As babies we learned to use our hands and arms first. We learned to touch, reach, take, hold, support and co-ordinate the use of our arms before we developed the full use of our legs for standing, crawling, walking, running. Our first and natural instinct is to use our arms rather than our legs
This is an unconscious reaction to an
action or thought through repetition much like the practices required of
swimming skills we learn/teach
In water,
when the body is in a horizontal or vertical position the hands and arms are in
front of or ahead of our legs to reach for support or a hold onto something
safe, solid and secure. In either position as we reach forward the head and
shoulders will be above the heavy legs and body which drop down causing us to sink under the water when we
stop kicking
Timing of
a secure hold by a confident, competent swimmer becomes second nature, natural.
The unconfident, incompetent swimmer will panic and try to grab onto anything
or anyone without thought or consequence other than to find a state of personal
safety
For
reasons of safety, skill and for the development of the proper rhythm of the
leg kicking action the regular consistent practices becomes the second most
important skill to the learned breathing practices. In swimming, kicking and
breathing is more important than using the arms. The arms have a different purpose.
Their purpose co-ordinated with kicking and breathing is used in the different
swimming strokes of crawl (freestyle), breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly.
There are
many skills and diversified water activities which require the swimming leg
skills only ....
Learning/teaching,
practicing lots and lots of kicking and breathing is necessary at each session
as is regular consistent practices to co-ordinate breathing and bubble blowing
out through the mouth, the nose and the mouth and nose at the same time.
Stimulate tired leg muscles to continue kicking until strength and comfort of
the muscles is felt ....
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