The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-07-02
LEARNING TO SWIM.
Sugg estions to Those Who Fear to
Enter the Water.

Sugg estions to Those Who Fear to
Enter the Water.
From the Netc London Telegraph.
Almost every person who has not learned
how to swim wall, in the course of his life,
have occasion to regret 1t. Swimming is
such a useful art that it should be learned
that no one ever forgets how TO swim after
the stroke has been once acquired.
The best thing for a learner to do is to
first acquire confidence in the sustaining
power of the water. One of the best plans
to do this is to walk into the water until 1T
reaches your armpits, then, turning about,
strike out for the shore, keeping your feet
well up from the bottom. Rigid persever-
ance in this course will in q short time en-
able youngster to feel himself afioat and
at ''alI tours, delight equal to that ex
perienced by the child who first feels that
he can walk from chair to chair. If the be-
ginper is timid, the aid of a judicious
friend; himself good swimmer, would be
desirable. The friend could hold up The
young swimmers head when he strikes out,
by the tip of the finger to the tip of the
chin, and who at the same time will show
him how to strike off and how to manage
his hands and feet.
JUST BEFORE STRIKING OUT.
In striking off, the learner, having turned
toward the shore, should fall upon the
water gently, keeping his head and neck
perfectly upright, his breast advancing for
ward in unison with his legs. The back
cannot be too much followed or the head
too much thrown back. The hands should
be placed just in front of the breast, the
fingers pointing forward and kept close to-
gether, with the thumbs to the edge of the
tha hands Oh OIll1 IA a6 a raj haT
concave on the inside, though not too
much. In the stroke of the hands they
should be carried forward to the utmost ex
tent they should next be swept to the side,
at distance from, but as low as the hips,
and should then be drawn up again, by
bringing the arms toward the side, bending
the elbows upward and the wrists down
ward, so as to let the hands hang
down while the arms are raising them to
the first attitude, and so on
SIMPLE POINTS FOR LEARNERS.
The legs should be moved alternately
with the hands. They should be drawn up
with the knees inward and the soles of the
feet inclined outward They should then be
thrown backward as widely apart from
each other as possible. These motions of the
hands and legs may be practiced out of
water, and it would be well to do so and be-
come familiar with the motions. When in
the water the learner should draw in his
breath when his hands are descending to-
ward the hips, and expel the air from 1.-THE
lungs when beginning the stroke with the
hands.
Diving is one of the greatest amusements
connected with swimming, and to dive is
the first ambition of the young swimmer.
In learning to dive the head should be
drawn slightly down toward the chest, the
arms stretched forward. The knees should
be bent trifle and an oblique plunge
should be made, taking care not to keep the
body too stiff. The diver must avoid strik-
ing on the breast, the general consequence
of fear, or turning over so as to come
down on his back or side, the consequence
of jumping or pushing too hard with the
feet. After entering the water the head
should be thrown back, the face toward the
surface, and the back followed, which will
make you rise to the surface. If you have
gone a considerable depth and do not rise
fast enough, strike out with your hands,
pressing downward, and you will immedi-
diately ascend.
In jumping or leaping from great nights
the legs, arms and head are to be kept per-
fectly rigid, and the pupil must not allow
fear or the strange sensation felt in the
bowels in leaping from great nights to induce
him to spread the arms or legs or to bend
the body.
To swim under water is to swim the usual
way, only taking care not to come too near
the surface. If the swimmer observes that
he is coming too near the surface he should
draw his head toward his chest, which will
depress his body. 1t is well to accustom
yourself to keeping your eyes open under
the water, at least in those beds of water
that will admit the light as it will enable
the swimmer to ascertain the depth of the
water he is in.
FLOATING.
The position in the water is the same as
that in swimming without the legs. The
arms should be stretched out above the
heads in the direction of the body. If the
legs begin to sink you should throw out your
chest and keep the loins as low as possible
In this position the human body, which is
specifically lighter than water may float at
pleasure. In floating, the mouth should al
ways be kept closed, and respiration should
be rapid.
SWIMMING ON ONE SIDE.
The body is turned either on the left or
right side, as the swimmer chooses.
The feet perform the usual motions in this
style of swimming. The arm from under
the shoulder stretches itself out quickly at
the same time the feet are striking. The
other arm strikes at the same time as the
impelling of the feet. The hand of the lat
ter arm begins its stroke on level With the
head, while the hand is again brought for
ward in a fiat position, aud the feet are
contracted; the stretched out hand is, while
working, drawn back toward the breast,
but not so much impelling as sustaining.
Greater speed can be made on the side than in
swimming the breast stroke, there being
less resistance to the water.
SWIMMING ON THE BACK.
The swimmer should lie on his back as in
floating, and the legs be moved as in for
ward swimming, The hands may be used
if desired in the same way as directed i'll
swimming without employing the feet.
Everybody that can swim should be able
to tread wafer, for it is of great use in res
cuing drowning persons. 1t is a perpen
dicular position Of the swimmer and is easy
to perform. There are two ways. In the
first the hands are compressed against the
hips and the feet describe the usual circle;
the other consists in not contracting both
legs at the same time, but one after the
other, SO that while one remains contracted
the other describes the circle. In this mo-
ton the thighs are placed in distended po-
sition and curved as If in half-sitting pos
ture.
SPORTS IN THE WATER.
The Float-One swimmer lies horizontal
ly on his back, the hands pressed close to the
body. The other swimmer takes. hold of
him by the feet and, swimming, impels
him forward, the first TO remain motion