The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1888-07-11
LESSONS IN SWIMMING.
THE HUMAN BODY MADE TO FLOAT
ON THE WATER.

THE HUMAN BODY MADE TO FLOAT
ON THE WATER.
Confidence, and How It IL Givon to BE-
ginners- instructions from tho Teacher
at tho Natatorfum--Lessons in Floating.
Different strotos.
There is very unanimous desire on the
part of the general public to learn to swim,
and everybody, male and female, should be
able to do so; but there Is remarkably large
number of people, born and raised on rivers
or lakes, who sscan't swim q stroke, and who
sink like lead il they attempt to raise their
feet from the bed Of the river or floor of the
bathing compartments They simply lack
the nerve and confidence to try to swim, and
instead of trying by following rules and In
structions, they remain In shallow water,
and when they do strike out do so with first
one foot and then the other touching bottom.
The only way these people learn to swim Is
by being cast, accidentally or purposely, into
ten feet OF water Then 1t Is swim or die,
and IL they have ever heard the secret of
swimming II suddenly comes. back to them,
%lk they haven't their horse sense dictates
what they should do to be saved.
Ono of the most amusing things In the
world Is the young man just learning to
swim. The boy, or even the girl, Is not SO
bad The young man wades out into the
water up TO about his waist, and then he
hesitates. Generally there are enough small
boys around who enjoy tho sport to splash
water ell over him, SO that he has cold chills
running up and down his back, though the
water may be warm, and he begins to think
about going out II he has any one to make
suggestions he is likely to get tub or key
or plank under his chest, and paddle around
on that, but alwaysin water where he couldn't
drown unless he laid down In 1t with weight
on his chest. If his friend knows anything
about the principles of swimming, and wants
to take the trouble, or IL he has teacher, he
will take him ON his knee and give him the
motion and confidence. This is very easy
matter, not so hard for the teacher as 1t
looks. He first holds himself In shallow
water, either by placing his hands ON bottom
or by catching something in front OF him or
overhead, and shows the learner the motion
Of the legs, and then the arms. He then
shows him how to breathe, drawing In
short, sudden breath and holding 1t for
few seconds, may be for minute, and then
another, the recovery being so quick thatbut
one arm stroke in tho water has been lost in
the refilling Of the lungs, This Is the first
lesson, and a very good one. M
The teacher then takes the young man, or
young woman, IL she desires to be taught In
that way, on his knee. He Is braced In the
water, his Blended knee far enough beneath
the surface to allow the body of tho young
swimmer also to be covered. Thus in posi-
ton, the teacher grasps the young swimmers
wrists and shows him the arm movement,
rapidly and as earnestly as IL he was really
swimming. Then he drops the arm and
grasps the legs, moving them In the proper
manner, lust as he did the arms. By the
time this is repeated a few times-often a
single repetition is necessary-the young man
loses his nervousness and sustains himself in
the water, and really swims without knowing
1T. the teacher lowering his knee so that he
does not support the body, and releasing his
hold on the limbs, so that the swimmer does
not receive any assistance, though he Inn
AGNES he does. When he finds he has been
fooled, and that he has in reality been swim
ming. he finds himself In the possession of
growing confidence, and from that on strikes
out like n veteran, and Il he has any skill
soon becomes master of all the strokes, dives,
treads, floats, etc, and does everything that
an older swimmer can do.
The lady beginner can take her first lesson
In this way il she desires, and really 1t would
be much better for her to do so. Attired in
q neat fitting jersey costume, every part OF
the body covered, except the jersey may be
cut in the prevailing decollete style, she need
have no feeling Of delicacy. II she has she
can 20 on the belt. This is wide belt, OF
stiff material, coming around the chest or
under the arms, to the back, where 1t Is
caught by rings and hooks to ropes running
away up overhead, over a pulley which runs
along o track, and is controlled by an attend
ant on the walk above the level OF the water.
This attendant let's out more rope or takes it
in as may be necessary, the swimmer regulat-
ing this as she desires. She can swim along
the sides OF the tank, or out into tho center,
just as she chooses. These belts are used in
water ten to twelve feet deep, and the begin
ner who selects them must make up her mind
TO deep water IL she declines the knee and
takes up the belt. There can be no touching
the bottom there, though she's safe from even
getting her head under water.
Frequently lessons ins floating are given
before the ambitious youngster Is introduced
to tho mysteries of swimming Experts
claim that person who cannot swim at all
can be taught to float in five minutes. Illus \
trating this, he fills his lungs with air before
you know it, the action OF the mouth and
throat being so sudden, and placing his
hands on his knees, bent In the water so that
the cap is above the surface, or even with ii,
he drifts In the winter as peacefully as II
sleeping In q swing. A great many long
distance swimmers do this as means OF rest
ing themselves. In fact, 1t is the only way of
resting where the swimmer cannot go out of
the water. This act Ia intended TO show the
uninitiated how easy 1t is to float on the
water. N
After the swimmer has secured confidence
and learned to keep his hands and feet off Of
the ground, or river bed, at the same time,
he begins to study the stokes First IL tho
breast stroke, with tho hands out straight,
but not together, working like wings. Next
comes the gentleman's stroke, In which the
arms are stretched full length above the
head, the hands palm to palm. Then comes
the overland one, the side, straight cut, fiat,
and the other over and back, and then the
fat, over with one hand and then with the
other while the first Is returning. Then
there is the spring breast, one hand, at a
time, downward and back The ladies'
stroke Is the easiest Of all, IL being breast
one, with the hands above the water. Then
there is sculling on the back, which Is done
by twisting the wrist, fat, in the water, at
or below the side. These strokes may be In
creased in number almost without limit, but
they all have for their foundation one way
or another, the movements Of simple swim
ming. These are, first, to draw the legs up,
with hands out; second, to kick out with tho
feet, drawing the hands In, and third, to
assume the original position Of the limbs.--
Globe Democrat.
A veracfous Man.
Wife-What time did you get in last night,