blocks were incorporated at the 1936 Summer Olympics. The 1936 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XI Olympiad, an International Multi-sport event which was held in 1936 in Berlin The flip-turn was developed by the 1950s. In addition, a split stroke in the breaststroke start and turns have been added to help speed up the stroke.

Recreational swimming

The most common purpose for swimming is recreation. Recreational swimming is a good way to relax, while enjoying a full-body workout. Several swimming styles are suitable for recreational swimming; most recreational swimmers prefer a style that keeps their head out of the water and has an underwater arm recovery. A style is known as a stroke or "crawl" "Stroke" can also refer to a single completion of the sequence of body movements repeated while swimming in the given style Breaststroke, side stroke, head up front crawl and dog paddle are the most common strokes utilized in recreational swimming, but the out-of-water arm recovery of freestyle or butterfly gives rise to better exploitation of the difference in resistance between air and water. Breaststroke is a Swimming style swum on the Breast. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the The sidestroke is a swimming stroke, so named because the swimmer lies on one side The front crawl, or forward crawl, is a Swimming style usually regarded as the fastest of all the styles developed The dog paddle or doggy paddle is a simple Swimming stroke It is characterized by the swimmer lying on his chest and moving his hands and legs alternately

The butterfly stroke, which consists of out-of-water recovery with even symmetry in body movements, is most suited to rough water swimming. Breaststroke is a Swimming style swum on the Breast. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the The butterfly, ( fly for short is a swimming stroke swum on the breast with both arms moving simultaneously For example, in a record-setting example of endurance swimming, Vicki Keith crossed the rough waters of Lake Ontario using butterfly. Vicki Keith, CM OOnt (born 26 February, 1961 in Winnipeg Manitoba) is a retired Canadian marathon swimmer. Most recreational swimming takes place in swimming pools, and calm natural waters (sea, lakes, rivers), therefore front crawl is suitable. A swimming pool, swimming bath, wading pool, or simply a pool, is an artificially enclosed Body of water intended for Swimming or

Occupational swimming

Some occupations require the workers to swim. For example, abalone divers or pearl divers swim and dive to obtain an economic benefit, as do spear fishermen. Abalone (from Spanish Abulón) are medium-sized to very large edible sea Snails marine Gastropod Mollusks in the A pearl is a hard roundish object produced within the soft tissue (specifically the mantle) of a living shelled Mollusk. Spearfisherman redirects here For the former diving gear company see Spearfisherman (company.

Swimming is used to rescue other swimmers in distress. In the USA, most cities and states have trained lifeguards, such as the Los Angeles City Lifeguards, deployed at pools and beaches. There are a number of specialized swimming styles specially for rescue purposes (see List of swimming styles). A style is known as a stroke or "crawl" "Stroke" can also refer to a single completion of the sequence of body movements repeated while swimming in the given style Such techniques are studied by lifeguards or members of the Coast Guard. A lifeguard is an Emergency service worker who is responsible for overseeing the Safety of the users of a recreational water feature such as a Swimming A coast guard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea The training for these techniques has also evolved into competitions such as surf lifesaving. Surf lifesaving is a multifaceted movement that comprises key aspects of voluntary Lifeguard services and competitive surf sport

Swimming is also used in marine biology to observe plants and animals in their natural habitat. Marine biology is the scientific study of living Organisms in the Ocean or other marine or Brackish bodies of water Other sciences use swimming, for example Konrad Lorenz swam with geese as part of his studies of animal behavior. Konrad Zacharias Lorenz ( November 7, 1903 in Vienna &ndash February 27, 1989 in Vienna) was an Austrian Goose (plural geese) is the English name for a considerable number of Birds belonging to the family Anatidae. Ethology ( from Greek ἦθος ethos, "character" and λόγος logos, "knowledge") is the scientific study of Animal

Swimming also has military purposes. For the military meaning see Armed forces. For the Soviet sports society see Armed Forces (sports society Armed Forces Military swimming is usually done by special forces, such as Navy SEALS. In most countries special forces (SF is a generic term for highly-trained Military teams/units that conduct specialized operations such as Reconnaissance Swimming is used to approach a location, gather intelligence, sabotage or combat, and to depart a location. This may also include airborne insertion into water or exiting a submarine while it is submerged. A submarine is a Watercraft that can operate independently below water as distinct from a Submersible that has only limited underwater capability Due to regular exposure to large bodies of water, all recruits in the United States Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard are required to complete basic swimming or water survival training.

