The Penn's Grove record., 1913-07-25
LEARNING TO Be A GOOD SWIMMER
Try "Dry Swimming Before Mork-
ing In The Water.
g St.

August st. Nicholas
| had occasion last winter to visit one
of New York's public baths while the
swimming team of a local elementary
school was at practise. About twenty
boys, not yet in their teens, were
grouped about the pool, listening to one
of their number who was instr u cting a
lad in the water. The sight interested
me and I drew close.
keep your feet under surface, when
you crawl" the youthful mentor was
saying "and lift your elbows higher at
the catchI'
L gasped in surprise. Here was a
%youDgster, probably of ten or twelve ably
imparting knowledge of the latest modern
stokes. | approached him during a lull,
care you the team coach?' l asked
ooh, MOI he exclaimed; "we have a
professional, but Pm captain, and l take
charge when he's not here.
Sand who taught you?" 1 inquire.
"My big brother. He is a member of
a club squad, and he's been at me since
| was eight, four years ago."
l remained to watch and was astound-
ed to note how superbly at home in the
water were these budding champions.
Every II could dive, plunge and swim
every type Of stroke.
| mention this experience of mine to
point a moral. No boy is too young to
take up the art Of swimming and no boy
should neglect to do it almost as soon az
he can walk.
Hardly a day passes in summer with.
out the report of some drowning accident
appearing in the newspapers; and this
alone is sufficient reason to induce every
one to learn how to swim, for swimming
not only affords the mean of saving our
own lives, but of rendering a noble SER
vice to humanity in resculng our fellow
beings.
Furthermore natation has other great
advantages. No form of exercise is bet.
ter suited to improve mind and body.
Swimming gives courage, self-reliance,
control, aud it develops the muscular
system i'll perfect uniformity. AS a pas
time it has no equal. Most boys love to
battle, and the pleasures of a dip are ill.,
creased tenfold when one is an expert
waterman; then, too, such proficiency
opens the path to the thrills of aquatic
contests, and to the enjoyment of such
splendid games as Rugby and association
water polo, aquatic basket ball, push
ball, water bali and other popular sports.
1t is really not difficult to become a
good swimmer, if II goes about it in the
right manner The quickest and straight
est road to success is undoubtedly to find
a competent Instructor, and let him do
the leading; but it is quite possible to
learn unaided.
l have found it most useful to give the
beginner a course so-called dry swim
ming" which entails land drill in the
various parts OF the stroke. before pass
ing to work in the water. Once the
arms and legs have become accustomed
to the movements, they will come nat
urally when II graduates to actual
swimming. Indeed both the novice and
the more advanced waterman will find
preliminary work beneficial, as they
progress to the racing stroke.
There are two ways, generally recog-
nized, OF learning to swim; First thru
the do%g-paddle; second, thru the breast
stroke. The former is the method Of
primitive man, and has doubled merit of
coming instinctively and being closely
related in the main features to the crawl,
which is nowadays the aim of every young
man; the latter is more complicated, re-
quir9s considerable study, and has no ex-
ceptional value. In my opinion, the dog
paddle will i'll most instances, give better
results, but in view of the fact that many
Of our experts adhere to the breast
stroke, l Will explain both.
No elaborate instruction is needed for
the dog-paddle. The arms are rotated
in the manner that evey boy has seen
a dog use his front paws in tina water,
and the legs are just tapped alternately
back and forth, much as one does in
walking. Find some place where the
water is about up to your chest, and 20
ahead. Do not thrash away too fast,
tho; try to make every motion slow and
effective. You will soon discover that
the simple efforts will keep you afoat for
a few feet, and you, can increase the dis
lance little by little. If you 60 to rapidly.
you will tire Immediately and retard
progress. Have i'll mind always that
ability to stay on top is merely a question
OF balance, for the body is lighter than
the water when the lungs are functioning
normally, and, if you assume the
right position, you can not pos
slbly sink. 10 prove this to yourself,
just attempt in shallow water to lie down
on the bottom, and note how you are
forced irresistibly upward.
The elementary crawl is similar to the
dog-paddle inasmuch as the arms are
swung above water in recovering, that is,
in moving from the end of the drive to
to full reach.
Ii you tackle the breast stroke, begin
on shore. Stand upright, with arms out
stretched in front and hands together
back to back. Divide the stroke into
three parts, counting as you go, and
using the legs one at a time, in succession.
At count one pull the arms back parallel
to the ground, until they are in line with
the shoulders, and take a deep breath as
they circle, simultaneously drawing up
one foot, toes down and knee out; at two,
lower the elbows to the body, carry the
hands to the chest-palms down, fingers
closed and pointing forward-lift the toes
and straighten the leg SO that the foot is
about eighteen inches from the other; at
three, thrust the arms to full reach bend
down the toes, snap leg to starting posi-
ton and expel the air from the lungs.
Repeat this cycle, alternately with either
leg, until your are familiar with every
detail; then stretch across a narrow
couch, or some other comfortable support
and oO thrn the movements usin0 both