Swimming is one of the best forms of exercise, but only if you get wet. While certain arm muscles may be involved in untangling a lounge chair and applying sun block, for the sport of swimming to benefit you, you have to actually get into the water and move.
The diving board can add to your swimming experience, but it should, like most sports equipment, be treated with respect. If you do a double somersault directly over the board, you run the risk of landing on top of the next swimmer who’s preparing to dive. And while it’s true that you’ll burn up calories running away from the 200-pound bodybuilder who’s now chasing you around the pool, this is not a recommended way to get your exercise.
Swimming laps is the best way to get a good workout. But for maximum benefit, you should let go of the side of the pool and use both arms. Otherwise you could end up with one Olive Oyl arm and one Popeye arm. This isn’t the look you’re going for. It might also affect your swimming. Every time you try to swim in a straight line, you could end up going in circles.
Now, let’s talk about the different swimming strokes. The butterfly stroke works both your leg and arm muscles, but I’m not sure why it’s called the butterfly stroke. Typically, butterflies don’t do that well at swim meets. Their high dive is fine, but they’re not very good underwater swimmers.
Dogs have a stroke named after them, too. The dog paddle helps you stay afloat without a lot of effort, and the best part is your head stays above water at all times. This stroke is especially good if you’ve just had your hair done.
There’s also the turtle stroke. The turtle stroke is where you alternate between pushing with your right leg and left arm and pushing with your left leg and right arm. The turtle stroke is also what a swimmer does if she jumps into the water before removing her backpack.
Treading water is where you stay in the same spot without a lot of movement. This technique is often used in water polo. “Treading water” has also been used to describe what a student is doing who naps in math class throughout an entire semester.
I hope this brief overview of swimming has been helpful. If you really want to make a splash at school, go out for the swim team! It’s good, clean fun, and like they say, a little water never hurt anyone. Except for maybe the butterfly. But then again, he did get a stroke named after him.