Swimming is also a professional sport. Companies such as Speedo, TYR Sports, Arena and Nike sponsor swimmers who are at the international level. Speedo is a manufacturer of swimwear and accessories The company was started by Alexander MacRae under the name of MacRae Hosiery Manufacturers in Bondi Beach Nike Inc ('naɪki ( is a major publicly traded sportswear and equipment supplier based in the United States. Cash awards are also given at many of the major competitions for breaking records.

Swimming as exercise

Swimming is an excellent form of exercise. Because the density of the human body is very similar to that of water, the body is supported by the water and less stress is therefore placed on joints and bones. Swimming is frequently used as an exercise in rehabilitation after injuries or for those with disabilities.

Resistance swimming is one form of swimming exercise. It is done either for training purposes, to hold the swimmer in place for stroke analysis, or to enable swimming in a confined space for athletic or therapeutic reasons. Resistance swimming can be done either against a stream of moving water (often termed a swimming machine) or by holding the swimmer stationary with elastic attachments.

Swimming is primarily an aerobic exercise due to the long exercise time, requiring a constant oxygen supply to the muscles, except for short sprints where the muscles work anaerobically. As with most aerobic exercise swimming is believed to reduce the harmful effects of stress. Swimming can improve posture and develop a strong lean physique, often called a "swimmer's build. " Muscle development depends upon the stroke and distances trained, but avid swimmers typically have well-developed triceps, upper backs, deltoids, and as well as quadriceps.

The risks of swimming

Swimming is a healthy activity and enjoys a low risk of injury compared with many other sports. Nevertheless there are some health risks with swimming, including the following:

• Drowning, inhalation of water arising from
  • Adverse water conditions swamping or overwhelming the swimmer or causing water inhalation.
  • Actions of others pushing under water accidentally in play or intentionally.
  • Exhaustion or unconsciousness.
  • Incapacitation through shallow water blackout, heart attacks, carotid sinus syncope or stroke. A shallow water blackout is a loss of consciousness caused by Cerebral hypoxia towards the end of a breath-hold dive in water typically shallower than five Myocardial infarction ( MI or AMI for acute myocardial infarction) also known as a heart attack, occurs when the blood supply In Human anatomy, the carotid sinus is a localized dilation of the Internal carotid artery at its origin the Common carotid artery Bifurcation A stroke is the rapidly developing loss of brain functions due to a disturbance in the blood vessels supplying blood to the brain

• Adverse effects of immersion
  • Secondary drowning, where inhaled salt water creates a foam in the lungs that restricts breathing.
  • Salt water aspiration syndrome. Salt water aspiration syndrome is a rare diving disorder suffered by SCUBA divers who inhale a mist of Seawater from a faulty Demand valve causing
  • Thermal shock after jumping into water can cause the heart to stop.
  • Exostosis which is an abnormal growth in the ear canal due to the frequent, long-term splashing of water into the ear canal. An exostosis (plural exostoses) is the formation of new Bone on the surface of a bone The ear is the sense organ that detects Sounds The Vertebrate ear shows a common biology from Fish to Humans with variations (Known as Swimmer's ear. Otitis externa ("swimmer's ear" is an Inflammation of the outer Ear and ear canal )

• Exposure to chemicals
  • Disinfectant Chlorine will increase the pH of the water, if uncorrected the raised pH may cause eye or skin irritations. Disinfectants are Antimicrobial agents that are applied to non-living objects to destroy Microorganisms, the process of which is known as disinfection. Chlorine (ˈklɔriːn from the Greek word 'χλωρóς' ( khlôros, meaning 'pale green' is the Chemical element with Atomic number 17 and pH is the measure of the acidity or alkalinity of a Solution. [1]
  • Chlorine inhalation; breathing small quantities of chlorine gas from the water surface whilst swimming for long periods of time may have an adverse effect on the lungs, particularly for asthmatics. Chlorine (ˈklɔriːn from the Greek word 'χλωρóς' ( khlôros, meaning 'pale green' is the Chemical element with Atomic number 17 and Asthma is a chronic Condition involving the Respiratory system in which the airways occasionally constrict become inflamed, and are This problem may be resolved by using a pool with better ventilation, with an outdoor pool having the best results.
  • Chlorine also has a negative cosmetic effect after repeated long exposure, stripping brown hair of all color, turning it very light blonde. Chlorine (ˈklɔriːn from the Greek word 'χλωρóς' ( khlôros, meaning 'pale green' is the Chemical element with Atomic number 17 and Chlorine damages the structure of hair, turning it "frizzy. " Chlorine can dissolve copper which turns blonde hair green. Proper pool maintenance can reduce the amount of copper in the water, while wetting the hair before entering a pool can help reduce the absorption of copper.
  • Chlorine will often remain on skin in an anhydrous form, even after several washings. As a general term a substance is said to be anhydrous if it contains no Water. The chlorine becomes odorous once it is back in an aqueous solution (when salivated on, during a shower, etc. ).

