Basic information about swimming and what is the equipments used in swimming

1. SWIMMING

2. HISTORY OF
SWIMMING
Swimming has been part of human culture for
thousands of years. Evidence of swimming dates back
to ancient civilizations, with depictions in Egyptian
tombs from around 2000 BCE and texts describing
the activity in Greece and Rome. Early swimming was
a basic survival skill, and many ancient cultures
practiced it for fitness, leisure, and military training.

3. HISTORY OF
SWIMMING
Swimming can be dated back to the Stone age, but
did not truly become an organized sport until the
early 19th
century .

4. From Leisure to Competition
Although swimming’ s origin were rooted in leisure,
the sport quickly evolved into a competition even
before the first Olympic Games in 1896. in 1837 the
first swimming organization was created in London
and become known as England’s National Swimming
Society.

5. Changes to the Sport
The first Olympics competitions were not held in
pools, but in open water (1896 – The Mediterranean,
1900- The Seine River, 1904 – an artificial lake.
Male Swimmer wore full body suits until the 1940’s
which caused more drag in the water than their
modern swim-wear counterparts .

6. The first Olympic Games
The first modern Olympic Games were held in Athen
in 1896. According to the olympicchannel.com,
swimming is one of only four disciplines to have been
retained, appearing in every summer Olympics since
(the first Olympic Games) – the others being athletics,
artistic gymnastics and fencing’. The first Olympics
introduced some strange races into lineup, as it was
purely an experimental event to begin with. For
example, the 100m free for sailors was strictly for
members of the Greek Navy.

7. The first Olympic Games
And all of the races were held in open water. Until
1912, only male swimmers were allowed to compete
in the Olympics. It was until the Stockholm Olympics
that women were able to compete, and even when
they were finally allowed in the water, they were only
given two events in which to compete – the 100 free
and 400 free relay.

8. SWIMMING
TERMINOLOGIES

9. 1. Strokes: The different techniques used in swimming races or activities.
⚬ Freestyle (Front Crawl): A fast, efficient stroke where swimmers alternate
their arms and perform a flutter kick.
⚬ Backstroke: Swimmer lies on their back and uses an alternating arm
stroke with a flutter kick.
⚬ Breaststroke: A slower stroke using a frog-like kick and simultaneous
arm movements.
⚬ Butterfly: A challenging stroke with a dolphin kick, both arms moving
together in a circular motion.
⚬ Individual Medley (IM): A race where swimmers use all four strokes in a
specific order (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle).

10. 2. Lanes: The designated areas of the pool where swimmers race.
Typically, a swimming pool has 6-10 lanes.
3. Relay: A race where multiple swimmers alternate completing
parts of the distance.
4. Dive: The initial jump into the water at the start of a race.
5. Flip Turn: A maneuver where a swimmer does a somersault at
the pool’s edge and quickly transitions into the next lap.
6. Time Trial: A single attempt at a race where the swimmer's time
is recorded.
7. Warm-up/ Cool-down: A period of light swimming before or
after intense practice or a competition to prepare or relax
muscles.

11. SWIMMING
EQUIPMENTS

12. • Competitive swimwear seeks to improve
upon bare skin for a speed advantage and
coverage.
• In 2009, FINA rules and regulations banned
suits which go above the navel or below the
knee for men and suits which extend past
the shoulders or cover the neck for women.
Swimsuit
s

13. • A swim cap keeps the swimmer's
hair out of the way to reduce
drag.
Swim
cap

14. • It keeps the water and Chlorine
out of the swimmer's eyes.
Goggl
es

15. • Rubber fins are used to help kick
faster and build strength and
technique, but are illegal in a
race.
Swim
fins

16. • Swimmers use drag suits in
training to increase resistance,
drag suits are not used in
competitive races.
Drag
suit

17. • Swimmers use these plastic
devices to build arm and
shoulders strength while refining
hand-pulling technique.
Hand
paddles

18. • A kickboard is a foam board that
swimmers use to support the
weight of the upper body while
they focus on kicking.
Kickboar
d

19. • Often used at the same time as
hand paddles, pull buoys
support swimmer's legs (and
prevent them from kicking) while
they focus on pulling.
Pull buoy

20. • Improving balance will minimize
the need for this kick to provide
an upward, instead of a forward
vector, and in some cases
completely corrects the kick.
Ankle
bands

21. • A snorkel is a plastic device that helps
swimmers breathe while swimming.
• This piece of equipment helps the
swimmer practice keeping their head in
one position, along with training them for
the proper breathing technique of
breathing through the mouth and out of
the nose.
Snorke
l

22. • A beeping clock attached to a
swimmers cap or goggles helps
maintain a certain arm or speed.
• As each beep is heard, the next
stroke, or cycles of strokes
should be taken.
Tempo
trainer

23. • A type of rubber
• swimming fins, zoomers are cut
off fins with the holes in the
bottom.
Zoomer
s

24. RULES AND REGULATIONS IN
SWIMMING

25. COMPETITIVE SWIMMING
Competitive swimming features four primary
strokes: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke,
and butterfly. Swimmers compete in various
distances, from 25 yards or meters to as long
as 1600 yards. Each stroke has specific rules
governing how swimmers must move through
the water.

