12 Questions
Which swimming stroke is known to be the most difficult and exhausting?
Butterfly
In competitive swimming, how much distance can a swimmer spend underwater in the Freestyle stroke?
15 meters
What is the main restriction for a swimmer in the Breaststroke stroke during competitive swimming?
Head must be kept above water
What is the only swimming stroke where both arms move in a windmill-like motion?
Butterfly
Which event is not included in the Olympic open water swimming schedule?
50km
In what event do swimmers have to swim equal distances of Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Freestyle?
Individual Medley
What is the primary goal of competitive swimming?
To break personal or world records
What is the purpose of 'tapering' in competitive swimming?
To decrease exercise workload before an important competition
What do professional swimmers focus on even if they are not highly ranked?
Technical skills
What is the practice of 'shave and taper' in competitive swimming?
Shaving off all exposed hair to reduce drag
What is the purpose of reducing exercise workload in the final stage of a training cycle?
To maintain peak performance
How many individual swimming events are officially recognized in the pool?
40
Study Notes
Open Water Swimming
- Open water swimming events include 5km, 10km, and 25km for men and women, but only the 10km event is part of the Olympic schedule.
- Open-water competitions are typically separate from other swimming competitions, except for the World Championships and the Olympics.
Swimming Strokes
- There are four major swimming strokes: Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Freestyle.
- Each stroke aims to create the least possible water resistance and minimize splashing.
Butterfly Stroke
- The most difficult and exhausting stroke.
- Body is in a prone position.
- Involves dolphin kick with windmill-like movement of both arms in unison.
- Swimmers cannot swim underwater except for the first stroke after the start and each turn.
Breaststroke
- Body is in a prone position.
- Involves frog kicking and simultaneous movement of the arms from a point in front of the head to shoulder level.
- Swimmer's head must be kept above the surface of the water at all times.
Freestyle
- Any stroke can be used.
- Only 15 meters can be spent underwater from the start or from each turn.
Backstroke
- Involves alternate over-the-head arm stroke and flutter kick in a supine position.
- Only 15 meters can be spent underwater from the start or from each turn.
Competitive Swimming
- Goal is to break personal or world records while beating competitors.
- Swimming should create the least resistance to obtain maximum speed.
- Athletes go through a cycle of training, overload, and tapering before competition.
- Tapering involves reducing exercise before competition, and shaving off exposed hair for a sleeker and more hydrodynamic feel in the water.
FINA and Olympic Events
- FINA is the international governing body for competitive swimming.
- There are 40 officially recognized individual swimming events, but the International Olympic Committee only recognizes 32 of them.
- Olympic events include the 10km open water event and individual medley (IM) events of 200 and 400 meters.
Learn about the history, goals, and techniques of competitive swimming in this quiz. Understand how swimmers aim to break records while minimizing resistance in the water. Test your knowledge on the training cycles professional swimmers go through to enhance their performance.
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