TABLE OF CONTENTS
Unit 5 Swimming Rules & Regulations, and
Basic Live-Saving Skill & Swimming
Swimming Rules & Regulations
Set Up --------------------------------------------------------------------------- 2
Competition Officials -------------------------------------------------------- 3
Swim Events ------------------------------------------------------------------- 3
Swim Suit Regulations ------------------------------------------------------- 4
Rules against Paraphernalia ------------------------------------------------ 4
Starts ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 4
False Starts ---------------------------------------------------------------------- 5
Strokes, Turns and Finishes ------------------------------------------------- 5
Individual Medley Events ---------------------------------------------------- 7
Relays------------------------------------------------------------------------------7
Life-Saving Skill and Swimming ----------------------------------------------------7
References ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 14
UNIT 5 -Week (16-18)
Swimming Rules & Regulations, and
Basic Live-Saving Skill & Swimming
Intended Learning Outcomes (ILO)
At the end of the unit, you are expected to:
1. decipher the general rules and regulations on swimming as
competitive sport ;
2. distinguish the rules on each swimming stroke;
3. demonstrate life-saving skill with swimming.
Introduction
As new to swimming sometimes we wonder or ask ourselves “how can a
swimmer be considered as the winner on that event?” or “how do they
facilitate such sport?” Swimming, just like any kind of sports, has a rules and
regulations, and also standards to maintain the fairness while competing.
This unit will focus on the general rules and regulations on swimming as
competitive sport, different rules on every swimming strokes, and some
basic life-saving skills with swimming.
Please proceed immediately to the “Unlocking of Difficulties” part since
the first lesson is also definition of essential terms.
Unlocking of Difficulties
To attend the following intended learning outcomes for the 2nd lesson
of the course, you need to fully understand the following essential
knowledge that will be laid down in the succeeding pages. Please note that
you are not limited to exclusively refer to these resources. Thus, you are
expected to utilize other books, research articles and other resources that
are available in the library in the internet
Key Terms
Set-up - the way in which something, especially an organization or
equipment, is organized, planned, or arranged
Competition Officials- the person who is ultimately responsible for the
smooth running of the whole event, including ensuring that all the
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legislative requirements for the venue are met, that there is adequate
medical cover,.
FINA- FINA or Fédération internationale de natation (English:
International Swimming Federation). the international federation
recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for
administering international competition in water sports
Lifesaving is the act involving rescue, resuscitation and first aid. It
often refers to water safety and aquatic rescue; however, it could
include ice rescue, flood and river rescue, swimming pool rescue and
other emergency medical services.
Lecture Notes
1. Swimming Rules and Regulations
Barrett Barlowe of SportsRec.com outlined the swimming rules and
regulations.
The Set Up
All pools used for Olympic swimming events must measure 50 meters in
length and have eight swimming lanes, each 2.5 meters wide. Olympic size
pools measure: 50 metres long, 25 metres wide, and a minimum of
2 metres deep. The minimum pool depth is 2 meters. Competitors use
elevated starting blocks from which they perform dive starts for the
freestyle, breaststroke and butterfly events. Backstroke competitors start in
the pool and push off when the starting buzzer sounds. Electronic timer pads
placed underwater register a swimmer's touch at the end of a race. Open-
water races can take place in either saltwater or freshwater and in oceans,
lakes or rivers.
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Competition Officials
Olympic swimming relies on a
small army of officials to make
sure that race results are fair
and accurate. One referee
oversees the entire operation.
Olympic regulatory teams
include four stroke judges who
look for irregularities in
acceptable stroke mechanics,
two race-start officials, two
lead turn officials and two dedicated turn inspectors for each end of every
lane who check that each swimmer touches the wall and turns correctly.
Open-water races supplement technical staff with safety and medical
officers.
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Swim Events
Swimmers compete in a total of 34 events, split equally between female and
male competitors. Of all the events, only the 10K takes place outside the pool
in open water. Breaststroke, backstroke and butterfly races require
swimmers to use the assigned strokes. Only freestyle lets you choose your
stroke, which usually is the front crawl, the fastest of the four competitive
strokes. Racers can swim underwater for up to 15 meters after the initial
start dive and after pushing off from the wall after a turn. Any swimmer
whose head fails to break the surface of the water at 15 meters faces
elimination.
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Swim Suit Regulations
In 2010, FINA banned the high-tech, ultra-tight bodysuits that swimmers
wore at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and the 2009 World Swimming
Championships. The impermeable,
polyurethane and neoprene suits
repelled water and buoyed
compressed bodies. Swimmers who
wore the suits won races and shattered
world and Olympic records, which fell
in unprecedented numbers. Officials,
fans and some swimmers concluded
that the suits unduly influenced race
results. Currently, suits must be made
primarily from woven fabric rather than
polyurethane or neoprene. Men's suits
may reach only from the waist to the
knees. Women can wear suits that
extend from the chest to the knees.
