Histor'y 3 best swimmers

1. Michael Phelps: Now 24, Phelps has won 14 Olympic gold medals. That's more than any swimmer in history, and Phelps plans to swim again at the 2012 Olympic Games. He's also broken more than 30 world records, many of

 which were his own marks. Phelps is the best in the world in the freestyle and butterfly races, but he's also at the top of the heap in the medley and backstroke, a rare combination in today's era of specialization. Some say the new swimsuits might have helped him at the 2008 Olympic Games in China, but most other swimmers had similar suits. Just what made Phelps better than them? Well, training and a 6-foot-4 frame with huge feet hasn't hurt. Some call him a freak of nature, but the Baltimore native also spent hundreds upon hundreds of hours in the water. Certainly, that helped.

2. Mark Spitz: Now 59, Spitz turned the world on its ear when he won seven gold medals at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, Germany. It was the most medals won by a single athlete at a single Olympic Games. That is, it was the most until Phelps won eight golds at the 2008 Olympic Games in China. Spitz went on to win 11 Olympic medals, including nine golds. He excelled most in the freestyle and butterfly races. The Californian is also one of few members of the Jewish faith to do so well in Olympic competition.

3. Matt Biondi: The Californian won 11 Olympic medals during his days in the pool. Among his collection were five golds won at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea. Biondi also competed in the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics and the 1992 Olmpics in Barcelona, Spain. Biondi's specialties were the freestyle and butterfly.

Swimming Modalities

There are many modalities of swimming competitions, distinguished mainly by the [swimming stroke]s that are allowed, including the following:

Butterfly or fly: the course must be completed entirely in the [butterfly stroke|butterfly] style, in which the swimmer brings his or her arms near full extension and releases at the waist. As the swimmer's arms begin to take a pull, the head brought up to take a breath. As the swimmer releases the water past his or her hips, he or she brings his or her arms up and out into the recovery while the head goes back down. "Dolphin kicking" (undulating) with both feet together in sequence with two kicks per arm stroke. Usually there is a kick while the hands are at full extension and then one at the recovery when the hands are at their hips. All end walls must be touched with two hands, and the swimmer will be disqualified if his/her arms do not clear the water at the same time. Typical distances include 50, 100, 200 meters or yards. Novice swimmers may compete in 25 meter or yard butterfly races.

Backstroke or back: competitors must swim in the [backstroke] style, which is similar to the [front crawl], except on the back. Kicking is done by alternating both feet continuously. The arms pull one at a time in a windmill motion on the side of the body. At the end walls, [flip turn]s are permitted (the swimmer is to turn onto his/her front before performing the freestyle [flip turn]), and a two-hand touch is not necessary. Typical distances include 50, 100,or 200 meters/yards, depending on the pool. Novice swimmers may compete in 25 meter or yard backstroke races.

Breaststroke or breast: competitors must swim in the [breaststroke] style, where the swimmer kicks legs out (much like a frog, but more whip like and with the knees staying closely together). The hands meanwhile scoop the water in towards the chest and are then thrust forward in front of the body just before the kick is repeated. The breath is started as the hands pull the water from full extension, the head bobs up, and then put back down as the arms thrust forward. One underwater "pull-out" is permitted for the start and after every end wall, with, in order: streamline glide, one fully extended pull (while doing a dolphin kick), one breaststroke kick while bringing the hands back forward. This pullout is done under water without a breath. Both hands must touch the wall simultaneously at every turn like in the butterfly modality. After the 2004 Olympics in Athens, Greece, there was an adjustment made to the underwater "pull-out", allowing a single downward dolphin kick to be performed simultaneously with the arm pull. Typical distances include 50, 100, or 200 meters or yards. Novice swimmers may compete in 25 meter or yard breaststroke races.

Freestyle or free: competitors must swim the freestyle stroke. The front crawl is where the swimmer breathes to the side with typically one ear staying in the water, kicks by alternating both legs, and pulls with each arm moving in an alternating fashion. Flip/tumble turns are legal and are used nearly universally. Typical distances are 50, 100, 200, 400, 500, 800, or 1500 meters, as well as 50, 100, 200, 500, 1000, or 1650 yards. Novice swimmers may compete in 25 meter or yard freestyle races. Freestyle may also be swam as a relay with four swimmers, in 4x50, 4x100, or 4x200 formats.