26. FREESTYLE
Freestyle, also known as the “crawl,” offers the most
flexibility in terms of technique and is typically the fastest
stroke. The key rules are that swimmers cannot push off
the bottom or pull on the lane lines and must touch the far
wall with some part of their body. Freestyle races usually
involve a forward-facing dive from a starting block or
poolside, and swimmers may use either open or flip turns
during multi-lap events. To finish, swimmers must touch
the wall with one hand.

27. BACKSTROKE
Backstroke is similar to freestyle but is swum on the
back. Swimmers must stay on their backs, with the
exception of a flip turn during multi-lap races, where
they may rotate onto their stomachs for one arm pull
before executing the turn. The race starts with
swimmers already in the water, holding the wall or
starting block, and finishes with the swimmer
remaining on their back until touching the wall.

28. BREASTSTROKE
Breaststroke, often referred to as the “frog stroke,”
requires synchronized arm and leg movements on a
horizontal plane. The swimmer’s head must break the
surface with each stroke, and the legs must execute a
frog-like kick, with toes pointed outward. A single pull-
down and a dolphin kick are allowed at the start of each
lap. Swimmers must touch the wall with both hands
simultaneously and on the same horizontal plane at the
end of each lap.

29. BUTTERFLY
Butterfly involves a simultaneous over-the-water arm
recovery and a dolphin kick. Both arms and legs move
together, with the arms pulling underwater and
recovering simultaneously over the water. Swimmers are
allowed one dolphin kick at the start and one with each
arm pull. Races start with a forward-facing dive, and
swimmers must touch the wall with both hands
simultaneously to finish each lap.

30. INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY (IM)
The individual medley, or IM, is a race where swimmers
compete in all four strokes, each covering one-fourth of
the total distance. The order is butterfly, backstroke,
breaststroke, and freestyle. Swimmers must follow the
rules for each stroke during their respective segments
and must finish each segment with the appropriate
touch: two-hand touches for butterfly and breaststroke,
and one-hand for freestyle.

31. RELAYS
In relay events, four swimmers form a team, each
swimming one-fourth of the race. In freestyle relays, all
team members swim freestyle, while in medley relays,
each swimmer swims a different stroke in the order of
backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle. The first
swimmer in a medley relay starts in the water for the
backstroke leg, while the others may start from the
blocks with a "rolling start." Swimmers must not leave the
block until their teammate touches the wall.

32. General Swimming Rules
• Proper Swimwear: Swimmers are required to wear swimsuits that
conform to the regulations. For competitions, suits must be made of
specific materials and must not provide buoyancy.
• Starting: Swimmers must begin from the starting blocks or in the water,
depending on the event.
• Touching: During turns, swimmers must touch the wall with one part of
their body. In some events, such as backstroke, swimmers must touch
with their feet or hands, but the rules vary by stroke.
• False Starts: A false start occurs when a swimmer leaves the starting block
or water before the starting signal. After one false start, the swimmer is
disqualified.

33. Turns and Finishes
• Turns: In all strokes (except freestyle), swimmers must
execute turns properly to avoid disqualification. For
example, in backstroke, a swimmer must rotate onto the
stomach before executing a flip turn.
• Finishes: The finish of the race must be completed by
touching the wall (or another designated finishing point)
according to the rules of the event. In butterfly, breaststroke,
and backstroke, the swimmer must ensure proper form at
the finish.

34. Relay Events
• Team Races: In relay events, swimmers must pass the baton (or touch the wall
for individual legs) within a designated area, and exchanges must be smooth
and within regulations.
• Disqualifications: Teams can be disqualified for improper relay exchanges, early
takeoffs, or other mistakes.
Safety Rules
• Lifeguards: At public pools, lifeguards must be present to ensure the safety of
swimmers.
• Swimming in Designated Areas: Swimmers should only swim in designated
swimming areas to prevent accidents.
• No Diving in Shallow Areas: Diving is not allowed in shallow water to avoid
injuries.

35. Anti-Doping Rules
Competitive swimmers must adhere to anti-doping regulations, which
prohibit the use of performance-enhancing drugs or banned
substances.
Disqualifications
Swimmers can be disqualified for:
• Not following the stroke technique.
• False starts.
• Early relay exchanges.
• Improper touches or turns.
• Failing to maintain the proper position in the race.

36. Back stroke start ledge
a simple and practical
backstroke starting
device for swimmers to
perform top
performance
backstroke starts.

37. Starting Blocks
a starting blocks are
raised platforms used
for dives in freestyle,
butterfly, breaststroke,
and medley races.

38. Short Course Pool
more common at public
swimming locations or high
schools.
Length: 25 meters or 25 yards
Number of lanes: four or more.
Abbreviations: SCM means 25
meters long, while SCY means
25 yards long

39. Long Course Pool
Normally found on college
campuses or higher end swimming
facilities.
Length: 50 meters (164 feet)
Width: 25 meters (84 feet)
Number of lanes: 8 to 10
Depth: at least 2 meters (6.6 feet)
Temperature: 25-28 degrees Celsius
(77-82 degrees Fahrenheit)

40. THANK YOU!
Just Keep Swimming!