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ality/90/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fnewatlas-brightspot.s3.amazonaws.com%2Farchive%2F8819_14020851531.jpg
Rules against Paraphernalia
FINA supplements swimming rules with some prohibitions that might seem
self-evident. Swimmers must finish the race in the same lane in which they
started. Swimmers cannot pull on the lane line to propel themselves, nor can
they walk along the bottom of the pool during the race. Rules forbid any
flotation or propulsion devices, which means that Olympians can't use swim
fins, webbed gloves or hand paddles.
Four strokes, or styles of swimming, are contested at swimming meets:
freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. Swimmers race a variety
of distances, ranging from 25 yards or meters to 1600 yards. Each stroke has
specific rules as to how swimmers may propel themselves through the water.
Starts
At the start of each heat, the referee signals swimmers with a series of short
whistles, at which time the swimmers remove all excess clothing except
swimwear. At the sound of a long whistle, the swimmers take their places on
the starting platform, deck or in the water. Next, the referee stretches his
arm out in a signal to the starter that the swimmers are under the starter’s
control. On the starter’s command, “take your mark,” the swimmers assume
the starting position with one foot in front of the starting platform;
swimmers in the water must have one hand on the wall. At this time, the
swimmers wait for the starting signal.
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False Starts
Any swimmer starting before the signal is disqualified, if the referee observes
and confirms the starter’s observation of the violation. If the starting signal
is given before the swimmer is disqualified, the race continues and the
swimmer who had the false start is disqualified at the end of the race. If a
recall signal is sounded inadvertently, no swimmer is charged with a false
start. If a swimmer responds to the “stand up” command and is charged with
a false start, he may be relieved of the charge. If the starter does not correct
a swimmer for an illegal starting position, the swimmer cannot be
disqualified. A swimmer who notifies the referee before the race of his intent
not to compete will be disqualified as a declared false start.
Strokes, Turns and Finishes
Swimoutlet.com Contributors outline the different rules on various strokes
in swimming
Freestyle
Freestyle, often called the “crawl,” is the most flexible in its rules, and it is
typically the fastest stroke.
The only rules are that the swimmer may not push off the bottom of
the pool or pull on the lane line, and must touch the far wall with some
part of their body. Otherwise, swimmers may use any type of stroke.
Freestyle is swum face-down with alternating arm strokes; side-
breathing; and rapid, alternating up-and-down kicks.
Freestyle races begin with swimmers doing forward-facing dives from
either a starting block or the side of the pool.
In multi-lap races, swimmers can do either an open turn or a flip turn.
When doing a flip turn, the swimmer does not touch the wall with
his/her hand. Instead, the swimmer’s feet touch the wall. At the finish,
freestyle swimmers touch with one hand.
Backstroke
Backstroke is often thought of as “upside-down freestyle.” As in freestyle,
backstroke is swum with alternating arm strokes and rapid, alternating, up-
and-down kicks. Unlike freestyle, the swimmer must be on his/her back,
facing the sky.
When swimmers turn their shoulders more than 90 degrees, they are
disqualified from the race for not remaining on their backs. The only
exception to this rule applies to the flip turn in multi-lap backstroke
races: Swimmers may turn onto their stomachs for one arm pull,
provided their arm movement is continuous.
When their feet leave the wall, swimmers must be on their backs.
Backstroke races start with swimmers already in the water.
Swimmers place their feet against the wall, and hold onto either the
gutter or the grip built into the starting block. At the finish of the race,
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backstroke swimmers must stay on their backs until they touch the
wall, ideally with one hand.
Breaststroke
Breaststroke is often thought of as the “frog stroke,” as the kick is
reminiscent of a frog’s kick. A breaststroke swimmers arms and legs must
move simultaneously, on the same horizontal plane, and identically to each
other.
The arms and legs stay mostly underwater, but a swimmer’s head
must break the surface every stroke.
So-called scissor kicks are not allowed. The arm stroke begins and
ends in streamline position.
The hands scoop water out to the sides, before sweeping in toward
the middle of the body and then shooting forward.
Swimmers are not allowed to pull their hands down past their hips,
and must keep their elbows in the water when their hands are
shooting forward.
On the breaststroke kick, swimmers must point their toes out to the
side as the feet sweep out, around, and back together. For every arm
stroke there must be one, and only one, kick.
Breaststroke races begin with a forward-facing dive from either the
edge of the pool or the starting block. At the beginning of each lap,
swimmers may do one pull-down: one huge pull, in which the hands
sweep down to the thighs, and one giant kick to the surface.
On the first stroke after the pull-down, a swimmer’s head must break
the surface of the water. Today’s swimmers are also allowed to do one
dolphin/butterfly kick in the first part of the pull-down, before the first
breast stroke kick.