• Infection
  • Water is an excellent environment for many bacteria, parasites, fungi and viruses affecting humans depending on water quality. The Bacteria ( singular: bacterium) are a large group of unicellular Microorganisms Typically a few Micrometres in length bacteria have Parasitism is a type of symbiotic relationship between Organisms of different Species. A fungus (ˈfʌŋgəs is a eukaryotic Organism that is a member of the kingdom Fungi (ˈfʌndʒaɪ A virus (from the Latin virus meaning Toxin or Poison) is a sub-microscopic infectious agent that is unable Water quality is the physical chemical and biological characteristics of Water in relationship to a set of standards
  • Skin infections from both swimming and shower rooms can cause athlete's foot (boat bug). Athlete's foot, also called Tinea Pedis, is a Parasitic fungal infection of the epidermis of the human foot The easiest way to avoid this is to dry the space between the toes. The foot is an Anatomical structure found in many Animals It is the terminal portion of a limb which bears weight and allows Locomotion. [2]
  • Microscopic parasites such as Cryptosporidium can be resistant to chlorine and can cause diarrheal illness when swimmers swallow pool water. Cryptosporidium is a Protozoan that can cause gastro-intestinal illness with Diarrhea in humans
  • Ear infections, otitis media, (otitis externa). Otitis media is Inflammation of the Middle ear, or middle ear infection (the word otitis is Greek and it means “inflammation of the ear” and media Otitis externa ("swimmer's ear" is an Inflammation of the outer Ear and ear canal
  • When chlorine levels are improperly balanced, severe health problems may result, such as chronic bronchitis and asthma.
• Swimmer's own actions
  • Overuse injury; competitive butterfly stroke swimmers for example may develop some back pain, including vertebral fractures in rare cases, and shoulder pain after long years of training, breaststroke swimmers may develop knee pain, and hip pain, and freestyle and backstroke swimmers may develop shoulder pain, commonly referred to as swimmer's shoulder (a form of tendinitis). The butterfly, ( fly for short is a swimming stroke swum on the breast with both arms moving simultaneously Back pain (also known " dorsalgia " is Pain felt in the back that usually originates from the Muscles Nerves Bones Breaststroke is a Swimming style swum on the Breast. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the Tendinitis or tendonitis (from the Greek Τενοντίτις 'itis' denoting inflammation or swelling used to be thought of as a painful Inflammation
  • Hyperventilation in a bid to extend underwater breath-hold times lowers blood carbon dioxide resulting in suppression of the urge to breathe and consequent loss of consciousness towards the end of the dive, see shallow water blackout for the mechanism. In Medicine, hyperventilation (or overbreathing) is the state of Breathing faster and/or deeper than necessary bringing about lightheadedness and other A shallow water blackout is a loss of consciousness caused by Cerebral hypoxia towards the end of a breath-hold dive in water typically shallower than five

• Adverse water and weather conditions
  • Currents, including tides and rivers can cause exhaustion, can pull swimmers away from safety, or pull swimmers under water. A current, in a River or Stream, is the Flow of Water influenced by Gravity as the water moves Downhill to reduce its Characteristics A tide is a repeated cycle of sea level changes in the following stages Over several hours the water rises or advances up a beach in the flood "Riverine" redirects here For the use of that term in Maritime geography, see there
  • Wind enhances waves and can blow a swimmer off course. Wind is the flow of Air or other Gases that compose an Atmosphere (including but not limited to the Earth's) Ocean surface waves are Surface waves that occur on the Free surface of the Ocean.
  • Hypothermia, due to cold water, can cause rapid exhaustion and unconsciousness. Hypothermia is a condition in which an organism's temperature drops below that required for normal Metabolism and bodily functions
  • Sunburn severity can be increased by reflections in the water and the lack of clothing worn during swimming. A sunburn is a burn to living tissue such as Skin produced by overexposure to Ultraviolet (UV radiation commonly from the Sun 's rays Long-term exposure to the sun contributes to risk of skin cancer. Cancer (medical term Malignant Neoplasm) is a class of Diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled

• Objects in the water
  • Propeller damage is a major cause of accidents, either by being run over by a boat or entanglement on climbing into a boat.
  • Collision with another swimmer, the pool walls, rocks or boats.
  • Diving into a submerged object, or the bottom, often in turbid water.
  • Snagging on underwater objects, particularly submerged branches or wrecks.
  • Stepping on sharp objects such as broken glass.

