Regardless of your swimming ability, you should be familiar with the pool rules. These regulations apply to both public and private swimming pools around the world.
Before the referee blows the beginning whistle, swimmers must "take their marks" and take up stationary positions at the starting blocks or the edge of the pool.
Backstroke
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The only stroke in which swimmers can begin from the blocks (or, in the case of a flip turn, off the wall) is backstroke. The swimmers must face the blocks and maintain a firm grasp on either the gutter or beginning grips. At the signal, the swimmers dive into the water.
The hand emerges from the water (thumb first) and pulls down and back, forming an S shape, before pushing outward throughout the stroke cycle. The swimmer's shoulder moves forward as the hand leaves, causing the little finger to extend outward and the elbow to bend to reach the chin.
Swimmers are allowed one butterfly kick after each turn, but each stroke-leg stroke combination is limited to one arm going past the hip line. For every leg kick-stroke combination, the head must also break the surface in some way. Those who do not adhere to these guidelines risk being eliminated.
Breaststroke
In competitive swimming, the breaststroke is performed across distances of 25, 50, and 100 yards. Swimmers begin by grabbing a bar with both hands underneath the starting platform before diving backward and throwing themselves off the wall. To avoid disqualification, swimmers must finish the race on their backs.
On either side of the pool, judges of stroke are posted to watch the participants as they swim and to evaluate the turns and finishes. They will notify the referee if they see someone breaking the rules.
Swimmers frequently make the error of recovering by pulling their arms straight out of the water. The stroke is made to be swum with the elbows lower than the hands, since doing otherwise wastes a lot of energy. The dolphin kick, an up-and-down motion with the legs, is another way to swim the recovery. The quickest and most effective method for recovering from swimming is this.
Butterfly
One of the most difficult and rewarding swimming strokes is the butterfly. To produce the undulating arm movements that resemble dolphin kicks, a lot of strength and force are needed in the shoulders and back. Although it is one of the fastest strokes, to make the most of it, you need to have superb technique.
The technique was created in the 1950s as swimmers experimented with techniques to swim the breaststroke more quickly. The dolphin kick and the double over-the-water arm recovery were the two main advances. In the appropriate hands, this motion uses more energy than other strokes but yields quick results.
Freestyle
Swimmers use their arms and legs to move through the water while performing freestyle. Alternating kicks and strokes is an option. The guidelines are more detailed for the backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. The head of the swimmer must continually break the surface of the water, and all arm movements up and down must be coordinated.
In a freestyle, breaststroke, or individual medley race, competitors dive into the water from a raised starting platform. When the starter says, "Take your mark," each swimmer stands in the starting position with their hands on the front edge of the starting block, knees arched.
Authorised authorities monitor the swimmers during the competition to make sure they are adhering to the guidelines for the race-specific swimming technique. Additionally, they observe the swimmers' flips, turns, and finishes. They notify the referee of any violations, and if they see one, the referee disqualifies the swimmer.
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