What are the swimming styles? Classification, types of swimming

Greetings, dear readers! Everyone knows that training in the water is one of the best antidepressants and ways to strengthen the general condition of the body, but what is swimming, its types and what are the styles of swimming in the pool. Let's find out more.

What is swimming, its types

In the understanding of a simple person, swimming is moving in water with the help of arms and legs, which brings a lot of pleasure. People who are closer to the sport know that swimming is a sport discipline in which they compete for speed over certain distances.

In ordinary life, there are several types of swimming:

1. Jumping into the water (athletes perform jumps of varying complexity with immersion in water);
2. Wellness (appointed by a doctor in combination with medications to improve the general condition or as a medical therapy);
3. Underwater (diving deep into the water surface, possibly in natural reservoirs);
4. Game (entertainment and leisure activities in the water, such as water volleyball or polo);
5. Synchronized (two or more swimmers perform a variety of exercises in the water at the same time);
6. Applied (skills that can be applied in real life, for example, rescuing a drowning person or evacuating a victim on the water);
7. Sports (overcoming certain distances in the shortest time).

Above are only the most popular and sought-after types, in fact there are many more. Each type of swimming in the pool is interesting in its own way and brings not only pleasure, but also benefits.

Swimming styles

Despite the fact that there are quite a few types, there are only four main styles of swimming in the pool:

1. Freestyle (crawl);
2. Backstroke;
3. breaststroke (frog);
4. Butterfly (dolphin).

Let's look at each of the styles in more detail and find out how they differ from each other.

Crawl

The crawl is considered one of the fastest and most tiring. The freestyle is more difficult to perform than the breaststroke, although the techniques are somewhat similar. In freestyle, the swimmer is on his stomach, and his arms and legs work at the same time.

The difficulty lies in the fact that the movements of the legs occur in the direction up and down, and the hands are stroked along their own body. The athlete's face is immersed in water most of the time, as necessary, he turns his head to the side to take in air.

Since the energy costs are very high, the muscle load also increases significantly. Most of all, this is felt in the arms and shoulder girdle. It is this style that is recommended for those who dream of a thin and beautiful waist.

The free way is contraindicated for people who have problems with the spine. Due to the complexity of the performance, it is advisable to move to freestyle gradually, when there is already some experience and the body is used to certain loads.

Breaststroke

Breaststroke is one of the most popular swimming styles. The frog image is quite simple and does not involve special skills and efforts. The breaststroke movement allows you to develop the entire shoulder girdle equally. All muscle groups work simultaneously (triceps, trapezius and deltoid). In addition, leg muscles develop.

Since the load is distributed evenly on the arms, legs and back, a beautiful figure and proper breathing are formed, and the posture is significantly straightened.

The frog-style technique is as follows: hands move forward, then go under themselves. Then the movements are repeated. The back should be kept straight. Legs perform movements similar to how frogs swim. Spread out to the sides, the legs set the speed of movement. Proper breathing: inhale above and exhale under water.

Breaststroke is a very slow style, so it is practically not used in sports competitions, but it is very much in demand in the applied field. It allows you to swim long distances, while saving energy. In the same way they swim under water and it is from this that they begin to master this sport.

Butterfly

Butterfly (dolphin) has not only a beautiful name, but also an equally interesting and complex technique. This is the heaviest style. A person is in the water in a horizontal position, his arms are thrown forward at the same time, a wave-like movement is made with his whole body, and his legs are hit on the water. Those who have watched dolphins will note that they also swim.

This is one of those ways that make the muscles work uncoordinated. This feature allows you to use not only the arms, legs and back, but also the muscles of the buttocks, thighs and lower legs.

With its complexity, the butterfly ensures the formation of a toned, and most importantly, proportionately correct body. Dolphin training begins with footwork. The swimmer holds a special board or roller in his hands, and makes wave-like movements with his legs. When this stage is passed, hands and proper breathing are connected.

