Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-01
NEW STROKE
is POPULAR
CHAMPION SWIMMER DANIELS
LIKES THE CRAWL
SHOWS WHY STYLE HE USES is
THE BEST EVER
Mode of Swimming Same Named
Stroke Is Not the Same In
Australia as In This
Country

Just now the crawl stroke is all the
rage, at least with those who want to
swim fast. Almost any one can learn 1t
by following the advice of c. M. Daniels,
the American and English champion
swimmer and holder of several world 8
records, which is given here.
Another phase of swimming treated by
Daniels is the newest style of swimming
on the back OF late it has become
recognized event in all the big meets both
here and in England, so its most impor-
tant points should be mastered by all
who indulge in the sport. Says Daniels:
1.-The crawl stroke, which experts have
come to look upon as the stroke eof the
future, is combination of an abbre-
waited overarm and peculiar leg drive
learned by the Australians from the ma
tives of the South Sea Islands. The leg
drive cannot be called Kick: 1t Is
continuous. and down alternate thrash
of the lower legs rom the knee down.
The Australian Idea
''In Australia the action of the arms
and legs Is synchronous, that Is, tie right
arm comes back as the left leg goes down
and vice versa. In America, with few ex-
ceptions, the arms and legs are worked
independently, and the thrash has mar
rover scope, the legs being opened less
''That our system is the best seems un-
doubted if theory counts for anything in
swimming Robert Sandon, whom con-
slider one of the worlds leading authori-
ties on aquatic matters, explains the rea-
son in a manner 1 think convincing. II
"He asks us to watch the fight of a
fat stone that has been thrown hard
along the surface of the water, and note
its progress So long as the fiat side
strikes the water it bounces on without
a check until its momentum ceases, but
let even the smallest portion become i'm
mersed and 1t is brought to sudden stop,
its fight checked instantly, no matter
how great Its speed.
"Apply this to swimming, now. In the
trudgeon or even in the Australian crawl
when swimming easily there is time
when the propelling forces pause, the
| body sinks lower in the water and a
check is noted. in some swimmers very
decided one. In the American crawl in
| stead the continuous action of the legs
/ keeps the body constantly in motion, so
that there is no check or sinking and the
| stroke must perforce be faster.
"CrawlD for All Distances
"Of course in sprinting with the Aus
| tralian crawl the pause Is SO short that
/ there can be little advantage over it In
the American stroke, but as it is very
probable that eventually we will use the
crawl for all distances the point is not to
] be overlooked.
| "a small number of Americans have
adopted the Australian stroke, with it's
wide and synchronous thrash, but have
added a futtering of the feet between
arm strokes which makes the action con-
tinuous The relative time of the arms
and legs in the American crawl can best
be determined by the man himself-one
with strong arms and weak legs can
adopt a rapid arm motion and slow
kick, one with strong legs can do the
contrary. This is one of the strokes best
features, for it is suitable to men of va
rious physical developments.
| There are as many varieties of the
crawl nowadays as there are swimmers
using it. No two swim alike and almost
everyone exhibits a method of his own.
This individual adaptability must eventu-
ally produce good fruit, and it is prob
able that as the swimmers discover the
scientific points and drop the faults, in
the end the different styles will be con-
densed into one standard stroke
Here's Hint
"To learn the American crawl start
with the arms. In fact you will probably
do we'll not to use the legs at all until
you can swim about fifty yards with
your arms only.
Lie fiat on the water, with the arms
little bent at the elbows and stretched
out above your head The wrists should
be just beyond your head, and open a
little the palms of the hands. turned
downward.
Catch the water with decided snap
and drive the hands through at a brisk
pace, always bent at the elbow, until
they reach the hip, then lift them clear
out of the water and carry them forward,
with elbow well up in the air. The under
arm Is started just as the upper one
finishes.
"For the kick, move the legs up and
down alternately keeping them stiff at
the hip and holding the knees close to-
gether. There is little difficulty in learn
ing this If one knows how 1t should be
done. but the best way after reading the
description is to watch it in action. To
initiate 1t without having read 1t up is
not easy. and to acquire 1t without seeing
it is harder still, but with the help of both
few days of practice will be sufficient
How to Breathe
"Don't separate the feet more than
twelve or eighteen inches from heel to
toe.i The real difficulty in the crawl is III
working the arms and legs into a smooth
stroke and also in learning to hold the
firing leg drive over given distance. !
Both are a matter of practice.
"The position of the body in the crawl
is fiat on the face. There should be
hardly any rolling and breath should be
taken only every two or three strokes by
a quick twist of the head as the upper
arm is being brought down. The time for
exhaling is as the Under arm goes for
ward.
when the crawl is swum slowly, as 1t
is over the distance. the arm stroke is
heightened and the legs are slowed ac-
cording to the length of the race. In this
case breath is taken at every stroke,
Now, as to swimming on the back.
Those few who are students of the back /
stroke have attempted to-adapt the latest |
speed strokes to back swimming.
.'The first is counterpart Of the breast |
stroke, altered only to suit the different
positions. The arms. instead of recover
ing in the water are lifted into the air to
get the full reach, and the action much
resembles that of a windmill