Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2011 with funding from The Library of Congress http://www.archive.org/details/swimmingbeyourowOOdier EDW. D. DIEROLF SWIMMING BE YOUR OWN INSTRUCTOR BY EDW. D. DIEROLF INSTRUCTOR OF SWIMMING MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN f|? H. C. MILLER COMPANY, Publishers Milwaukee, Wisconsin lis Copyrighted 1915 by Edw. D. Dierolf )CI,A411041 AUG 13 1915 INDEX Pages Arm Positions on Land - - - 8-11 Arm Movements in Water - - - - - - 13-15 Arm Stroke, Complete - - - - - - 16, 17 Arm and Leg Movements Combined - - - - 20, 21 Breathing ------- ._ 7 Confidence --------- 6 Important Remarks - - ----- 12 Leg Positions on Land ------ $-H Leg Movements, Complete ----- - 18, 19 Combined Leg and Arm Movements - - - - 20, 21 INTRODUCTION. CONFIDENCE T HAVE endeavored to write this book to show the public how easy it is to learn the art of swimming, that is, after you have gained your confidence in the water. But confidence you must acquire if you ever hope to become a swimmer. Using this book as an instructor, every father and mother should be able to teach their children how to swim. I say every father and mother, because I believe it to be the. duty of all par- ents to teach their children, as we ( ll as themselves, not to be afraid of the water. If you trace the different cases of drowning to their founda- tion you will find that in all cases, except those caused by heart failure and in reality this is no case of drowning, you will find that it was due to fear and incorrect breathing. Let me repeat: to become a good swimmer you must gain confidence in the water. This should be taught from babyhood. The mother has a wonderful opportunity to teach this if she would only broaden her view in regard to the babe's bath. Every mother while giving the baby its bath has had the little experience of the child -"getting water up the nose." Right here lies the starting point for them to gain that wonderful confidence, which in later years will prove that the child is as safe in the water as it is on land. Usually the moth- er becomes frightened and does not know what to do. She takes the babe out of the bath, pats it on the back and some- times even tries to shake the little body, hoping that by so doing the water will come out of the nostrils. Don't do this because you are giving the child the wrong start in life. In fact you are teaching it to fear the water. The right thing to do is to show it how to blow the water out of the nose as soon as the head rises above the water. This can easily be done by taking a breath through the mouth and forcing it out of the nostrils. Always have the child clear the nose before attempting to take another breath. Another very wise act to fulfill is to have the child put its face below water every morn- ing. By repeating this it will become accustomed to that sensa- tion and will unconsciously clear its nose, as described above. It is that terrible sensation which naturally forces the child to become timid and lose its confidence. If it knew how to breathe correctly and to clear the nose, in a short time, it will learn to like the water. BREATHING SUPPOSING you have not been taught how to gain coufidence, when you were a child. Then you must remember, "You are never too old to learn." Don't go to the water and give another person a ducking. Usually the new beginner will come up with the nose filled with water. Not knowing how to clear the nose and to take a correct breath, they will naturally inhale through the nose. This will choke the person, and in their struggle, gasping for air, will swallow the water, which, when entering the lungs, will force them to go under. After the lungs are filled with water the body will never rise to the surface again. It is the air in the lungs which makes the body rise. If you have never had the experience of getting water in the nose, try to have someone "duck" you, then you will find out what a terrible sensation it is. Ducking is the worst act one can perform on another per- son, providing that party does not know "correct breathing." It will force them to lose their confidence, for they have experi- enced the first step of drowning. The way to learn correct breathing is to wade out into the water until it reaches the chest. Then take a short breath through the mouth, hold it and then duck your head below the water. Come up, and clear your nose before you ever attempt to take another breath. To clear the nose give the head a snappy turn from side to side, and at the same time force the breath through the nostrils. Now you are ready to inhale through the mouth again. Hold the breath, and repeat as described above. If you have mastered breathing you will never lose your coufidence in water, not even if you should be caught by some unexpected wave. Your lesson on breathing will come to you, as quick as a flash, and unconsciously you will clear your nose before taking the next breath through the mouth. As you will note, the process of breathing in swimming is just the opposite of what you have been taught in walking or any other physical exercise. While in swimming, you inhale and exhale only^ through the mouth. This is done with every stroke as described in under "Important Remarks." POSITIONS ON LAND The following movements should be practised at home until you know them as well as your A-B-C's. Take your first position as shown in Fig. 1. FIGURE 1 Bring your heels together, feet forming a V shape. Extend your arms full length in front of you with hands and fingers to- gether, palms turned downward. POSITIONS ON LAND After taking position No. 1 you are ready for the first stroke with your hands, as shown below. FIGURE 2 COUNT 1 Spread your arms to the side as if drawing a semi-circle. There is no movement of the legs on Count 1. POSITIONS ON LAND FIGURE 3 COUNT 2 Bring your hands together in front of you. Elbows touch- ing the sides of your body. Legs should be slightly drawn under the body with knees apart. 10 POSITIONS ON LAND FIGURE 4 COUNT 3 Eeach forward with hands together and palms turned downward. Spread your legs to the side and bring them together with force. IMPORTANT REMARKS |~^\0 not go into the water until you have fully mastered these strokes on land. First take the arm movement as shown in the foregoing figures. Practice these thoroughly. Then take the leg movement and do likewise. I would advise you to take these exercises separately. Take position I, then try the arm and then the leg movements. If you care to take a stool or bench, lie down on it and practice them together. Supposing you have now learned the movements perfectly. The next thing to do is to practice breathing with your arm strokes. As I have said before, you must take a breath with each stroke. This is done by inhaling when you spread your arms to the side, as shown in Fig. II, and exhaling when you reach forward, as in Fig. IV. Don't breath through the nose. Inhale and exhale through the mouth in accordance with your stroke. That is, if your stroke is short, you inhale and exhale faster; if your stroke is long and slow your breathing is slow. Should you not heed these instructions, your breathing and stroke will be irregular and will force you to become fatigued. With a long even stroke and correct breathing you will soon develope into a long-distance swimmer. Go into the water, place a pair of "water wings" I>elow your chest, lie down, taking position I. Relax all your muscles and try to lie perfectly quiet. Now you are ready to take your first arm movement in the water. WARNING Be careful, that while practicing the stroke with water- wings, to stay in shallow water. Always strive while practicing, to acquire a strong, easy, graceful stroke. After you feel confident that you can make several strokes without the water-wings, put them aside, and start out swimming just as easily and gracefully as before, always remembering to stay in shallow water. When you find that you are able to swim about ten easy strokes, try a time test. You will notice that a numb feeling comes over you after swimming about five minutes. However do not leave this discourage you. Keep right on until you are re- lieved of that feeling. After that you will be able to swim for sometime. ARM MOVEMENTS IN WATER FIRST POSITION FOR THE "BREAST TO WATER STROKE" FIGURE 5 Bring your heels together, feet forming a V shape. Extend your arms full length in front of you with hands and fingers to- gether, palms turned downward. Note:— After taking position 5 you are ready for the first stroke with your arms. ARM MOVEMENTS IN WATER FIGURE 6 COUNT 1 Spread your arms to the sides, as if drawing a semicircle. Shown above. Notice: — In the arm movement, although you count one, two and three, there should not be any stop to break the move- ment. It should be one regular, easy movement. While counting use the expressions written under the move- ments in "Full Arm Stroke," (Pages 20 and 21.) ARM MOVEMENTS IN WATER s v Vater - ■ Lint- FIGURE 7 COUNT 2 Press your hands down about six inches in the water, bend your elbows and draw your hands together below your chin. Elbows touching the sides of your body. This movement raises the head and allows you to take another breath. FIGURE 8 COUNT 3 Extend your arms straight in front of you as though reach- ing, with hands together and palms turned downward. ARM MOVEMENTS IN WATER COMPLETE ARM STROKE FIGURE 5 Bring your heels together, feet forming a V shape. Extend your arms full length in front of you with hands and ringers together, palms turned downward. FIGURE 6 First Count— Spread your arms to the side. ARM MOVEMENTS IN WATER COMPLETE ARM STROKE FIGURE 7 Second Count — Press your hands down in the water and draw them together below your chin. FIGURE 8 Third Count — Extend your arms straight in front of you with hands together. LEG MOVEMENTS The leg movements consist of but two counts. Take position as shown in Figure 5. FIGURE 5 Notice: — The leg movement commences with Count 2. On Count 1 the legs remain in the position as shown above. Count 2 and 3 should be one even, continuous stroke. LEG MOVEMENTS O FIGURE 9 COUNT 2 Slightly draw your knees under your body. Your heels should be together and your knees apart. FIGURE 10 COUNT 3 Spread your legs out to the sides as far as you can without causing a strain, and draw them together with force. Note: — Bringing legs together with force is what sends you forward. COMPLETE SWIMMING STROKE ARM AND LEG MOVEMENTS COMBINED FIGURE 5 Bring your heels together, feet forming a V shape. Extend your arms full length in front of you with hands and fingers to- gether, palms turned downward. FIGURE 6 COUNT 1 Spread your arms out to the sides as though drawing a semicircle. COMPLETE SWIMMING STROKE ARM AND LEG MOVEMENTS COMBINED Water Line FIGURE 11 COUNT 2 Press your hands down in the water about six inches and draw them together below your chin, elbows touching the sides- of your body. Then slightly draw your knees under your body. Line FIGURE 12 COUNT 3 Reach forward; spread your legs out to the sides and draw them together with force. Do not stop on the sides while spreading legs apart. AUG 11 1915