Introduction
Swimming is considered as the so-called "complete sport" because it involves all the muscles. It requires your arms and legs to stay in motion to stay afloat and push yourself forward or backward. There are four basic swimming styles, each of which uses limbs differently. Generally speaking, regardless of the type of stroke characteristic of the style you are swimming, the key is to make fluid and elongated strokes, which optimize the movements by exploiting the water. Although fish and small children make sliding in the water seem like a " simple action that does not involve any particular physical effort, swimming requires strength and coordination for the whole body. Legs and arms move simultaneously in a synchronized and functional trend, as well as breathing time and strokes for maximum efficiency.
Beginner swimmers often find themselves cleaving in the water with their arms and legs. The synchronization of coordinated movement between legs and arms is acquired with practice. The parts of the body that are generally most involved in swimming are the muscles of the lower part. of the back, abdomen and hips.
Movements and muscles involved for every swimming style
Generally speaking, the arms are fundamental in swimming as they represent the connection between the primary force-generating muscles (dorsal and pectoral muscles) and the upper extremities (hands and forearms), which allow the swimmer to push himself through the water. and "cut" the water, the coordination of movements between arms and legs is the basis of every style. To get coordination it is necessary to work on the center of gravity, therefore on the abdominal muscles, which are able to help the body in the sliding phase in the water, typical of the freestyle and the back, and are responsible for the undulatory movements of the torso of the butterfly styles. frog and in the stalking of the dolphin.
Here are the main muscles involved in swimming depending on the styles:
- latissimus major, pectoral major, teres major, triceps. They are involved in all 4 swimming styles. They provide the arms with the necessary strength for the stroke;
- teres major, subscapular, flexor carpus, ulnar and palmar. They are involved in all 4 swimming styles;
- triceps, elbow extensor. Used in the backstroke and in the throttle and provides power to the stroke in the final push phase;
- quadriceps femoris, gastrocnemius and gluteus. They are involved in all 4 swimming styles, and are critical to leg action.
Swimming style: breaststroke
The frog requires that the arms and legs remain underwater at all times. The arms must be joined in front of the face with the palms facing out, and then extended forward and spread at the sides, pushing the water backwards. with your palms. Once the arms are slightly below the shoulders, they are pushed back and the hands are brought in front of the face again. The legs are bent at the knees and the feet are pulled towards the buttocks as the hands come together. The legs are extended at the same time as the arms and the water is pushed back with the feet.
Swimming style: Freestyle
During the freestyle swim, the arms mimic a kind of windmill. You bring your right arm out of the water by holding it by your hip and rotate it upward. You reach forward with your arm and re-enter the water in front of you with your palm open. While the right arm is out of the water, the left arm is submerged, pushing the water back with the palm. The left arm rotates down from where it entered the water, to the hip. As your right arm begins to come out of the water, you also turn your head out of the water and inhale. This action is also performed on the left side. The legs are kicked up and down in quick succession. They are generally out of sync with the arms and kick faster than the arms.
Swimming style: Backstroke
As with the freestyle stroke, the arms mimic a windmill during the backstroke. The difference between the two strokes is that the back is performed on the back with the face out of the water, looking up. Both arms should always be fully extended with the palms open. The right arm is lifted out of the water while the left remains at the side, and rotates upward. You reenter the water with the arm behind your head. The little finger should enter the water first. While the right arm moves in the air, the left arm is submerged. and rotates down and back to the hip. The legs are kicked up and down in rapid succession, with the toes pointing down.
Swimming style: Butterfly
The butterfly requires your arms to move in sync with each other. Instead of one arm rotating forward alternately, as in freestyle, both arms are brought out of the water and rotated at the same time. Breathing occurs when the arms reach forward, as the head will be submerged a once the arms touch the water and rotate downwards. The legs also move in sync. The legs are together and the powerful kick is backward as the arms are extended forward: you kick your legs twice during a butterfly stroke.
