Today, when various technologies are developing at an immeasurable speed, watching swimming competitions from another country is no longer new. Thousands or even millions of spectators worry about the athletes. It seems that swimming as a sport was born recently. In principle, it is. Of course, people learned to stay on the water and even move on it for quite some time ago, but swimming became a sport later. Among other things, it is worth noting that it is useful for the body. An excellent method for losing weight is used by many as the most simple. Now this sport is gaining popularity. Beautiful artistic swimming, spectacular competitions in a free style cannot be ignored. When and where did swimming as a sport originate and become so popular? What types and styles exist? What is the characteristic of swimming as a sport? You will learn all this from this article.
Origin
Scientists have discovered that in ancient times swimming was born. As a sport or as a necessity - is unknown. Drawings were found on the walls of the caves, which are believed to date back to 5000 BC. e. Ancient people noticed that many animals are able to move on water, and adopted this ability. As you might guess, the first style was the way of swimming "dog-like". He existed for quite some time, until he was replaced by a breaststroke. And he became the basis for all subsequent innovations. In ancient civilizations, swimming began to gain special popularity. The first written mention dates back to 2000 BC. e. It is also known that in ancient Rome, swimming became the basis for training athletes, including those who participated in the Olympic Games. But the history of swimming as a sport originates from the turn of the XV-XVI centuries. It was then that the first competitions began to be held.
Thus, swimming appeared quite a long time ago. Even ancient people used it to move on water. Swimming evolved, new styles appeared, and it gradually became a sport. It is not strange, the history of swimming as a sport resembles running. It was also used at first as a necessity, and only after a large amount of time running became a sport. Swimming today is one of the most famous and popular activities. Many use it as an exercise for losing weight and healing.
Style history
As already mentioned, at the very beginning, when the birth of swimming took place, it had only one style - “dog-like”. However, then a breaststroke appeared, on the basis of which new species began to be invented. The next style was the side. Feet when swimming resembled scissors. Then people began to swim with seedlings, which allowed them to develop a higher speed compared to others. Further, in 1783, John Tregen invented a style called his last name. Then the competition was already quite popular, and the new method made it possible to set many world records, including its creator. Then, finally, the crawl appeared. He was "brought" to England by Richard Caville from Australia. Soon the style was recognized as the fastest, which to this day is. Today it is he who is very popular.
Crawl
Crawl is a style of swimming on the stomach. When using it, the left and right parts of the body move alternately. Hands stroke along the axis in turn, while the legs rise and fall. Complicated in comparison with other styles of technology. The swimmer's face should be in the water and rise beyond it only to take a breath. Crawl is considered to be the fastest type of swimming. At competitions, there is the concept of “freestyle” in which athletes have the right to swim the way they want, but everyone chooses the crawl.
Due to the fact that the head is lowered into the water, the hands can make large strokes, and this is positively displayed at speed. If we compare the crawl with swimming on the back, then the first is faster just for that reason. When comparing with butterfly stroke, the latter also loses due to the fact that mainly hands work, and the case does not help. Uniform acceleration, possible only in the rabbit, helps athletes to overcome long distances at speed, without getting tired at the same time.
Interesting Facts
It turns out that the crawl was born a long time ago. Initially, it was used by the Indians. And Europe met him in 1844, when the Americans defeated the English swimmers. The defeated, but proud athletes did not want to use the new style, since they considered it “barbaric” due to the large amount of spray. The history of swimming as a sport, in particular, styles, had such strange moments.
After the Australian rabbit, an American appeared, thanks to improvements. It is the latter today that is the very “free style”. The starting position in the rabbit is “tight”, swimmers are turned face down, legs are straight, arms are extended up.
Breaststroke
As already mentioned, it was the breaststroke that became the transition from the “dog-like” style and practically the basis for everyone else. Swimming as a sport could not have existed without it. The species appeared a long time ago: the first image of people using a breaststroke-like style was discovered in the Egyptian “Cave of Swimmers”. Painting refers to about 9000 BC. e. A well-known Assyrian drawing depicts a soldier using this method, but the image was created between 1292-1225. BC e. Dane Nicolas Vinman in 1538 was one of the first to describe the breaststroke in his book. The famous “frog kick” began to be used only in the 19th century.
At various competitions in the style of breaststroke, it was Russian and Soviet athletes who often won. In the Olympic Games, the style was included only in 1904, then the swim took place at 402 meters, only men participated. Then swimming as an Olympic sport began its development. Already at the next games, the distance was reduced to 200 m. Since 1924, competitions for women at the same distance began to take place. And in 1968, athletes began to compete in 100 meters.
Butterfly
Butterfly stroke is abdominal swimming, one of the hardest styles. Tiring and complicated. The name comes from the word "butterfly." Indeed, some similarities can be found, mainly due to the characteristic hand strokes. Unlike a rabbit, hands make strokes at the same time, raising a body above water. At the same time, a deep breath is taken. The legs along with the pelvis move in the form of waves, giving acceleration. Although the performance is one of the most difficult, yet the butterfly stroke is the second fastest style. Its main difference from the rabbit is that the acceleration in it is uneven due to sharp hand strokes.
Interestingly, the butterfly stroke is an advanced breaststroke. Initially, swimmers realized that for greater speed it makes sense to raise their hands above the water. The movement of the body and legs was subsequently replaced by a more comfortable and natural.