Backstroke

Swimming on the back (crawl on the back) is the most suitable option for those who have problems such as scoliosis and other spinal diseases. Technically, it is exactly the same as the freestyle. The difference is that a person does not need to turn his head to inhale - his face is on the surface. This method is neither fast nor slow. Everyone chooses the pace of movement, taking into account their individual characteristics.

A visit to the pool is a great way to heal the body and relieve nervous tension.

Whatever style you choose, there will be a lot of benefits from it. It is important to understand that despite all the obvious positive aspects of swimming, there are a number of contraindications to this sport.

To avoid problems, you must always consult a doctor and undergo a medical examination. Only after the doctor permits, you can go to the pool to sign up.

Young and very young athletes should train under the supervision of an experienced instructor who will correct training and correct mistakes. Thus, visiting the pool will become not only a general health event, but also a favorite, exciting way of life.

On this we will say goodbye, stay tuned for our updates. We always have a lot of interesting and useful information.

Sincerely, Vladimir Manerov

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Swimming is a heavy Olympic sport that perfectly develops muscles and trains all body systems. Already after the first workouts, you can feel which muscles work when swimming in the pool, how the respiratory and cardiac systems are activated, and what beneficial effects such physical activity has. Not surprisingly, swimming in the pool attracts more and more people, both young and old.

First of all, you need to know what water disciplines are. Distinguish between ordinary sports swimming from wall to wall, underwater swimming, jumping, games and water aerobics. Water aerobics is a complex of simple physical exercises that are performed in a shallow pool. Usually pregnant women, or women who want to lose weight and strengthen muscles, do this type of gymnastics. There is also children's water aerobics, which can cure or alleviate the course of many diseases. Swimming and water aerobics are often combined, and one serves as a warm-up for the other.

There are dozens of swimming techniques. Sports competitions are held in swimming on the stomach and on the back, synchronized swimming and diving from the tower.

Applied swimming stands aside from the general classification. The peculiarity of this discipline is the ability to quickly move above and below water, dive, stay on the surface in extreme conditions and overcome long distances. Such movement on water is taught by professional divers and rescuers, on whose actions human lives depend.

Sports swimming

There are three main ways to move around in a pool or open water.

Crawl on the back and chest. Crawl is often referred to as freestyle because this type of swimming is considered the fastest and least energy-intensive, and when it is possible to change style, athletes switch to the front crawl. The essence of swimming in the pool in this style is that the athlete's hands make wide strokes, and they do not work synchronously, but alternately. In other words, in the process of swimming with this style, the right hand swings, scoops up the water and goes down to the body. At the same time, while the right hand is down, the left hand swings. The athlete's legs at this time move up and down in the water, giving the body an additional impulse. Freestyle is considered the easiest and fastest way to move, and therefore it must be included in the training programs of athletes as a mandatory exercise.

Freestyle can be used on the back and stomach. In both cases, the athlete's arms and legs work in the same way. The crawl on the back is often recommended for children or people who cannot swim, since during the exercise the face is constantly above the water, and it is easier to control the correct breathing. When performing the exercise on the stomach, the head is constantly tilted to the chest, and air can only be inhaled when a wave of the hand is made and the face turns to the shoulder.

Crawl on the back perfectly relaxes all the muscles, and is useful in the treatment of diseases of the back and joints. Swimming on your back with this style helps you de-stress and relax after a hard workout or a hard day.

Freestyle is quite close in technique to butterfly or dolphin. "Butterfly" literally translates as "butterfly", and already by this word one can judge the way the exercise is performed. The essence of the training is to do simultaneous swings and strokes with both hands, lifting the torso above the water, and plunging again. In this sport, the athlete's hands work synchronously, while the legs make a special wave-like movement. Butterfly cannot be learned online, even theoretically, because for proper training the body must be completely immersed in the pool, and must not have any support.

Butterfly is considered the most beautiful, but also the most difficult, muscle-building style. It is difficult for beginner swimmers to even observe the technique, use their arms and legs synchronously, not to mention the beauty of the exercise. But butterfly-based swimming styles perfectly develop and tone muscles, and the ability to simultaneously work correctly with arms and legs trains coordination and hones skills in own body control.

