Swimming is an activity that burns lots of calories, is easy on the joints, supports your weight, builds muscular strength and endurance, improves cardiovascular fitness, cools you off and refreshes you in summer, and one that you can do safely into old age. In this article, I'll review the history of swimming, the benefits, the strokes, how to get started, what to wear, equipment you need, where to do it, and more.
What is the history of swimming?
Human beings have been swimming for millennia. According to Wikipedia, Stone Age cave drawings depict individuals swimming and there are written references in the Bible and the Greek poems "The Iliad" and "The Odyssey" dating back 1,500 to 2,000 years. There are even Egyptian clay seals from 4000 BC showing four swimmers doing a version of the crawl, and the most famous swimming drawings were apparently found in the Kebir desert and were estimated to also be from around 4000 BC.
According to the Encyclopedia of Traditional British Rural Sports, literature specifically related to swimming grew in the middle ages. It is believed that the first book devoted to swimming was Colymbetes by Nicolas Wynman written in 1538, and a more widely recognized text, De Arte Nantandi, was published in Latin by Everard Digby in 1587. The encyclopedia also reports that swimming was required of knights and that Romans built bathhouses and pools wherever they conquered to serve as social clubs and places to exercise.
Organized swimming began in the 1800s and 1900s with the creation of swimming associations (for example, the Amateur Swimming Association in 1886) and clubs that competed against each other. There are reports from that era of swimming clubs in England, France, Germany, and the United States. High-profile events also contributed to swimming's visibility. For instance, Matthew Webb swam the English Channel in 1875.
Competitive swimming continued to grow in popularity during the 1800s and was included in the first modern Olympic Games in Athens in 1896. In 1904, the Olympics in St. Louis included the 50-, 100-, 220-, 440-, 880-yard and one-mile freestyle, the 100-yard backstroke and 440-yard breaststroke, and a 4x50-yard freestyle relay.
By the 20th century, swimming had become mainstream. Indoor pools were beginning to appear, most towns with populations over 20,000 had public outdoor pools, and swimming clubs became increasingly popular for recreation. Women participated for the first time in swimming in the Olympic Games in Stockholm in 1912, and Johnny Weissmuller (considered by many authorities to be the greatest swimmer of all time and who later went on to Tarzan fame in movies) became the first person to swim 100 meters in less than one minute.
Today swimming is the second most popular exercise activity in the United States, with approximately 360 million annual visits to recreational water venues. Swim clubs, recreation centers, Y's, and many other facilities feature swimming pools. Many high schools and colleges have competitive swim teams, and of course, swimming is one of the most popular Olympic sports. Millions of Americans are swimming each year. Are you one of them? If not, the following information may help get you started.
For competitive swimming as well as aquatic fitness activities, such as lap swimming and water aerobics, a good swimsuit will increase your efficiency in the water, keep you feeling comfortable during your activity, and stand up better to the deteriorating effects of chlorinated water than most fashion swimsuits.
- Determine Your Size
- Measuring Tips
- Step-by-Step Measuring Guide
- Find Your Size
- Determine How You'll Use Your Suit
- Racing/Competitve Swimming
- Aquatic Fitness
- When to Replace Your Swimsuit
To determine your swimsuit size, you'll need to measure yourself using a tape measure.
Measuring Tips
- Take your measurements while wearing only your underwear
- Stand in front of a mirror
- While measuring, make sure that the tape measure is straight, not twisted
- To get an accurate measurement, the tape measure should be snug, but not pinching or tight
Step-by-Step Measuring Guide
- Find your natural waistline by bending to one side. While standing straight, measure around your waistline
- Men should measure just above the hipbone (or about an inch below your natural waistline) to determine the appropriate swimsuit size
Find Your Size
- If you are between sizes, choose the smaller size in a racing/competition suit and the larger size in an aquatic fitness suit
- Most men's suits are sized based on waist measurement. Men should choose the size that corresponds with their waist measurements.