• Aquatic life
  • Stings from jellyfish and some corals. Jellyfish are free-swimming members of the phylum Cnidaria. They have several different basic morphologies that represent several different cnidarian classes including the Corals are Marine organisms from the class Anthozoa and exist as small Sea anemone –like Polyps typically in colonies of many
  • Piercings caused by sea urchins, zebra mussels, stingrays. Sea urchins are small globular spiny sea cat animals composing most of class Echinoidea. The zebra mussel, Dreissena polymorpha, is a Species of small freshwater Mussel, an Aquatic Bivalve Mollusk. Dasyatidae is a family of rays, cartilaginous marine Fishes related to Skates and Sharks Dasyatids are common in tropical
  • Bites from sharks and other fish and snakes, and pinches from lobsters or crabs. Sharks ( Superorder Selachimorpha) are a type of Fish with a full cartilaginous Skeleton and a highly streamlined body Fish are aquatic Vertebrate animals that are typically ectothermic (previously Cold-blooded) covered with scales, and equipped with two A snake is an elongate Reptile of the suborder Serpentes Like all reptiles snakes are covered in scales. Clawed lobsters compose a family ( Nephropidae, sometimes also Homaridae) of large marine Crustaceans Lobsters are economically important as Crabs are decapod Crustaceans of the infraorder Brachyura, which typically have a very short projecting "tail" (βραχύ / brachy
  • Electrocution from electric rays and electric eels. The electric eel, Electrophorus electricus, is a species of Fish.

Organizations publish safety guidelines to help swimmers avoid these risks. ^[6][7][8]

Swimming lessons

Children are often given swimming lessons, which serve to develop swimming technique and confidence. Children generally do not swim independently until 4 years of age. ^[9]

In Sweden, Denmark, Norway and Finland, the curriculum for the fifth grade states that all children should learn how to swim as well as how to handle emergencies near water. "Sverige" redirects here For other uses see Sweden (disambiguation and Sverige (disambiguation. The Kingdom of Denmark ( ˈd̥ænmɑɡ̊ (archaic ˈd̥anmɑːɡ̊ commonly known as Denmark, is a country in the Scandinavian region of northern Europe Norway ( Norwegian: Norge ( Bokmål) or Noreg ( Nynorsk) officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Constitutional Finland, officially the Republic of Finland ( is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of northern Europe. In formal education a curriculum (plural curricula) is the set of courses and their content offered at a School or University. Most commonly, children are expected to be able to swim 200 metres (220 yards) – of which at least 50 metres (55 yards) on their back – after first falling into deep water and getting their head under water. The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A yard (abbreviation yd) is a unit of Length in several different systems including English units Imperial units and United The metre or meter is a unit of Length. It is the basic unit of Length in the Metric system and in the International A yard (abbreviation yd) is a unit of Length in several different systems including English units Imperial units and United Even though about 95 percent of Swedish school children know how to swim, drowning remains the third most common cause of death among children. ^[10]

In both the Netherlands and Belgium swimming lessons under school time (schoolzwemmen, school swimming) are supported by the government. The Netherlands ( Dutch:, ˈnedərlɑnt is the European part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, which consists of the Netherlands the Netherlands The Kingdom of Belgium is a Country in northwest Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts its headquarters as well as those Most schools provide swimming lessons. There is a long tradition of swimming lessons in the Netherlands and Belgium, the Dutch translation for the breaststroke swimming style is even schoolslag (schoolstroke). Dutch ( is a West Germanic language spoken by around 24 million people 22 million of which are from the Netherlands, Belgium and Suriname Breaststroke is a Swimming style swum on the Breast. It is the most popular recreational style due to its stability and the ability to keep the head out of the The children learn a variant of the breaststroke which is technically not entirely correct.

In many places, swimming lessons are provided by local swimming pools, both those run by the local authority and by private leisure companies. Many schools also include swimming lessons into their Physical Education curricula, provided either in the schools' own pool, or in the nearest public pool. In formal education a curriculum (plural curricula) is the set of courses and their content offered at a School or University.

