The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1890-08-13

stroke. 1 always use it,inImyE long distance
races and find it the fastest stroke have ever
seen. / will describe it as it is used when
the swimmer lies on his right side. The
head is turned sharply to the left and the
right ear and eye are are almost constantly
under water. The left arm works continu-
ally in the manner Of a windmill-being
halt the time out OF the water and over the
head. The right arm makes a movement
somewhat similar to thu one it performs
during the breast stroke, only it stops at the
hip and not at the shoulder, and on the re-
cover 1t pulls the water back directly under
the hip and not by the side of the body,
are kicking out. When the left hand is fully
extended the legs are outstretched and the
right arm is stretched out back on line
with the chin.
When the left arm is coming down the
right is coming back and the legs are being
drawn up ready for an another stroke, Ii
you are swimming in rough water and want
to keep your head above the waves make
more Of downward stroke with you under
arm. This lifts the body partly out of the
water. If you want to gain speed. draw, the
arm in toward the pit of you stomach, OF
even a little higher than that, and you will
find that you can put more force into your
stroke.
The only difference between this overland
and the ordinary underhand side stroke is
of the water. The overland stroke answers
all the purposes of the underhand stroke
and is far superior to it in the matter OF
speed.
The fastest of all strokes for a short dis
lance is the turtle stroke. 1t can not be used
to advantage, however, longer than one hun,
dred yards, as it is extremely firing. This
Is the way it is done: The swimmer throws
his arms alternately right and left out of the
water and ahead of him, pulling Them in
IL III .rAIo H., 1t II
AS the right arm is coming in the leg is kick.
ing out: at the same time the left arm is
going out and the right leg coming up for
another kick. The swimmer pushes the
water toward his body with his arms. and
in kicking, brings his legs In toward the
centre of his body after the kick is nearly
ended. This latter movement sends him
through the water as fish is propelled by its
tail.
Now 1 will describe to you how you should
learn to swim on you back, After you have
swum out into deep water roll over on your
back and stretch out your legs, letting them
drop very little lower than your body.
Keep your hands close to your side; tLen
paddle with your hands in a rotary fashion
and from the wrist. Keep your lungs well
filled with air and you will find your are as
safe and more comfortable than when you
are lying on your stomach:
After you have learned how to do this try
the double kick. This is precisely like the
breast stroke, only your position is reversed.
As your legs come together your hands go
forward over your head.
The fastest stroke for swimming on the
back is called the overland stroke. 1t differs
from the former in several ways, the chief
distinction being in the move of the feet. The
knees are raised, not so high as to retard
progress, though, and in kicking down, first
must drive the water away from you with
the sole of the foot as the leg goes down and
with the top of the foot as it comes up. This
is done by a movement OF the ankle-joint
which must be extremely flexible to make
this stroke effective. While the feet are
padding in this manner the arms are thrown
alternately out of water over the head,
sweeping the water back, on the recover, and
under the body with tremendous fore.
In learning, it is best not to begin with the
overland movement, but to keep the fore
arm below the line of the elbow and paddle
under the body. Then, after this has been
acquired keep the arms projected stiff in adj
vance Of the head and paddle with the hynds
from the wrists only When these are
learned try the windmill" motion, just as
l have described it.
Now for floating. The best way to learn
to float is to catch each foot by the toes with
each hand, lie ON the back and swing the
feet outward, throwing the head well back.
Always be CAREFUL before doing this tc fill
the lungs with air. While you are floating
for when they are empty the body immed-
lately sinks. After this has been tried a
number of times let the feet 60 and stretch
out the legs, extending the arms above the
head so that your face, toes and fingers are
visible above the surface. There are many
ways Of floating. You can pnt your arms by
your side or fold them over your chest or be-
hlnd your head. If you want to make pro-
gIess whlle floating put your arms by your
SIDE ana paddle with your feet, as described
in the overland backStrOke.
In treading water hold your hands above
the surface and set up and down first with
one and then with the other foot, taking
care to point the toes downward when rails
ing the foot, and, by bending the ankle, step
down fiat footed, so that in raising the foot
the body is not dragged down, and, in step
ping down, the body is raisedlup.
Diving should be learned as soon as one
mas acquired the use of the breast stroke
put there are many swimmers who are self
taugnt VINO nave never learned this valuable
accomplishment. The best way to learn it is
BY squatting on the edge of the water with
the elbows resting ON the knees and fine
hands drawn up as they are in preparing for
the breast stroke. Then plunge in the water,
taking care not to open the ewes until tha
head and part of the body at least are nndeI
water. Gradually raise the body in practis-
ing until you are able to stand upright win,
the arms extended in front of the face. and
leaping upward strike the water with The
handS. AS L Salu DeIore, close your eyes
while you are in air, and do not open them
until you are partly under water. | have
known a number of boys who have lost theil
ewes by opening them before they struck the
water, A chip on the surface is apt to strike
the eve and inflict serious injury,
There are many ways Of diving, but the
straightforward plunge is the simplest and
most useful. When you dive in shallow
water if is best to squat, and make plunge,
striking the surface fiat and glide out into
the deep water. This is the way all races
are started An expert can undress when
under water. Three years ago, when l
swan sixteen miles in four hours and five
minutes, dived from the deck OF Brooklyn
ferryboat while | was dressed as long