Swimming Terminologies PDF

# Swimming Terminologies ## Introduction In this topic we will learn some of the terms that we use in swimming. Some of them you might know and some may not. ## Important Terms - **Aquatics:** pertaining to water or to activities performed in water. - **Archimedes Principle:** an object immerse...

# Swimming Terminologies ## Introduction In this topic we will learn some of the terms that we use in swimming. Some of them you might know and some may not. ## Important Terms - **Aquatics:** pertaining to water or to activities performed in water. - **Archimedes Principle:** an object immersed in a medium is buoyed up by force equal to the weight of the volume of the medium displaced. Usually the medium is water, but it could be any liquid or gas. - **Buoyancy:** the upward force of water on a submerged object. - **Butterfly:** a new stroke used in competition and considered the second fastest stroke. The arms work in a crawl action, but both hit the water and pull at the same time. The kick is a dolphin kick similar to the flutter, but both feet kick up and down together at the same time. - **Catch:** the point at which the hand starts to exert pressure on the water. - **Dolphin kick:** an undulating motion of the legs used in butterfly when both legs kick together. - **Drag:** resistance in the water. - **Entry:** the point where a part of your body first breaks the surface of the water. - **Float:** to be suspended in water. - **Flutter kick:** both legs moving up and down alternately. - **Freestyle:** one of the events in swimming competition where the swimmer can use any competing stroke. - **Freestyle relay:** a swimming race where each team composed of four swimmers swims a leg, or section, using any strokes in a prescribed distance. - **Glide:** a period in which the body is moving in an extended position as a result of prior propulsion through the water. The resting phase of the breast, elementary back, and side strokes. The body is floating and gliding through the water as a result of the last kick or pull of the arms. - **Gutter:** the edge of the pool at water level. - **Heat:** a race within the event. When there are more competitors than lanes in the pool, the swimmers are divided into groups or heats. - **Kick:** to propel the body through the water with the legs. Types of kicks are Dolphin, flutter, scissors, and whip. - **Kickboard:** a floating device usually held in the hands when practicing leg actions. - **Lane ropes:** a rope or wire, often plastic disc on it that runs the length of the pool and is used to stop swimmers to swim another path. - **Lane marker:** a dark contrasting color, placed on the floor in the center of each lane. - **Leg:** one complete section of a relay race. - **Medley, individual:** an event where competitors perform the following strokes over a set distance: backstroke, breast stroke and freestyle/crawl stroke. - **Medley, relay** an event where teams compete against each other. Each team member swims different stroke in the following order: Back, Breast stroke, Butterfly and Freestyle/crawl stroke. - **Natatorium:** a building where swimming and other sports activities take place. - **PFD:** (Personal Flotation Device) a devise designed to support a person in the water such as vest and life jacket. - **Pike:** a body position with the knees straight, the hips bent, and the back rounded. The arms may be touching the legs or extended out to the side. - **Prone:** a swimming position where the swimmer lies on his or her front. - **Prone float:** to float facing down with the arms and legs extended. - **Propulsion:** movement through the water as a result of leg or arm action. - **Pull:** an action of the arms imparting force on the water toward the body to propel a person through the water. - **Push:** an action of the arm or legs that propels a person through the water by imparting force on the water away from the body. - **Recovery phase:** part of a stroke in which the arms or legs have thrust the body through the water and are now returning to the position for another thrust. - **Scissors kick:** a bending of the knees and extension of the legs forward and backward in relation to the body, then a hard squeeze to a stretch position; a kick used in side stroke. - **SCUBA:** Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus, usually an air tank strapped to the back and connected to the mouth by a flexible tube and mouthpiece. - **Supine:** a swimming position where the swimmer lies on his or her back. - **Supine float:** to float up. Position of arms and legs: and the degree of horizontal or vertical positioning is determined by the density of the floaters body. - **Synchronized swimming:** a form of swimming in which competitors perform various strokes and water gymnastic figures to music. - **Touch turn:** a racing turn used when swimming breast stroke and butterfly. - **Transition:** the period of time that you are under the water during a start or run. - **Tuck:** a body position with the knees bent, the hips bent, and the chest on the knees. The hands hold the shinbones. The head is tilted forward or backward. - **Tuck float:** to float with the hips and knees flexed and with the hands holding the shins, with the head down in the water and the rounded back bobbing above the surface. - **Tumble turn:** a racing turn used in front crawl. - **Whip:** a recovery or power to kick in which knees are bent as the ankles are flexed, and the toes are rotated outward on the recovery, then the feet and legs press out and down into extension on the pore phase.