Competitive swimming has long been a great sport for health and recreation in many parts of the world. There are many types of competitive swimming, which ranges from clubs, domestic, national and international championships including the Olympic Games. The next logical step for swimmers is competitive swimming, where they use their training and experience to swim in organized competitions. Competitive swimming consists of four strokes:
Butterfly: One of the Olympic strokes and it is the hardest stroke to master. You stroke by swinging both arms through the air and then pull down through the water. At the same time they Dolphin kick their feet together as they move up, breaststroke kick is also common.
Backstroke: Means swimming on their backs at all times. Normally in competitions, their lanes are indicated by flags which warn them about the end nearing. They begin their swim by taking support for a wall to a rail and then launch by pushing against the wall.
Breaststroke: Keeping arms and legs under water, both arms move in a circular direction pushing down through the water. The swimmer kicks his feet to propel ahead.
Freestyle: There is short distance freestyle and long/medium distance freestyle. This allows swimmers a chance to demonstrate their speed with a kind or a mix of strokes they prefer. This style is the fastest way to swim and has no restrictions.
Finally, there is a Medley four-stroke race in which swimmers must use all four different strokes in each quarter of the race. Many communities help sponsor these swimming tournaments for each league, including children, teenagers with swimming teams. They are particularly popular in the United States and also in Australia. They may be affiliated with a State Association and then also affiliated with the Swimming board of the country.
There are great benefits for competitive swimming, aside from the fact that people find swimming as a sport that can be enjoyed throughout a lifetime. It works for all ages and keeps one healthy. It does not allow any undue stress of any part of the body. It makes breathing more comfortable with people who have lung conditions, such as asthma. Finally, swimming utilizes all major muscles of the body maintaining an excellent workout for regular swimmers.