When you dive in, form is key! If you dive in incorrectly, "belly-flopping" is the most common effect. Belly-flopping is when the front of the body hits flat on a surface; in this case, water. This is very painful, especially when you have to swim with the after-math. I would say, it's like a sunburn that slaps you.
Another key effect of diving in is the loss goggles and caps. You may not dive in incorrectly, but your cap/googles may fall off, and you'd have to swim with chlorine( if swimming chlorinated pool) in your eyes! Many swimmers can relate to the stinking sensation! Swimming without goggles can lead you to swim into the wall, or run into the lane-lines. Also, the sting stays with you so it's best to keep eyedrops on you!
-some people who made the mistake of belly- flopping!
Timing the right moment to flip turn is difficult! Flip- turning is when a swimmer approaches a wall, does a front- flip, and pushes off the wall with both feet. It sounds simple, but is complicated. To do a correct flip turn, it is best to start flipping within 2- meters of the wall. If you flip too early, the "push"off the wall wouldn't be as strong as it should be. If you flip too late, you end up bumping the wall with your butt, or injuring your ankles. A perfect flip-turn can be the difference from winning and losing a race!
Most swimmers have a breathing pattern when they swim. Most beginning swimmers breathe every two strokes because of the strenuous work-out. Some breathe every three strokes, some four, and some even five! When a swimmer exhales, they do so under water, with their nose. When it's time to inhale, the swimming turns their head to breathe when they reach their stroke count. Let's assume that a swimmer breathes every four strokes. The swimmer could hold their breathe for one stroke, exhale for two strokes, and come up to exhale on the fourth stroke.
Having the correct form is very important for speed and avoiding injuries. The correct swimming technique differs for different strokes. When you swim freestyle, one should kick with their legs slightly bent, but not like a bicycle. The arms should go up,one after another over the swimmers shoulder and down when they swim. When the arms are underwater, they " pull" the water. Pulling and kicking is essential for maximum speed. You can perfect each skill by using a buoy for pulling, or a kick board for kicking.
Swimming may not be easy, but is very fun! Not to mention it's an incredible workout!
