It must not for one moment be imagined that proficiency in the land-drill will enable a pupil to swim as soon as he enters the water, but it will be of immense assistance to him, as the various actions will be known and naturally attempted. In order that the necessary confidence may be gained, the rope girdle should be used, or, in the case of a large class, a properly constructed belt, because then, instead of teaching each individual separately, the master may instruct a number at one time. The teacher should then repeat the exercises used in the land-drills ; but in order that good results may follow, it is absolutely necessary that the practice should not be re stricted, and that the pupil should have the opportunity of going through the exercises every day. A few lessons at short in tervals are better than a number with long intervening periods. If there be a long interval the pupil is apt to lose much of the confidence gained at the preceding lesson ; but if the teacher carry out his work systematically and scientifically, it should not be necessary for any pupil to have more than a dozen lessons in the water, and those who have plenty of pluck should be taught in far less time. When the pupil is once able to support himself for a few yards, great attention should be paid by him to the leg and arm movement, and then by constant practice he will gradually develop his speed powers. The secret of good swimming is briefly this—no power must be wasted, and progression must be obtained with as little resist ance of the body to the water as possible. The propelling stroke of the arms must be compound, the legs and arms must act simultaneously, and their action be smooth and clean.
It is through the simultaneous action of the limbs that the body is sustained and propelled through the water, and unless these fundamental principles are borne in mind, beginners are apt to waste strength in frantic struggles with the arms and legs alternately, and to give up their lessons in disgust. With
a clear-minded teacher all this should be avoided.
The stroke must not be made on the surface or the heels kicked up in the air behind ; the sweep of the arms and the closure of the legs should be accomplished under the water, with the hands about three inches and the legs about nine inches below the surface. The body should be kept steady, the back slightly hollowed, and the head thrown back in an easy, unstrained position. When taking a stroke there must be no jerky action, and the body should be as nearly as possible horizontal, instead of as it is with many novices, verging towards the perpendicular.
Another point which teachers should impress upon their pupils is that alarm need not be felt if a feeling of fatigue arise. This is common with beginners, and upon its appearance many of them, or their parents for them, at once assume that they have not sufficient physique to become swimmers. Now this feeling of fatigue is quite natural. It is common with good swimmers at the beginning of a season, and in every other sport it is noticeable when a new set of exercises is entered upon. The feeling is, of course, mainly due to the use of muscles which have hitherto not been called upon to any large extent, but this feeling rapidly disappears after a little practice. As improvement takes place, less power will be required, and the peculiar sinking feeling will disappear, because the strokes and breathing become rhythmic instead of irregular.