Breaststroke is one of the easiest and most popular swimming styles in open water and in the pool. Its essence lies in the fact that the arms and legs move synchronously under water, pushing the body of the athlete forward. The body of the swimmer is first compressed, the knees are bent, the feet are arched perpendicular to the shins, and the elbows are pressed to the body. Then there is a push: the arms make a stroke in a horizontal plane, and the legs straighten. A body that has received such an impulse moves forward quickly and almost silently.

Swimming breaststroke has more applied than sporting value. This style uses less energy than the butterfly or freestyle, is not too demanding on the muscles, and is not particularly spectacular, so it is rarely included in the training or competition program. But at the same time, military men, sailors, rescuers and divers are taught breaststroke swimming, since breaststroke swimming in open water can be done very quickly and almost imperceptibly.

All styles of swimming involve warming up and mastering the movements on land, not in the water. Beginner swimmers can learn various techniques and movements online, via the Internet, and work out the practice already in the water. But this approach to this discipline has its pitfalls. For example, freestyle is difficult to master for beginners, since it is necessary to simultaneously make movements with your hands and turn your head. Often in the pool, a beginner swimmer who performs an exercise incorrectly does not have enough air. Studying and practicing exercises online or on the shore will allow you to warm up and avoid unpleasant situations.

Not all swimming competitions are held in a pool. There is such a discipline as swimming, that is, swimming for long distances. The minimum distance for a swim is 2 km, and the maximum reaches 150 km. World open water swimming competitions are usually held in the UK or Turkey, and athletes need to swim across the English Channel or the Bosphorus, respectively. You can choose any swimming styles to overcome water obstacles, and it is not forbidden to change them during the task.

What is recreational swimming

Not everyone swims for the sake of competitive sports. Most people visit the pool in order to relieve stress, tighten the muscles of the whole body and train the respiratory and cardiovascular systems. For such swimmers, there are certain training programs that will make all the muscles work, but at the same time they will not exhaust the person until they lose the desire to do it.

Recreational swimming is used by people without health problems, and those who are undergoing treatment or rehabilitation. In addition to the fact that all the muscles of the body are involved in the work while in the water, swimming stimulates the lungs, which work more actively, consuming more air, and the cardiovascular system, which is forced to pump blood more actively. Recreational swimming is recommended for those who are overweight: due to the density and support of water, the load on the joints is minimal, and calorie consumption, on the contrary, is higher. Weight with regular visits to the pool comes off faster and more harmlessly than when doing any other sport.

For quick recovery and learning different styles of swimming, games in open water or in the pool are used. Emotions, excitement and teamwork give not only faster positive results, but also self-confidence and a good mood. Games like water polo develop coordination and make you feel more confident in the pool.

Many coaches recommend that beginners who are unable to complete various elements of the compulsory program go to some water polo training or participate in similar games. Active movement in the pool in outdoor games and excitement allow the student not to get hung up on the endless repetition of a complex element. Most often, the body in the water during the game itself performs the correct movements, and in training it remains only to fix the technique.

But not only various games allow you to learn how to keep on the water and not be afraid of playing sports. There are more interesting types of this discipline, for example, synchronized or scuba diving.

Synchronized swimming is a team sport played mostly by girls. This sport is considered one of the most beautiful, and develops not only muscles, but also flexibility and endurance. In the form of playing and performing tricks, girls are taught to hold their breath for a long time and perform various choreographic exercises with their arms and legs. It perfectly develops muscles, coordination and respiratory system.

Equally interesting is swimming under water, which includes various styles and disciplines, such as:

• Swimming with fins develops the muscles of the legs and back. This discipline overlaps with diving;
• Diving, that is, immersion in water and overcoming distances under water. There are two types of this discipline: scuba diving and without it. Swimming styles also matter, and training can take place both in the form of a game and in the form of a hard drill;
• Orientation underwater. The purpose of this discipline is not only to develop the muscles and respiratory system, but also to learn to determine your location. Competitions in this discipline are not held in pools;
• Underwater tourism is close to diving, but the peculiarity of this discipline is its character. Tourism does not develop muscles and is not started for the sake of play, on the contrary, it aims to study water bodies and their inhabitants;
• Underwater wrestling is a rare sport, but gaining popularity every year;
• Spearfishing or sports shooting are sports that are practiced both in the pool and in open water. In such games, you need to dive without scuba gear and hit a given number of targets.

