THE COMPLETE SWIMMING STROKE For the practice of the leg and arm movements combined the learner should be taught in a 'girdle' or a belt, and should carefully observe the foregoing instructions. The practice should be as follows : r. Steadily incline the body to a horizontal position, with the arms and legs closed and extended, palms downward, the feet outward, the head inclined backwards, and the back hollowed.
2. Bring the arms backward as shown in fig. 6, and as the hands are brought to the front of the chest draw legs upward (fig. r). . .
3. Then quickly kick out the legs, Nos. 2 and 3 leg actions into one, and as they are extended shoot forward the anns (No. 2, arm movement). When the arms are fully extended the legs will be closed, and the body will sensibly travel by the impetus gained.
Care should be taken that the breathing is regular during swimming, as thereby depends much of the pleasure to be gained from the pastime, and if the learner will remember to inhale when making the backward sweep of the arms only, much of the difficulty generally experienced will be overcome. Expiration should be carried on during the other portions of the stroke, with a kind of gentle blowing of the air from the lungs, and then when the arms come back, the mouth being at its highest point above the surface of the water and the chest expanded, a plentiful supply of fresh air can be obtained. A mistake often made by beginners is that of holding the breath during several strokes, which exhausts and tires the learner far more than if he were to breathe properly and employ twice as much labour. If careful attention be paid to the management of the
breath, the staying powers of the swimmer will be sensibly increased after very little practice. Above all, the breathing must be free, regular, and natural. There must be no gasping, and the lungs should be inflated at each stroke.
Failing a support, the learner should steadily incline the body forward, at the same time advancing his arms to the second position of the arm movement. When well forward he should bring the arms back to first position, and this will the feet from the bottom. Beginning with a short kick, he should then endeavour to go through the movements as described.
After accomplishing a few strokes a good plan is to place the feet against the side of the bath, and with the help of a good push off to attempt to reach the other side.
By a careful compliance with the foregoing instructions, the timidity which usually bars the learner's progress should be got rid- of., Having learnt to swim he should, before any faults in style become too strong for eradication, attach himself to a good club, wherein he will have the means of gathering many useful hints from practical men.