who
may watch for and correct any faults noticeable, for the simple reason
that bad habits once contracted are more difficult to eliminate later on.
If the lessons herein set forth are carefully followed, there is no reason
why, with the exceptions before mentioned, one should not become a
good swimmer.
PART II
VARIOUS KINDS OF STROKES
THE BACK STROKE
It may seem odd to the beginner (and to a great many proficient
swimmers, for that matter) that in teaching swimming by the Dalton
system, I always begin by having pupils swim first on the back. Most
instructors do just the reverse; but during nineteen years of a successful
career in teaching, the proficiency of the graduated pupil has justified
the method. There are a number of very good reasons why learners
should begin by first swimming on the back. More especially is this
true of nervous or timid pupils.
In the first place, the body floats more naturally and much easier on the
back. In the breast stroke, which is the first one taught by most
instructors, the head has to be kept out of the water and must be
supported as dead weight by the rest of the body, as explained later on.
On the contrary, in the back stroke, or swimming on the back, the head
rests on the water and needs no support from any other member of the
body.
For the same reason the face, being up and away from the water, the
beginner encounters no difficulty in breathing, and there is no danger of
the water entering the mouth, which is often the cause of much
annoyance to new pupils.
Then, again, while on the back, as the face is turned upward, the
beginner, especially in the case of a nervous person, gains confidence
from the very fact that he is not constantly looking into the water. And
also, in contradistinction to all other strokes in swimming, the arms and
legs move together--both arms and legs performing practically the same
movements at the same time.
Thus the pupil, realizing the comparative easiness and the absence of
any difficulty in, having mastered this stroke, is imbued with such
confidence that it becomes simply a matter of time and practise to
acquire all other forms of swimming that he may wish to learn.
* * * * *
[Illustration: FIGURE 1]
The first thing I do with a beginner, after he or she has donned a
bathing suit (a suit in one piece is preferable, as it will not interfere
with breathing) is to get the pupil to lie on the back, at full length on
the marble, with the heels together, the toes out, the hands at the side of
the body. Placing myself back of the pupil's head, the hands are drawn,
with the fingers bent, up along the body till they touch the shoulders
(Fig. 1), the elbows being well turned out. Then the arms are
straightened out horizontally from the shoulder, the palms of the hand
down (Fig. 2). Then the arms, being rigid, are brought down sharply to
the side of the body (Fig. 3). These movements should be repeated
several times until the pupil gets accustomed to them.
[Illustration: FIGURE 2]
Next the leg movements are shown. The heels are drawn up toward the
body as far as possible with the knees well turned out (Fig. 4); the pupil
then kicks the legs apart as far as possible, the toes being pointed out
straight (Fig. 5). Next the pupil brings the legs sharply together until
the heels touch, the toes being turned out (Fig. 6). After these
movements have been repeated several times the pupil can try the arm
and leg movements together. The arms and legs are drawn up together
as in Figs. 1 and 4, then the pupil straightens out the arms and legs, as
in Figs. 2 and 5, finishing the stroke by bringing the arms and legs
sharply together, as in Figs. 3 and 6.
[Illustration: FIGURE 3]
When these movements have been mastered by the pupil, I take him or
her into the water, waist deep, putting one hand under the back, the
other under the chin, forcing the pupil backward until the ears are under
the water, then bringing the pupil's hands to the sides, and slowly
starting the movements. After the arm movements are mastered, I take
up the leg movements, care being taken that the knees do not come out
of the water.
[Illustration: FIGURE 4]
To teach pupils how to regain their feet, I show them how to bend
forward from the waist until the face is under water, then the pupil will
find his or her feet slowly sinking; when the toes touch the bottom the
head can be raised out of the
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