The breathing is effected in a natural and unrestrained manner. A full breath is taken at every stroke and regulated so as to avoid gasping on short heavings, by exhaling as the arms are being extended and inhaling as they are being swept around.
In swimming with the side stroke, the body may be turned upon either side and by chang ing from one side to the other the swimmer rests his muscles somewhat. In side swimming, the deeper immersion of the head reduces its weight and relieves, somewhat, the strain of its support from the muscles of the neck. If on the right side the right arm is thrown out in front with the palm of the hand turned downward and kept level with the under side of the head. It is then pushed out to its full extent, kept rigid and without bending either legs made a frog kick simultaneously with one of the arm strokes, with the body swimming on the belly. A modification of this style was introduced a few years ago by Meffert, the American mile champion, and has been adopted by some of the best American swimmers. In it the head and the forearm are kept submerged when the body is being pushed forward and the wrist or the elbow, is brought down through the water in a strong movement until the hand at full stretch comes between the legs. It is then brought up along the body to the chin and the stroke repeated. The left hand, formed into a scoop, is turned outward by the wrist at right angles to the forearm and the left arm, with .elbow bent, is thrown outward and executes a straight pulling stroke to the left hip. The arms act alternately and when one is executing the positive, the other is at the negative part of the stroke. The action of the legs should be long and powerful and coincident with that of the arms and shoulders. When the right arm finishes its downward stroke and the left arm is extended in front, the legs are drawn up to the body. When the left arm pulls downward, the legs are opened wide, swung around and closed, in one con tinuous motion. Care is taken never to cross the legs, make any effort to raise or sink the head, or exert any sudden pull at any part whatever of the complete stroke.
In the overhand stroke, all the movements excepting those of the upper hand and arm, are similar to those of the side stroke. The left or upper arm is brought forward and ex tended as far as possible out of the water in front of the head, then dipped and pulled through with a strong propelling stroke. The
method gives a more lengthened reach and when properly acquired, is the most useful and easy of all the various methods of swimming; but the side stroke is the one generally em ployed in to -distance racing.
One of the fastest strokes for short-dis tance swimming is the Trudgeon stroke, intro duced into England a few years ago from the South Pacific. The action of the arms con sists of alternate overhand strokes, while the the face is brought out of the water to breathe, .by a turning action of the waist as the forward movement checks between the strokes. This style prevents a cramped position of the head and also allows a freer action of the body. Many racing swimmers take a breath only every other stroke, keeping the face half under water half of the time.
Swimming on the back is accomplished by lying in the water back downward, the hands resting on the waist, the elbows directed out ward, the breath held and the chest expanded. To propel, the legs are bent and the feet are drawn up close to the trunk, knees being directed outward with the heels close together. The legs are now struck out as wide apart as possible and then brought closely together until the great toes, inner ankles and the inner sides of both legs meet along their entire length. Greater speed may be obtained by extending the arms outward and on a level with the body, the palms facing downward and using them as sculls.
Diving, when well performed, is a very graceful feat. The dive may be a standing or a running one. To make a good dive, the feet line and legs are kept close together, the chest inflated and the arms are swung back and forth two or three times. The lungs are then charged with a long, deep breath, and the dive is made just a moment before the arms and hands are raised over the head. In springing off, all the power of the legs is used, and in mid-air the body is straightened out like an arrow from the tips of the fingers to the toes. The arms are then declined so as to enclose the head, the chest is contracted for an instant and the water is entered noiselessly and with out a splash, fingers first. The moment the body is covered, the head and arms are thrown up, which brings the diver to the surface. The eyes, which instinctively close as they enter the water, should be opened under the water, in order to avoid accidents.