The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-09

tossing, "but, If you please, will first take
few turns on dry land before trying the
ocean"
learning the art OF keeping the head above
water. 1t is, indeed, considered the best
way to teach children.
1t needs only few preliminary instruc-
tons, an easily arranged costume, and the
secluson of ones own apartments. The
costume should be sufficiently loose to give
freedom of motion to body and limbs.
The dry land swimmer first lies on her
face on the floor, and as closely as possible
initiates the motions Of a swimmer in the
water, varying them only when the changed
conditions make il necessary.
From the time those motions are mas
| tered the real benefits to the dry land
swimmer begin, through the strengthening
and natural development of almost every
muscle of the body and a scientific toning
of the nervous system Swimming brings
into Use more muscles than any other
| exercise.
From toe, fager tips, with the palms
downward, II perfectly straight. Count
| ing one, turn the hands outward, bring
ing the arms around square with the
shoulders AT two, the elbows are close to
the sides and the hand brought under the
chin. At three. the arms are Strengthened
out full length, the hands together This
| movement must be done with energy and
not Imply.
Next come the movements Of the legs.
Counting one bring the legs up well under
the body and outward. The toes should
( be pointed upward. in order that power
may be applied with the soles. The toes
should be as much as possible in a line
with the elbows Just before the kick. At
two give a vigorous kick, pointing the toes
downward and bringing the soes in Use.
| At three the heels meet.
When hands and feet or arms and legs
| have conquered these movements sep
arately they must be worked together.
| At one as the hands and arms apply
| the power, the legs are being brought up
for the kick, which is made as the hands
meet the chest. and the sweep with the
soles Of the feet continues az the hands are
brought to the front.
In this way. while the arms are work
ing, the legs are recovering, and the re-
verse. The hands should be kept together
| for at least half second, otherwise girl
| is apt to try to swim too fast when she takCs
TO the water
BY much prac ice--but never longer than
| fifteen minutes at a time--the movements
become mechanical, and the beauty of ac-
| quiring them is that, once learned, they are
never forgotten.
|
accompaniment of these exercises. A.
the arms describe the circle, deep breath
| IL taken. As the arms are returned 10 their
! original position the breath is exhaled
In this one action not only are the muscles
of the arm affected. but the lungs are
strengthened by the unusual motion. II
| IL unusual, for while 1t may have been praC-
ticed by many as they stand erect, the
effect on the reclining body is vastly different,
| After going through these movements
| lying on the face, stand erect and throw
| the arms out straight In front without bend
| ing the elbow, the thumbs drawn In close to
the palm of the hand and stretched parallel,
Then throw the arms straight out from
| the shoulders with easy strength. Third,
make the backward swing which prepares
| for the forward stroke again and produces
| the propelling power. The counting should
| be similar to waltz time-one, two, three.
The secret OF becoming a good swimmer
| lies in acquiring the rhythmic motion charac-
| teristic of graceful dancer.
Some people may ridicule tho idea Of
learning to swim on dry land, but when a
person is being taught with pole and belt
In the water is not the first thing taught
the movements of the hands and f. u
When these have been learned one can
swim, and not before.
II is not TO be supposed that a girl can
practise on the floor or on stools and chairs
and then the first time she takes to the,
water swim like u mermaid; but it * prnc-
ticable to take the first lessons In this way
and thus he prepared for a full course of
swimming lessons the first time that tho
! opportunity occurs.
The secret of good swimming is to take
I few and long strokes. This a girl learns as
she grows holder. A nervous person keeps
her arms moving so rapidly that she IL soon
exhausted. As she gains more confidence
she gives long, sweeping strokes WIN he'
arms.
The art of diving cannot, of course, ho
learned on land. but as N is the only grace
full way Of getting into the water a glr
should never rest until she has learned To
dive. F..
In diving the spring should be out fa'