| Determining Your Suit Size | |||||||||
| Men's Swimsuits | |||||||||
| Size | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 |
| Waist | 24 | 26 | 28 | 30 | 32 | 34 | 36 | 38 | 40 |
Determine How You'll Use Your Suit
To select the right suit, first determine the activity for which you'll be wearing the suit most often:
- Racing/Competitive swimming which includes both practicing and racing at either the school or club level
- Aquatic Fitness which includes activities such as lap swimming and water aerobics
Racing/Competitive Swimming
- For both training and competition, competitive swimmers need high-performance suits that maximize speed in the water and improve glide times by reducing drag and increasing water flow.
- Many swimmers buy separate suits for training and competition. For both training and competition, compression, resulting in a tight fit, is the key.
Sizing
- For training, buy your normal size, but realize that the fit will be snugger than that of a regular fashion swimsuit
- For competition, consider buying a suit at least one size smaller than your training suit
Construction
- Support
- Swimsuits for both training and competition support through compression
- Lining
- Suits for top-level competition are not lined, since reducing drag is a priority. However, many men's suits for training are front-lined.
- A suit with lining will generally last longer, and hold its shape and color better than an unlined suit
Styling
- Men's competition and training suits have moderately cut leg openings, drawcords in the interior of the waistband, and side seams of about 3-inches
- For men wanting more coverage, training suits with lower leg openings and side seams up to seven-inches are available, but they are not the norm for training or competition
Fabrication
- Although there are many hybrid fabrics for racing/competitive swimming available, most swimsuits for this sport are done in blends of nylon/spandex. (Lycra is a specific brand of spandex made by DuPont and is found in many swimsuits.)
- Improvements in fiber engineering have resulted in swimsuit materials that are more resistant to chlorine than ever. Suits for racing/competitive swimming typically use these more durable versions of nylon and spandex.
Aquatic Fitness
- For lap swimming and water aerobics, you will need a suit that provides comfort and freedom of movement, plus coverage and support
- Men will find training suits designed for the competitive swimmer to be most appropriate for lap swimming for fitness
- Fit should be snug but not tight. A good fitting suit will stay in place during vigorous movement, but not pinch, bind or ride up in the seat.
- Despite the advances in fiber technology, chlorine will eventually deteriorate swimsuit fabrics. When your suit begins to bag or feels looser than when it was new, it is time to replace your suit.
How to Select a Little Girl's Swimsuit
By eHow Fashion, Style & Personal Care Editor
It may seem like it wouldn't take much thought to select a swimsuit for a little girl. However, there are several factors that come into play for little girls and their swimsuits. They need to be comfortable, maintenance-free and provide adequate coverage. Read on to learn more.
Difficulty: Easy
Step1
Check for comfort and fit. When selecting a swimsuit for your little girl, it's important to try the suit on her. Let her move in it in the dressing room. If it's restrictive in the dressing room, it's not going to be comfortable on the beach. In the same sense, if the straps are continually dropping off of her shoulders, the suit is not going to be comfortable, either.
Step2
Determine the fabric-type and read the care instructions. If a suit is going to require hand washing or special treatment, then it's not going to be a very practical suit for the summer. White or light-colored suits get dirty easier when going to the beach. Darker colored suits endure stains better. However, darker suits tend to fade out more in the sun. A suit devoid of lots of accessories or trim will wash better, too.
Step3
Ensure proper coverage of the suit. If the suit is continually slipping or falling in the chest or bottom areas, it's not going to provide adequate coverage. Additionally, if your child is extra sensitive to the sun, a one-piece suit will be better than a two-piece suit. Some suits come with "extras" such as a cover-up or a sarong. These suits are always good because they provide extra coverage.
Step4
Check the lining. Every little girl's swimsuit should include a lining in the crotch area. Little girls are just as susceptible to yeast infections as adults and need a good lining in the bottoms of their swimsuits, too.
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