Swimming was invented before recorded history. Humans discovered how to swim byaccident. A person probably fell into the water and struggled to shore using a dog-paddlestroke. There was an Egyptian hieroglyph for swimming dating from 2500 BC.The ancient Greeks and Romans made swimming animportant part of their military training programs. Therehave been known swimming contests that were organizedin Japan as early as the 1st century BC. During the MiddleAges in Europe, swimming declined in popularity. Peoplefelt that the water was contaminated and a source ofdisease. Not everyone feared the water, however, LouisXI reportedly swam daily in the Seine. During the early19th century, swimming enjoyed a revival, especially inEngland, Lord Byron swam the Dardanelles river, to provethat the mythological hero Leander could have done it.Organized competitive swimming began in England in the1840s. In 1844 the British were surprised when twoAmerican Indians demonstrated the efficiency of a methodof swimming similar to the modern crawl. The British stillswam with the head above the water, a holdover from thedays when people believed that the water wascontaminated. An overhand stroke was introduced intoEngland in 1873 by J. Arthur Trudgen, who had seenSouth American Indians using this method to swim reallyfast. When the flutter kick was introduced, the modern"Australian crawl” was born, and this stroke has sincebecome the most common and most important swimmingstroke. FITNESS COMPONENTS To swim well u needto know how to coordinate your arms and legs to get youthrough the water. At first you will probably need to havelessons. Also to swim u need agility and just gravity.Swimming also requires balance and quickness in somecases. Not much is needed to know if you want to swim.Swimming improves heart and lung efficiency, enhancesmuscle strength and endurance, improves flexibility, andreduces stress. It’s easy on the joints, and uses moremuscl...
