Swimming kicks and strokes

Swimmers move their legs, feet, arms, and hands in certain ways to propel themselves through the water easily and quickly. The movements of the legs and feet are called kicks. These movements combined with movements of the arms and hands are called strokes.

Swimmers use four types of kicks: (1) the flutter kick, (2) the breaststroke kick, (3) the dolphin kick, and (4) the scissors kick. Each of these kicks is used in doing one or more of the strokes.

The flutter kick is the most popular kick and the easiest for swimmers to learn. The power to do the kick should come from the upper leg. The legs are alternately moved up and down with a slightly relaxed bend at the knees. The propulsion comes from the feet as if kicking peanut butter off the toes.

The breaststroke kick begins with your legs fully extended and the toes pointed to the rear. You then bring your heels toward the hips just under the surface of the water. As your feet near the hips, bend your knees and extend them outward. Turn your ankles so the toes also point outward. Then, without pause, push your feet backward and squeeze your legs together until the toes again point to the rear.

The dolphin kick resembles the flutter kick. But in the dolphin kick, you move both of your legs up and down at the same time.

The scissors kick begins with your body turned to either side. Your legs are together and the toes pointed back. Draw your knees up and then spread your legs wide apart like the open blades of a scissors, moving your top leg forward from the hip. Then snap both legs together to their original position in a scissorslike action.

The basic strokes are (1) the front crawl, (2) the backstroke, (3) the breaststroke, (4) the butterfly, and (5) the sidestroke.

The front crawl is the fastest and most popular stroke. You move your arms in a steady, circular motion in combination with the flutter kick. One hand recovers forward above the water while the other pulls beneath the water. You breathe by turning your head to one side just as the hand on that side passes your leg. You inhale through the mouth. You exhale through the mouth or nose while keeping your face in the water.

The backstroke, or back crawl, is performed as you lie on your back. It is a restful stroke because your face is always out of the water and breathing is easy. As in the front crawl, each arm alternately moves in a steady, circular motion in and out of the water while your legs do the flutter kick.

The breaststroke is another restful stroke. It is done in combination with the breaststroke kick. You begin with your face in the water, arms and legs fully extended, and the palms facing outward. You then sweep out your arms as your hands push downward and outward. The hands continue to circle and come together under the chin. As the hands begin to push down, you lift your head for a breath. Finally, you again extend your arms and legs and glide forward. You then repeat the sequence. You make a breaststroke kick at the end of the stroke as your arms extend for the glide.

The butterfly is a difficult stroke to learn, but it is smooth and graceful if performed correctly. In this stroke, you swing both arms forward above the water and then pull them down and back to уоur legs. As your arms start to move toward your legs, you lift your head forward and take a breath. Then you dip your head into the water and exhale as your arms move forward again. You make two dolphin kicks during each complete stroke, one as your hands enter the water and the other as your arms pass under your body.

The sidestroke is done on your side, whichever side is more comfortable. Your head rests on your lower arm, which is extended ahead with the palm turned downward. The top arm is at your side. The palm of the lower hand presses down in the water until it is beneath the shoulder. At the same time, the top hand slides up to meet the lower hand. The legs do a scissors kick while the lower arm returns to an extended position and the palm of the upper hand pushes toward the feet. You then glide forward before repeating the sequence.

Swimmers use a number of other strokes besides the basic five. The most important include the dog paddle and the elementary backstroke. To perform the dog paddle, cup your hands and rotate them in a circular motion underwater, with one hand forward when the other one is back. You do a flutter kick with the dog paddle. Your head remains out of the water throughout the stroke. The elementary backstroke, like the regular backstroke, is performed on your back. You bring your hands up along the sides of your body to your shoulders. Next you turn out the hands and stretch the fingers outward. Then you push your hands down and glide. Swimmers do the breast stroke kick with this stroke.

Vocabulary and Speech Exercises

Ex. 1. Put these words in the correct box:

Dog paddle, the flutter kick, the butterfly, elementary breaststroke, the breaststroke kick, the front crawl, the dolfin kick, the backcrawl, the scissors kick, the sidestroke.

Ex. 2. Find in the right hand column English equivalents for the Russian words and word-combinations given in the left hand column:

1. удар ногами a) band

2. сгибать b) squeeze

3. вытягивать с) kick

4. сжимать d) extend

5. выносить е) breath

6. дышать f) inhale

7. выдыхать g) recover

8. вдыхать h) exhale

Ex. 3. Name:

a) the basic strokes;

b) the leg and feet movements (the basic kicks).

Ex. 4. Say what you know about:

• the movements of the legs and feet in swimming;

• the basic kicks;

• the flutter kick;

• the breaststroke kick;

• the dolphin kick;

• the scissors kick;

• the front crawl;

• the backstroke;

• the breaststroke;

• the butterfly.

Ex. 5. Say what instruction would you give to a would-be sportsman
training:

a) the flutter kick.

Model: 1. Bend the legs at the knees.

2. Slightly rеlах them at the bend.

3. Move the legs alternately.

4. Move the legs as if kicking peanut butter of the toes.

b) the breaststroke kick;

c) the dolphin kick;

d) the scissors kick;

e) the front crawl;

f) the backstroke;

g) the butterfly;

h) the sidestroke;

i) the dog paddle.

Ex. 6. Retell the text. Use the following plan:

1. Movements in swimming.

2. The basic kicks.

3. The basic strokes.

4. The dog paddle and the elementary backstroke.