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Swimming Techniques for Beginners

Ujwal Deshmukh
Swimming is an important factor to gain speed and stamina. With practice it allows you to move though the water with minimal efforts and in the least time possible. This write-up therefore speaks of some basic swimming techniques for beginners.
Certainly, swimming is one of the very few workout forms, that exercise each and every part of your body, right from your head to the tip of your toe. It is also one of the most popular exercise forms, after muscle building and strength training.
Be it weightlifting, running and jogging, or any other exercise, It is always good to emphasize on learning the right technique. Swimming is not an exception!

Swimming Techniques for Beginners
The following text would prove as an overview of a beginner's guide for swimming, as it discusses some swimming techniques for beginners. These are actually different types of strokes involved in swimming.

Technique 1

The front crawl is the easiest swimming technique for beginners. In a front crawl you need to swim in a horizontal position on your belly, move your hands in circular motions in the direction you want to go and move your legs in the flutter kick style.
The hands should move freely, head should be positioned inside the water and while moving the legs, there should be a slight bent in the knee.
The most difficult or probably the most challenging part of this technique is breathing. This is because, most of the time the head is inside the water. Move your head sideways so that only your nose raises above the water level. This should be a simultaneous action, when you raise your shoulder above the water.

Technique 2

The backstroke is quite similar to a front crawl, as in this case you move your arms in a windmill motion and the legs move in a flutter kick style. The only difference over here is that, you need to move your body backward.
To put it in simple words, you need to move in the opposite direction of your face. Move your hands to form a 'S' pattern. Bend your knees a bit and keep the face towards the sky while swimming. Breathing is not a problem over here, as throughout the activity, your head is raised above the water level.

Other Techniques

You can also try the butterfly, breaststroke, and freestyle flip. These are not ideal for beginners, however once you gain expertise over the two mentioned, you can certainly move on trying this. These techniques are completely different from the ones mentioned previously.
These include difficult arm and leg movements and also you need to be strong and quick enough to cut water and move ahead! Breathing is a bit challenging in these techniques.
In butterfly stroke, you need to breathe at the end of your arm movement.
In breaststroke, you keep on moving your head in and out of the water, so whenever you pop your head out, you have to breathe in.
Breathing in the freestyle flip is quite similar to the one in a freestyle crawl.

Swimming Tips for Beginners

The more beneficial the exercise is, the more careful you need to be about it! Same is the case with swimming, especially when you are a new entrant. You need to take care of some things before and while swimming, so that you don't get exhausted or injure any of your muscles. Here are some instructions that must be followed by beginners.
  • Give a good warm up to your body, before you start swimming, with some stretching exercises.
  • Get a good workout prescribed from a qualified trainer.
  • Always wear your safety gear, to avoid injury and ease the activity.
  • While swimming, see that your head is in line with your spine. In simple words, keep your body straight and do not bend it sideways.
  • Legs also should be in a straight position. Keep your toes outwards and continue kicking throughout the activity.
  • Use your entire body strength to move ahead in the water.
  • Efficient breathing is important while swimming. Do not stop your breathing activity in the pursuit of speed.
  • Rest in between sets, so that you gather enough energy to complete the next one.
Swimming is an exercise as well as a fun activity! Following the given instructions and the swimming techniques for beginners would make it more beneficial, and most importantly you would enjoy the activity a lot! All the Best!
Disclaimer: Always consult a physician before starting any physical fitness program in order to reduce the risk of injury.