Individual medley or I.M.: each swimmer must complete one quarter of the full distance in each of the three competition styles (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke) and one part in free style. Open turnsbucket turns can be made during a backstroke and freestyle flip turn where the next stroke is the same as the previous one. Suicide turns are also allowable during the transition from backstroke to breaststroke. Each part must be completed in its style before moving on to the next style. The full distance is typically 100, 200, or 400 meters or yards. There is also a medley relay in which four swimmers each swim one of the four strokes. The relay is swam in 4x50 or 4x100 formats, and in the following order: backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle. are required in the switch from one style to another, but flip turns or
Dolphin Dive, is not included in official meets but it is indeed included in many workouts. To swim this delicate stroke you must first dive down to the bottom of the pool and quickly propel yourself upward to the surface where you will perform a butterfly stroke.

At the end walls, the following turns may be permitted, depending on the modality and swimming style:

• Open turn
• Flip turn or tumble turn
• Backwards flip turn or bucket turn

competitive Swimming

ompetitive swimming in Europe started around 1800, mostly using the breaststroke. In 1873 John Arthr Trudgen introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native Americans. Due to a British disregard for splashing, Trudgen employed a scissor kick instead of the front crawl's flutter kick. Swimming was part of the first modern Olympic games in 1896 in Athens. In 1902 Richard Cavill introduced the front crawl to the Western world. In 1908, the world swimming association, Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA), was formed. The butterfly stroke was developed in the 1930s and was at first a breaststroke variant, until it was accepted as a separate style in 1952.

A Brief History of Swimming

Basically humans are familiar with the water from inside the womb. In other words, while in the womb human has been able to float in water. So basically all humans can swim. Only, because many children are not introduced to the world of water so they are afraid to play with water.

As the basis of this statement, you can see the history books note those human beings actually been able to swim since prehistoric times. There is plenty of evidence that supports this fact. The earliest evidence we can find out through the paintings of swimmers from the Stone Age have been discovered in the 'cave swimmers' in the area of Wadi Sora, Gilf Kebir, southwest Egypt. In addition, we also can note about this oldest of the Epic of Gilgamesh, Odyssey, Iliad, Beowulf, and Bible. You can read this topic in the book of Ezekiel 47:5, Acts 27:42, the Book of Isaiah 25:11. Nikolaus Wynmann is the first person who write book about swimming in 1538. The title of this book is "Der Schwimmer oder ein über die Zwiegespräch Schwimmkunst" or in English "Dialogue on Art Swimmers."

Swimming race was first held in Europe in 1800 after the construction of swimming pools. Most participants had time to swim with the breaststroke. In 1873, John Arthur Trudgen introduces front crawl style or a style called trudgen in the race pool. Trudgen imitates the techniques of freestyle in the South American Indian tribes. Swimming is one sport in the 1896 Athens Olympics. In 1900, backstroke was included as a new number the Olympic pool. The Federation Internationale de Natation (FINA) was formed in 1908. Butterfly style which at first is one variation of the breaststroke was accepted as a separate style in 1952.

Swimming

Swimming is i complete sport. i will talk  about history

Swimming has been recorded since prehistoric times; the earliest recording of swimming dates back to Stone Age paintings from around 7,000 years ago.^{[citation needed]} Written references date from 2000 BC.^{[citation needed]} Some of the earliest references to swimming include the Gilgamesh, the Iliad, the Odyssey, the Bible, Beowulf, and other sagas. In 1578, Nikolaus Wynmann, a German professor of languages, wrote the first swimming book, The Swimmer or A Dialogue on the Art of Swimming (Der Schwimmer oder ein Zwiegespräch über die Schwimmkunst). Competitive swimming in Europe started around 1800, mostly using breaststroke. In 1873, John Arthur Trudgen introduced the trudgen to Western swimming competitions, after copying the front crawl used by Native Americans. Due to a British dislike of splashing, Trudgen employed a scissor kick instead of the front crawl's flutter kick. Swimming was part of the first modern Olympic games in 1896 in Athens. In 1902 Richard Cavill introduced the front crawl to the Western world. In 1908, the world swimming association, Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA), was formed. Butterfly was developed in the 1930s and was at first a variant of breaststroke, until it was accepted as a separate style in 1952.