As already mentioned, the technique in butterfly stroke is extremely complex and requires proper execution. This is what many beginners are afraid of. Learning to combine movements with arms and legs, as well as inhaling with exhaling is quite difficult, so many go into crawl. If in most other styles it is technically correct execution that is important, then in butterfly stroke, besides this, physical strength is important.
Difficult is the wave-like body movement, which is present (if only known styles are taken into account) only in butterfly stroke. Therefore, swimming as a sport for children is not the best option.
Equipment and regulations
For swimming in any style, the equipment is the same: a hat, glasses, swimming trunks or one- piece swimsuit (for men or women, respectively), wetsuits are also often used. They began to appear in the 2000s. and are divided into types: from the neck to the ankles, from the neck to the knees, pants, shorts for swimming. In 2010, FINA (International Swimming Federation) banned synthetics. Therefore, now exclusively textile is used.
Swimming as a sport today is held in 50- or 25-meter pools. Many competitions include breaststroke and crawl. For example, at the Summer Olympics, World Championships, Universiade, World Cup. The latter is held annually.
Standards:
- crawl (aka freestyle): 50 m, 100 m, 200 m, 400 m, 800 m, 1500 m;
- butterfly stroke: 50 m, 100 m, 200 m;
- breaststroke: 50 m, 100 m, 200 m;
- on the back: 50 m, 100 m, 200 m.
What to choose
Those who are just starting to go swimming, not necessarily professionally, should try the crawl. But people who don’t even know how to stay on the water need to start with the “dog-like” style. It is he, if you look, that is the basis of all the others. Then, accordingly, you need to go to the rabbit or breaststroke, where you can stop.
Pool or sea
If you choose between the sea and the pool, then there can be no definite answer. But the first option is not available to most Russians or is only possible in the summer.
If you want to go swimming professionally, you should go to the coach to the pool. There you can train all year round and easily learn how to stay and move on the water from scratch. However, for recreational activities, you can choose and open water. So, in the sea, waves and wind create natural barriers, and water has a healing effect. If you need to pay for a ticket in the pool, then open reservoirs are in the public domain. Everyone chooses by virtue of opportunities and preferences. However, the artificially created pool is safe; in most cases, lifeguards are provided there. And in open water there is a chance not to cope with the flow and drown. The ideal option is to combine.
Here is such an interesting history of sports. Swimming is very popular, however, there are other disciplines to which it is directly related. Next, the two most popular will be sorted.
Triathlon
Swimming, cycling, running as one sport are called triathlon. The name speaks for itself. Sport appeared not so long ago, its beginning goes away in 1920-1930, when the analogue of today's triathlon La Course des Debrouillards took place in France. At that time, the run took 3 km, the bike - 12, and swimming was carried out across the Marne Canal. Unfortunately, from the 1930s there was no mention of the triathlon until 1974, when in the United States a group of friends-athletes did not come together and did not organize a club where everyone trained together. They represented several sports, namely running, cycling and swimming. Also, friends began to organize competitions. Thus, the first competitions were held on September 25, 1974, 46 athletes participated in them. At first, the cycling race occupied 180.2 km, the run - 42.2 km; swimming - 3.86 km.
Participants argued for a long time about which sport requires maximum endurance. In the end, an article was found which stated that cyclist Eddie Merckx had the highest oxygen consumption. And this sport was recognized as requiring maximum endurance. The triathlon has gained so much popularity that many seriously think about including it in the program of the Olympic Games. Competitions are usually held according to the standard: 1.5 km / 40 km / 10 km. The standard was developed by triathlon racing director Jim Curl in the mid-80s.
Synchronized swimming
Perhaps synchronized swimming as a sport is one of the most beautiful disciplines. Usually only women participate, but recently men have also joined. The main thing in synchronized swimming is a coordinated team performance, combining diving and jumping. At the same time, physical activity is colossal. It is necessary to spend a large amount of time in training in order to achieve high results. Russian athletes are leading in this sport, all rivals are equal to their training.
However, in addition to standard technical and physical difficulties, there is also a special one: it is rather difficult to breathe during a performance. Permanent, and often also long, dives under water require breath holding for a large amount of time. In order to protect the lungs, athletes put on special nose clips.
But where does synchronized swimming come from as a sport?
History
As you know, in Greece created a huge number of disciplines. And synchronized swimming originates precisely from there, then groups of young men and girls took dances on the water. Only at the end of the XIX century. It was the beginning of synchronized swimming. Then in England were created a group of swimmers, men who performed a variety of figures in the water. And the first competitions were organized in 1891 in Berlin. Then artistic swimming, as it was then called, began its development. And in 1952, demonstrations at the Olympics took place, after which the sport was named synchronized swimming. In the same year, a corresponding committee was created at FINA. And in 1958 the first international competitions took place. Synchronized swimming was included in the program of the Olympic Games only in 1984.
Rich and varied swimming as a sport. History and development go back to ancient times. Today, swimming is gaining popularity among all the inhabitants of the earth. Everyone can find what they like best, since there are a lot of species. Synchronized swimming is the most beautiful, the triathlon is rich in different disciplines, and the usual competitions remain classics. Many do amateur swimming, parents give their children in the section. The history of swimming as a sport continues its active development today.