Swimming and playing in the water are enjoyed by both adults and children. Not all online games about diving or spearfishing can give real impressions, such as swimming in the pool or the sea. Whatever style is chosen for training, breaststroke, butterfly, backstroke or front crawl - swimming will bring great benefits to the whole body. It doesn’t matter whether applied swimming, diving or water aerobics is chosen - the water enveloping the body will relieve stress and tension from the muscles, and therefore, in a short time, a person will be much healthier, slimmer and more self-confident.

To always stay healthy, you need to play sports. Swimming is the best way to do this. Water is the source of life on Earth, as well as the natural environment for the birth of man. In this regard, there is nothing surprising in the fact that man and water are interconnected. There are basic ways of swimming that people use. And there aren't many of them.

Method Navigator

3 way. "Butterfly".

This is swimming on the stomach, at the moment of which the hands move synchronously along a certain trajectory, while making a strong stroke with their further removal from the water. As a result of this, the body of the swimmer begins to rise above the water. At the same moment, each leg of the swimmer performs simultaneously wave-like movements. This style of swimming is considered the most energy-intensive and difficult to master.

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4 way. "Over-arm".

This is side swimming. The generally accepted point of view is that in ancient England this style of swimming came from Indian residents. At the moment of such swimming, the swimmer with the “lower” hand creates strokes under water, and after the stroke in the water, the swimmer pulls back, carrying forward through the air to create a new stroke. The legs at this time work in the same way as in the process of swimming with the breaststroke style.

5 way. Backstroke.

This way of swimming is similar to the reverse crawl style. The swimmer alternately creates strokes with his hands, but over the water the arm straightens, and does not bend, as in the freestyle. At the same time, alternate up and down kicks are made in the vertical plane at the same time. The swimmer's face is constantly above the water, in addition to starting and turning. Swimming on the back is not considered the fastest way to swim, but it can swim much faster than breaststroke.

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6 way. Integrated swimming.

This swimming method includes all 4 styles and the swimmer changes the swimming technique depending on the distance of the swim distance (every 50-100 meters).

The benefits of swimming have been known for a long time. It develops endurance and almost all muscle groups, hardens the body, promotes intensive work of the heart, lungs and blood vessels. Of course, the extent of all this depends on the styles of swimming that a person chooses. They have been developed over the years. How many are there? And what are their features? In this article, we will share a detailed description and photo of swimming styles.

Breaststroke

In modern sports, there are four main ways: breaststroke, crawl on the stomach, crawl on the back and butterfly. Each of them differs not only in technique, but also in the speed of crossing the water surface.

So breaststroke is a swimming style that resembles the movements of a frog. The swimmer's head is kept above the surface of the water. However, some refinements to this technique allow intermittent immersion. Hands in a horizontal plane make pushing movements under water. At the same time, the legs produce a kind of repulsion in the same plane. A variation of this style can be considered breaststroke under water.

This is perhaps the oldest swimming technique that provides slow movement. The first information about it dates back to 9 thousand BC. in the form of rock paintings in the Egyptian Cave of the Swimmers. According to scientists, the style was invented for the tactical movements of warriors. Its advantages include the ability to quietly, almost silently approach the enemy, while controlling the environment. In addition, breaststroke economically consumes human energy. Thanks to this, you can overcome quite large distances.

Despite its wide popularity and use, breaststroke was included in the Olympic program only in 1904. Today it is a favorite technique of most vacationers at sea or in the pool.

Crawl

In contrast to the breaststroke, crawl is the fastest swimming style in terms of the speed of moving through the body of water. Although from English the word crawl literally translates as "crawling". This technique involves swimming on your stomach. The swimmer makes wide strokes along the body with either the right or the left hand. At the same time, in a vertical surface (that is, up and down), he makes swing movements with his legs. The head is submerged in water. Only for inspiration, simultaneously with the carrying of the hand over the water, it turns to the side.

