The Cook County herald. [volume] (Grand Marais, Minn.) 1893-1909, 1895-09-21
THE ART OF SWIMMING.
Auies ina Nutshell for the Beuen<
of Beginners.

of Beginners.
Swimming is a little hard at first.
All one wants is to get used to the
water first, for when he gets a mouth
full 1t dlsresses him. A good swim
ner will throw it out, turn over on his
back and will be all right in q mo-
ment. The best way to pick up swim
ming is to go into the water un to
your arms and strike out, keeping both
feet off the bottom. Mind, don't let
one drag. Just think you won't 90
under, and you will be all right. In
striking off, the beginner should fall
upon the water gently, keepipg his
nead and neck perfectly upright his
breast advanced forward in unison
with the legs. The back cannot be too
much followed or the head too much
thrown back.
The hands should be placed lust in
front Of the breast, the fingers noint-
Ing forward and kept close togathnr
with the thumbs to the edge of the
forefngers; the hands should be made
lather concave on the inside. though
not too much On the stroke of tho
hands they should be carried forward
to the utmost extent; they should next
he swept to the side at distance from
nu1 as low as the hips, and should
tnen De draWn up again by bringing
tne arms toward the side, bending the
elbows upward and the wrists down
"aro so as to let the hands hang down
Whlle tne arms are raising them to the
first attitude, and so on.
Inc legs should be moved alternate
with the hands. They should be
Drawn up with the knees inward and
lne soles OF the feet inclined outward
Ihey should be thrown backward "a
"luely apart from each other as pos
slDle. these motions Of the hands and
legs may De practiced out of water
una II would be we'll to do so, and be-
come 1alnlllar with the motions. When
III the water the learner should draw
III MS breath when his hands are de-
scenolEg toward the hips, and expel
ene ar from the lungs when beginning
the stroke with the hands.
Next to swimming, floating is Just
US needful One tired out may turn
over ana rest. The position in the
water is the same as that in swim
nllng except as to the legs; the arms
snould De stretched out over the head
~ tne direction of the body If the
legs begin to sink you should throw
out your chest and keep the loins as
10" as possible. In this position the
human body, which is specifically
nghter that water, may float at your
pleasure. In floating, the mouth should
always be kept closed, and respiration
should be rapid.
There are perhaps half "a dozen
mi, III
stroke IS the fastest, but then if is
tlresome. BY far the best is the Arch
lnleolan or side stroke. One can make
NV m'e leet at stroke in a fair current.
Ihe podF IS turned either on the left
vi rlsht SIDE, as the swimmer chooses.
ne Ieet perform the usual motions in
tnls style OF swimming. The arm from
under the shoulder stretches itself out
qu!Chly at the same time the feet are
striking
The other arm strikes at the same
tlne as the impelling Of the feet. The
nahd OF the latter arm begins it's
stroke on level with the head, while
the hand is again brought forward in
flat position, and the feet are con-
lracted; the stretched-out hand is.
While working, drawn back toward
the breast, but not 50 much impelling
as sustaining. Greater speed can be
made on the side than in swimming
the breast-stroke, there being less re-
sistance to the water,
IToad1ng the water is easily learned.
There are two ways. In the first the
hancs are compressed against the hips,
and the feet describe the usual circle:
the other consists in not contra citing
both legs at the same time, but one
after the other so that while one re-
mains contracted the other describes
the circle. In this motion the thighs
are placed in distended position, and
curved as If in a half-sitting posture.
New York Ledger.