In the UK, the "Top-ups scheme" calls for school children who cannot swim by the age of 11 to receive intensive daily lessons. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located These children who have not reached Great Britain's National Curriculum standard of swimming 25 metres by the time they leave primary school will be given a half-hour lesson every day for two weeks during term-time. ^[11]

In Canada and Mexico there has been a call for swimming to be included in the public school curriculum. Country to "Dominion of Canada" or "Canadian Federation" or anything else please read the Talk Page The United Mexican States ( or commonly Mexico (ˈmɛksɪkoʊ () is a federal constitutional Republic in North America. The term public school has two distinct (and virtually opposite meanings depending on the location of usage in the United States, Australia and ^[12]

Swimsuits

Main article: swimsuit

Most standard clothing is impractical and unsafe for swimming. A swimsuit, bathing suit or swimming costume is an item of Clothing designed to be worn for Swimming. In historical cultures, it has been common to swim nude, but in those with taboos against nudity, specialized swimwear has been the norm. A taboo is a strong Social prohibition (or ban) against words objects actions or discussions that are considered undesirable or offensive by a group culture Nudity is the state of wearing no Clothing. The term' "nudity" can also occasionally be used to refer to wearing significantly less clothing than expected Most cultures today expect swimsuits to be worn for public swimming.

Modern men's swimsuits are usually shorts also known as jammers, either skintight or loose fitting, covering only the upper legs or not at all. "Hot Pants" redirects here For the James Brown song see Hot Pants (song Shorts are a Garment worn by both men and women over A swimsuit, bathing suit or swimming costume is an item of Clothing designed to be worn for Swimming. Almost always, the upper body is left uncovered. In some cultures, custom and/or laws have required tops for public swimming.

Modern women's swimsuits are generally skintight, either two pieces covering only the breasts and pelvic region, or a single piece covering them both plus the torso between them. Skirts are uncommon and short when included, but have been required and sometimes as much as full length in some cultures.

Competitive swimwear seeks to improve upon bare human skin for a speed advantage. Competitive swimwear generally refers to the apparel equipment and accessories used in the aquatic sports of Swimming For extra speed a swimmer wears a body suit, which has rubber or plastic bumps that break up the water close to the body and provides a small amount of thrust--just barely enough to help a swimmer swim faster. For swimming in cold water, wetsuits provide thermal insulation. A wetsuit is a protective garment used for watersports such as Scuba diving, Surfing, Windsurfing, Kitesurfing, and Triathlon

Swim caps keep the body streamlined. A swim cap, or bathing cap, is a Silicone, Latex or Lycra cap worn on the head by recreational and competitive swimmers.

See also

• Buoyancy
• Diving
• FINA
• FINA World Aquatics Championships
• Fish locomotion
• Ice swimming
• Lifeguard
• List of swimming styles
• List of swimmers
• List of water sports
• Resistance swimming
• Skinny dipping
• Swimming at the Summer Olympics
• Swimming machine
• Swimming pool
• Total Immersion
• United States Masters Swimming

References

Bibliography

• Bender N. & Hirt N. , Did Turkish Van cats lose theyr fear of water? Forschungspraktikum Evolutionsökologie, University of Bern, Bern 2002.
• Bender R. , Die evolutionsbiologische Grundlage des menschlichen Schwimmens, Tauchens und Watens: Konvergenzforschung in den Terrestrisierungshypothesen und in der Aquatic Ape Theory. Diploma thesis, Institute of Sport and Sport Sciences, University of Bern, Bern 1999.
• Cox, Lynne (2005 by Harvest Books). Swimming to Antarctica: Tales of a Long-Distance Swimmer. 2005 by Harvest Books. ISBN 0-15-603130-2.  
• Maniscalco F. , Il nuoto nel mondo greco romano, Naples 1993.
• Mehl H. , Antike Schwimmkunst, Munchen 1927.
• Schuster G. , Smits W. & Ullal J. , Thinkers of the Jungle. Tandem Verlag 2008.
• Sprawson, Charles (2000). Haunts of the Black Masseur - The Swimmer as Hero. University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 0-8166-3539-0.  svin
• Tarpinian, Steve (1996). The Essential Swimmer. The Lyons Press. ISBN 1-55821-386-4.  
• Widmer F. , Ein erster Vergleich des Verhaltens am Wasser zwischen Hauskatzen und Türkischen Van-Katzen. Diploma thesis, University of Zurich, Zurich 1990.

External links

• Drowning Prevention and Water Safety Information from Seattle Children's Hospital and the Washington State Drowning Prevention Network.
• Swimming Injuries and Illnesses
• BBC guide for learning to swim: the Front Crawl, the Breaststroke, the Backstroke, the Butterfly
• Overview of 150 historical and less known swimming-strokes
• Very good specialist Swimming equipment web site
• Blog all about swimming
• [3]

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