OVERVIEW OF THE LESSON give them enjoyment.

Recreational activities provides

source of joy and relaxation to one’s mind and body.
Swimming is as old as Humanity, the ancient cave
paintings testify that our forefathers also tried a Aside from giving you the enjoyment that you would
variety of floating and swimming styles. It is want, recreational activities also gives you an
interesting to look back to the past, and keep track of opportunity for you to be able to spend time with
how the ancient bath life developed from the sacred yourself. Having the time to spend with yourself can
immersion in water, how the medieval legend of sea make you meet your inner self. It will give you an
monsters made swimming fearful and how the current opportunity to know more about yourself deeper.
versions of competitive water sports appeared in the Other recreational activities can give you time to be
19th century. Man always found out new and new with your family. You will bond through the activities
swimming styles and has been improving his and give yourselves plenty of opportunity to talk
technique up to the present day. The present book about personal thoughts and updates about each and
presents the origins and the latest history of everyone’s life. After all, you are a family. You must
swimming, the stages of its development into a be able to know things about them and of course be
competitive sport and highlights its outstanding close. It can also help you develop your leadership
figures. We will analyze the different styles and the skills as well as interpersonal skills. As certain
related technique of the starts and turns as well as recreational activities need a lot of members,
the rules. We will present the specificities of this someone should be able to lead and guide through
sport, its biomechanics and its impacts on the human the course of game. And since there are a lot a
body. We recommend this manual to the members, each should be able to communicate with
representatives of certain athletic professions each other. Each should be able to share their
(physical education teachers, sports activity thoughts on their strategies for the activities thus
organizers, professionals of recreation) and to future resulting to developing your interpersonal skill.
sports professionals so that they learn about
swimming and about the basics of swimming Ancient Origins
education. To do this, the authors intend to help with
Babylonians bas-reliefs and Assyrian wall drawings
the present book.
point to very early swimming skills among humans.
Swimming Activities The most ancient and famous of drawings depicting
men swimming are to be found in the Kebir Dessert.
“Water workouts can be an excellent form of exercise They are estimated to be about 6,000 years old. The
for those who are overweight, suffering from lower Nagoda bas-relief also has paintings of swimmers that
back pain, arthritis and/or injuries to the lower date back some 5,000 years.
extremities. Water places an upward force on a
person. This principle known as “buoyancy” means  

that you can be unweighted by as much as 90

Ancient Sculptures Depicted Swimmers
percent when in the water up to neck level. This
lower impact on joints is ideal for those who have
Many of the ancient drawings and paintings come
pain when doing most land-based exercises.
from what is now Italy. The oldest date back 2,600
years, belonging to the Etruscans and Tarquinia, an
Recreational, from the term recreation, is an activity
ancient tomb in Greece depicts Swimming and Diving
done for enjoyment when one is not working. It refers
scenes dates back 2,500 years.
to the time spent in an activity one loves to engage
in, with intent to feel refreshed.
Written statement to early swimming falls within the
past 3,000 years. The Bible, The Iliad, The Odyssey
Recreational activities help you to take a break from
all contains references to swimming. Thucydides
monotony and diversion from the daily routine. It
noted that activity in scripts that 2,400 years old.
gives people benefit of a positive change from the
stereotypical lifestyle and involves an active
Many of the worlds ancient civilizations swam,
participation in entertaining activities that one is
including the Egyptians, the Phoenicians, Persians,
interested in. When one does engage in recreating
Romans and Greeks. Plato once declared that anyone 
activities that he or she likes, it would be naturally
who could not swim locked a proper education, and An action consists of repeating a specific body motion
Julius Caesar was known for his Swimming prowess. or stroke involving all major body parts for swimmers
to move on the surface of water.
Our country known as the Philippine Archipelago is
known for having so many Bathing Beaches, Lakes, Swimming became organized as an amateur sport in
and rivers that most Children had learned to swim the late 19th century in several countries.  The English
and Paddle a Banca at an early age. But on the other are considered the first modern society to develop
hand, there is surprisingly large number of students swimming as a sport. By 1837, when modern
who do not know how to swim. competitive swimming began in London, several
indoor pools, and swimming pools already existed. Its
In the late 1920’s and early 1930’s swimming was popularity increased with the development and
first included in college physical education. The improvement of the swimming pool, and swimming
university of the Philippines and the Philippines was part of the first modern Olympic Games (1896).
Women’s University were the first schools to have
swimming pool and make swimming as part of the  
curriculum. These schools help competitive swimming
meets and competition gradually increased on 1934 Although people have swum since ancient times,
women have participated in ever national swimming strokes have been greatly refined in the
Championship. Since that time, Filipino women have past 100 years.
made a very incredible showing in ASIAN swimming
The earliest form of swimming stroke is the “Human
competitions popular not only in competition bu. To
Crawl” or human stroke or known as the dog paddle.
date swimming becomes popular not only in
From this stroke evolve other strokes namely:
competition but as well as part of Physical Fitness and
Therapy.
1.      Side Stroke
Knowledge in swimming and water safety is very
2.      Side Over-Arm
important in the Philippines because off the scattered
position of many islands and the need to travel from 3.      Trudgen
one to
As Swimming competition increased, the swimming
island to another. Boating and other excursion also stroke becomes more developed and that greater
takes place on the water so swimming and safety in distance could be covered in a shorter time.
water are essential for survival. Many heart breaking
accidents could have been prevented if the people Classification of Swimming Strokes:
involved had known the fundamental skills of
swimming and self-preservation. Due to man’s 1.      Competitive Strokes
handicaps in water, progress in swimming has been
2.      Survival/Resting Strokes
slow.
 
CHAPTER 1
Currently the strokes for Competitive Swimming are
 
the American or Australian Crawl known as:
 Swimming is a form of exercise that burns a lot of
1.      Elementary Backstroke
calories, that increases cardiovascular fitness levels,
improves muscular endurance and strength, does not
2.      Side Stroke
impact the joints due to the water supporting the
weight, refreshes and cools swimmers in hot weather, 3.      Trudgen Stroke
and which can be done safely even in old age.

Swimming Defined: