The Complete Idiot's Guide to Swimming: Jump Right in with This Illustrated, Stroke-By-Stroke Guide

Cover Page Title Page Copyright Page Dedication Page Contents Part One: Get with the Wet Set Chapter One: Learn to Swim at Any Age What the Experts Say The Effects of Exercise on the Brain The Social Aspect Goal-Setting Conquering Your Fears Finding Lessons What to Look for in an Instructor Joining a Team What to Ask Your New Coach Working with Your Instructor Chapter Two: All the Essentials Except Water The Basics of Swimwear Types of Material Swimsuit Styling Getting the Most from Your Suit Goggles 101 Choosing Your Eyewear Goggle Accessories Latex or Silicone Cap, or No Cap at All? Additional Gear Nose Plugs Fins, Monofins, and Zoomers Kickboards Pull Buoys Snorkels Hand Paddles Additional Exercise Equipment Aquatic Fitness Gloves Hydro Dumbbells Hand Weights Jogging Belt Chapter Three: At Home in the Pool A Brief History of Pools A Guided Tour of the Pool Other Pool Types Endless Pools Natural Pools What Goes into the Pool Chlorine Bromine Pool Components Flags Lane Lines Bottom Line Blocks and Backstroke Grips Pace Clock What a Drag: Moving Through Water Form Drag Frictional Drag Basic Water Safety Basic Public Pool Etiquette Public Swimming Pool Fees Part Two: Taking the Plunge: The Basic Strokes Chapter Four: Freestyle What Is Freestyle? Basic Techniques Body Position Thinking “Long” Complete Each Cycle Just Keep Kicking Streamline, Streamline, Streamline Kicking Is Always Your Friend The Freestyle Pull Freestyle for Beginners in Six Easy Steps The Traditional Freestyle Lift and Shift Recovery Straight-Arm Recovery Shoulder-Driven Freestyle Body-Driven Freestyle Common Mistakes in Freestyle Swimming Chapter Five: Backstroke The Reverse of Freestyle Backstroke Terminology Turnove Position in the Water Flat Backstroke Pulling Double-Arm Dril One Arm at a Time Backstroke Kicking Backstroke for Beginners in Six Easy Steps Common Mistakes in Backstroke Swimming Over-Reaching Getting Water Up Your Nose Letting the Hips Sink Not Adjusting for Distance Tips for Swimming the Backstroke Outdoors Chapter Six: Breaststroke What Is Breaststroke? Terminology Explained Pull-Out “Snapping” Your Kick “Rounding the Corners” The Breaststroke Kick The Breaststroke Pull The Glide Pull and Kick Timing Breaststroke for Beginners in Six Easy Steps Body Alignment in the Breaststroke Common Mistakes in Breaststroke Swimming The Kick Incorrect Timing Lifting the Head Pulling Back Too Far Chapter Seven: Butterfly What Is Butterfly? Two Ways to Swim Fly Terminology Explained Getting “Up” on Your Elbows Staying “Low” on the Surface The Butterfly Pull Pulling Pattern The Recovery Timing Your Breathing The Butterfly Kick Butterfly for Beginners in Six Easy Steps Common Mistakes in Butterfly Swimming Pushing Down on the Water Instead of Back Incorrect Timing on Breathing Lifting the Head Too High Part Three: Starts and Turns Chapter Eight: On Your Mark, Get Set, Start! Block Starts: Not Just for Competitors Push Start from the Water Starting from the Deck Entering the Water Flat Start from the Blocks Track Start from the Blocks Which Start Is Right for You? Backstroke Starts Broken Down Common Start Mistakes Belly Flops Starting Too Deeply Rules About Relay Starts Dry-Land Exercises for Explosive Starts Squat-Jump Broad Jump One-Leg Squats Chapter Nine: One Good Turn (Deserves a Few More) Swim Like a Fish; Kick Like a Dolphin Why Dolphin Kicking Is So Important Dolphin Kicking Broken Down Types of Turns Open Turn Flip Turn Backstroke Turn Open Turns Broken Down by Stroke Butterfly Turn Flip Turns in Four Easy Steps Turning Over in the Backstroke IM Transitions Butterfly to Backstroke Backstroke to Breaststroke. Dry-Land Exercises for Better Turns Leg Raises Crunches Elbow Push-Ups Exercise Ball Part Four: Train Smart Chapter Ten: Stretching for Swimmers Seven Ways to Stretch Active, Isolated Stretching Ballistic Stretching Dynamic Stretching Isometric Stretching Passive Stretching PNF Stretching Static Stretching Essential Stretching Rules Upper-Body Stretches Streamline Triceps Back Chest Forearms Neck Core Stretches Lower Back Abdominals Obliques Lower-Body Stretches Quadriceps Hamstrings Lower Back Calves Hips Groin Ankles More Stretching Tips Warm Up Before Stretching Breathe Dress Appropriately Don’t Overstretch Age and Fitness Chapter Eleven: Basic Principles of Conditioning Heart Rate Taking Your Heart Rate Maximum Heart Rate Not All Exercise Is Created Equal Aerobic Fitness Anaerobic Fitness Lactate Threshold Training Strength Training Muscular Endurance and Conditioning Establishing Your Training Intensity Sleep Nutrition Work Family Obligations Experience Level Finding the Right Intensity for You Don’t Overdo It! Chapter Twelve: Beginning Your Training Program Training on Your Own Create Your Own Program Your First Two Weeks Day 1 Day 2 Day 3 Day 4 Day 5 Day 6 Day 7 Day 8 Day 9 Day 10 Day 11 Day 12 Day 13 Day 14 Intermediate Sets Advanced Sets How to Avoid Training Burnout Taper Your Training Take Time Off Keep It Fun Chapter Thirteen: Supplemental Drills Drill Sets Explained Freestyle Drills Backstroke Drills Breaststroke Drills Butterfly Drills Challenging Underwater Drills Chapter Fourteen: Advanced Tools for Training Sets and Strength with Fins Workout No. 1 Workout No. 2 Workout No. 3 Sets and Strength with Paddles Workout No. 1 Workout No. 2 Workout No. 3 Getting Technical Waterproof MP3 Player Tempo Trainer Underwater Video Hooking Up Using Chutes, Cords, and Tethers Parachutes Stretch Cords Tethers More Optional Equipment (the Dry Kind) Medicine Ball Physio Ball BOSU Ball Chapter Fifteen: Strength Training for Swimmers Will I Get Bulky? How Strength Training Differs for Swimmers Functional Strength Swim Before or After Lifting? Weight-Free Exercise on Dry Land Upper Body Lower Body In the Gym Upper Body Lower Body Super Setting Single-Group Super Setting Multiple-Muscle Super Setting The Right Number of Sets Part Five: What Else to Know Chapter Sixteen: Aches, Pains, and the Ravages of Chlorine Understanding Injuries Related to Swimming Shoulder and Neck Pain Lower-Body Pain Training When Injured Preventing Injury Treating Common Swimmer Ailments Cramps Swimmer’s Ear Dry Skin Chlorine “Burn” Chlorine-Damaged Hair Chapter Seventeen: Fueling Your Vessel Understanding Performance Nutrition Carbohydrates Protein Fats Hydration Day-to-Day Nutritional Basics Fueling Your Efforts Eating Before Your Workout or Race Eating After Your Workout or Race Dispelling Food Myths Nuts Are Fattening Alcohol Is Bad Too Much Protein Is Bad Liquid “Celebrity Diets” Are Successful Brown Sugar Is Better Than White Sugar Brown Eggs Are Better Than White Eggs All Brown Products Are Made with Grain How Lasting Weight Loss Is Achieved Chapter Eighteen: Getting Started with a Masters Group Masters Swimming in Brief Finding the Right Masters Group for You Some Basic How-Tos How to Read a Workout How to Read a Pace Clock First Day of Practice What to Bring to Practice Focusing on the Workouts Getting Your Coach to Coach You Branching Out into Competition USA Swimming Meets Masters Meets Finding the Right Competition for You Competition Basics General Meet Format Reading a Heat Sheet What to Bring to Meets Suits and Equipment Nutritional and Hydration Needs Appendixes Appendix A: Glossary Appendix B: Online Resources Appendix C: Contributor Bios Index Whether your goal is to take advantage of the low-impact workout swimming provides, reintroduce yourself to strokes and techniques you've forgotten, or teach your children (or yourself) to swim, this guide gives you everything you need to know to make your way through the water