The history of the origin of the rabbit is interesting. The idea belongs to the American Indians. However, when the English learned about it in the 15th century, they considered this swimming technique "barbaric", as it creates a lot of noise and splashes. And only in the middle of the 19th century the rabbit was first accepted at competitions in London. However, its imitation was not entirely accurate and needed to be improved. It was made by the Australian Caville brothers and later improved by the American Charles Daniels.

The swimming style crawl with a certain preparation (respiratory and power) allows you to overcome tens of kilometers. It is needed where speed of movement is required. Therefore, it consumes a lot of energy. This is a mandatory technique that an athlete must master.

Crawl on the back

In this case, only the position of the body changes. And the way to move along the surface of the water remains the same. It can be called "relaxed crawl". Although with the intensity of strokes you can gain decent speed. The style technique involves the position of the head above the water. Therefore, the swimmer does not need to think about breathing. Strokes are made, as a rule, measuredly, without tension.

This style of swimming, like the breaststroke, is economical in terms of energy consumption. Its disadvantages include the impossibility of reviewing the environment. Therefore, crawl swimming on your back is not recommended when crossing the body of water from one bank to another or for speed competitions. It is convenient to use it during long swims along the edge of the sea.

Butterfly

Another style of swimming is the butterfly. It is also often called "butterfly" or "dolphin". If in the freestyle strokes are performed alternately, then in this technique - simultaneously. Moreover, they resemble repulsive jerks with forward movement, like a flap of wings or a dolphin jump. The body of the swimmer is literally above the water surface. There are no clear rules about the movement of the legs. Most often, swimmers hold them together and perform a kind of bottom-up stroke. In rare cases, athletes use the breaststroke technique. Breathing with a butterfly is rhythmic. Inhalation is carried out during the "jump" from the water.

Of course, to use such a technique, a person needs some training and a significant supply of energy. The more intense the movements of the hands, the higher the speed.

Interestingly, the butterfly style originated from the improvement of the breaststroke. It was modified at different times by American swimmers from Tak in 1934, David Armbruster changed the movement of the arms during the breaststroke, trying to push them forward and above the water. And a year later, Jack Sieg proposed to additionally use kicking in unison (like the movement of the tail). Over time, the butterfly became an independent technique. Athletes are currently allowed to use the breaststroke-butterfly hybrid in competition.

Other styles

A special group includes non-traditional styles of swimming. There are more than a dozen of them. In this article we will talk about the three most popular. They are rarely used in professional sports and are more suitable for training and experimentation by recreational swimmers or scuba divers.

Georgian style

This style of swimming is also called Colchis-Iberian. It does not require vigorous movements of the arms and legs. Rather, moving in this way resembles the swimming of dolphins under water. The most active part of the body in this style can be called the pelvis. In this case, the legs are connected tightly together. They help maintain balance. And the hands are pressed to the body, not participating at all in the process of swimming. This "wave-like" technique formed the basis of other styles. Among them: okribula, khashuruli, tahvia, kizikuri, etc.

The emergence of the Georgian style is associated with a legend. During the existence of Colchis and Iberia, swimming with bound limbs was part of military training. At first glance, it may seem bizarre. However, the technique of style is no longer associated with physical skills, but with the psychological foundations of education. It is designed to strengthen the spirit of a person who, having found himself in a “fettered” position before the water element, must overcome the fear of death and save himself.

Marathon swimmer Henry Kuprashvili made a great contribution to the revival of the Georgian style of swimming. He was the first in history to swim across the Dardanelles with his hands and feet tied, overcoming 12 km in 3 hours and 15 minutes.

Azure

This technique belongs to sports. When performing it, the knees and big toes should be kept pressed against each other, and the heels should be spread apart. At the same time, the swimmers keep their hands on the sides, the hands are adjacent to the hips with the back side. The movement in the water begins with a sharp jerk of the legs from top to bottom and the subsequent raising of the pelvis. Athletes inhale after the third wave of the legs and pelvis, while, as in breaststroke, turning their heads to the side.

This is a rather difficult swimming technique to master. It is an improved form of the Georgian style. In 2009 in Tbilisi (Georgia) the Championship in this style was officially opened.

Sueijutsu

This is not just a Japanese swimming technique, but a real combat direction. It was invented in antiquity, when warriors needed to be able to swim in armor and at the same time shoot from a bow or write hieroglyphs on a wooden board. The exam was passed only by those Japanese who, after the swim, additional items remained dry.

The exact description of the sueijutsu swimming style is unknown. However, its development was based on three stages:

• Fumi-ashi (or the ability to walk in water);
• Inatobi (or the ability to jump out of the water);
• Asi-garami (or wrestling in the water).

Conclusion

Photos of swimming styles and their descriptions show that the use of a particular technique is determined by the goal and physical training of the swimmer. For professional training, crawl and butterfly are suitable, for relaxing at sea or in the pool it is best to use breaststroke and crawl on the back.

In sports terminology, there is the concept of freestyle (or free) style. It involves the use of different techniques in one swim. Most often this is a combination of crawl (on the stomach and on the back) and breaststroke. Freestyle today is popular not only among amateur swimmers, but also among professionals. It requires the correct calculation of forces, respiratory rhythm and assessment of environmental conditions.

More complex styles (or non-traditional ones), as a rule, are focused on special (military) training of a person.

Swimming styles (methods) differ from each other in the movements performed by the swimmer, speed and energy consumption, as well as the rules for starting and the technique of turning during the competition, as well as the technical complexity and ease of mastering for most people. - Basic Swimming Styles:

Pay special attention to the order in which all of the above methods are located. - This order is not at all random, because. all of the above listed styles are specially arranged by us in this way - strictly in order of increasing technical complexity and difficulty in mastering them for most people. That is why most of the Trainers in the world start their initial training (both children and adults!) with the front crawl and on the back, and finish it with breaststroke.

Brief description of the main 4 Ways

• The front crawl is a method of swimming on the chest, in which the arms make alternate strokes, and the legs make an alternating continuous movement "like scissors". This is the fastest way to move in the water. - Additionally, see the Animation and Coaching VIDEO Selection, which well illustrates the technique of professional swimmers, including such as: Alexander Popov, Michael Phelps, Ian Thorp and many others.
• The back crawl is a backstroke technique that is similar to the front crawl to a certain extent. in it, as in the Crawl on the chest, the arms make strokes alternately, and the legs make an alternating continuous movement "like scissors", but the difference is that the swimmer swims on the back, and not on the stomach, as in the Crawl on the chest. The crawl on the back is considered the third fastest style. - See also Animation and VIDEO Compilation
• Butterfly is a swimming style on the chest, in which the left and right parts of the body make symmetrical and simultaneous movements: the arms make a simultaneous stroke, while the legs make simultaneous wave-like movements. Butterfly is the most energy-intensive way. Butterfly is considered the second fastest style after front crawl. Butterfly - Animation and VIDEO
• Breaststroke is a swimming style on the chest, in which the arms simultaneously make a stroke and are carried forward from the chest, and the legs, bending at the knees, make a push. Although breaststroke is the slowest style (method), it is also the most difficult from a technical point of view and, of course, therefore, the most difficult to master. That is why most Trainers (both in our country and in the world) begin to study it with their students at the very last turn, when the front crawl and back crawl, as well as the primary skills of the dolphin (butterfly) are quite well mastered and the skills adequately anchored. - Breaststroke - Animation and VIDEO
• * Additionally, you can read an article written by our coaches in response to a question from a user who was interested in what way it is more logical to start training and master the technique for people who cannot swim, if there is a goal to learn qualitatively and become a good swimmer.
• We also strongly recommend that you watch a 65-minute video film, shot under the supervision of the WFTU, about the initial classes with children, in which the standard coaching methodology is shown in sufficient detail. Of course, the same technique is extrapolated to non-swimmer adults who are trained in the same way, because. the first steps (first exercises) are the same for both adults and children.