At the end of each lap of a breaststroke race, swimmers must touch
with two hands, simultaneously and on the same horizontal plane. In
multi-lap races, swimmers will use open turns, not flip turns.
Butterfly
Butterfly emerged as a new stroke in the 1950s, as swimmers were trying to
find ways to swim breaststroke faster. The two primary innovations were the
double over-the-water arm recovery, and the dolphin kick. Butterfly is swum
with an undulating, dolphin-like movement at the surface of the water.
The arms pull underwater simultaneously, and recover over the water,
also simultaneously. Both hands must come out of the water at the
same time on every stroke.
During each arm pull, swimmers do two dolphin kicks, one when the
hands enter the water, and one when the hands exit the water. A
swimmer’s feet must kick up and down together, ideally with the feet
kept close together. While the vast majority of swimmers lift the head
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and shoulders to breathe, some swimmers breathe to the side, as in
freestyle.
Butterfly races begin with a forward-facing dive, and swimmers must
finish each lap by touching the wall with two hands simultaneously, on
the same horizontal plane.
At the beginning of each lap, swimmers will do underwater dolphin
kicks, but must break the surface of the water with their head at or
before 15 meters. In multi-lap races, swimmers will do open turns, as
opposed to flip turns.
Individual Medley Events
The individual medley, or IM (pronounced “eye-em”), is a race in which
the swimmers swim each stroke for one-fourth the total distance of
the race.
https://swim.by/wp-content/uploads/individual-medley-swimming-2.jpg
During each portion of
the event, swimmers must
swim the strokes legally.
For example, swimmers
must finish the butterfly
and breaststroke laps with
two-hand-touches and
finish the backstroke lap on
their backs. They must also
swim the strokes in this order: butterfly, backstroke, breast stroke,
freestyle. IM events begin with a forward-facing dive.
Relays
In a relay, four swimmers compete as a team. A swimmer may swim
only once in a relay, and must swim one-fourth the total distance of
the race. In a freestyle relay, all swimmers swim freestyle. In a medley
relay, each swimmer swims a different stroke. In a medley relay the
strokes must be swum in this order: backstroke, breaststroke,
butterfly, freestyle.
Freestyle relays begin with a forward-facing dive, while medley relays
begin with a backstroke start. All the other swimmers in a relay can
begin with a “rolling” start, provided they do not leave the blocks
before their teammate touches the wall. (In a rolling start, swimmers
stand at the back of the starting block, and generate momentum by
swinging their arms, and taking a step to the front of the block.)
2. Swimming and Life-Saving Skill
Steve Milano (2017) of sportsrec.com states that basic swimming
techniques and lifesaving procedures can help even untrained
swimmers and rescuers improve water safety.
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Talk, Reach, Throw, Row, Go
Even if you are an experienced swimmer or trained lifeguard, it's
best not to enter the water to perform a rescue except as a last
resort. A common water safety phrase taught to both swimmers
and lifeguards is, "Talk, reach, throw, row, go," to signify the order
to follow in rescue attempts.
Talk to a victim first to help them get to shore, to a pier, a
boat or the side of a pool if they are calm enough.
Reach for them with your hand, a pole or other object if they
are near and there is little or no danger of them pulling you
in.
Throw a life preserver or rope so you can pull them in. If they
are in a lake or the ocean and not close by, look for a rowboat,
canoe, jet ski, rubber raft or other floating device you can use
before you swim out to them. Enter the water and attempt
the rescue yourself if none of the other options is viable.
Dog Paddle
https://content.artofmanliness.com/uploads/2015/06/dog-paddle.jpg
In U. S. more than
20 percent of drowning
victims are under the
age of 14, with four
times that many
needing emergency
department care from
water accidents,
according to the
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Many children
die in shallow water and close to shore or a boat. If you are
not a qualified swimming instructor, help your child learn the
simple dog paddle. This might allow her to stay above water,
calling for help for a few critical moments after falling in or
making it to safety.
The simplest way to teach the dog paddle is in shallow water.
Have children stand in stomach- or chest-high water while
they learn the hand motion.
This resembles pulling water toward you, or pushing the
water straight down. Next, have them hold on to the side of
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the pool, facing down, and have them move their legs as if
they were pedaling a bike. Combine the movements by
having them stand up and begin paddling their hands. As they
tilt their head backward, try to take their feet off the bottom
and begin pedaling while staying afloat. Keeping the head
back is a key to staying afloat.
Learning to Swim
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One of the easiest
ways to learn to swim
is with the use of a
kickboard, a flat,
buoyant short board
you hold in front of you
at arms' length as you
lie forward and learn to
swim. Practice your leg
kick first by placing
your hands on the side
of a pool as you lie
forward, gently kicking
your legs with a relaxed knee bend. Try to kick vigorously without
splashing water to get the feel for the correct, firm but gentle leg
movement. After you can keep yourself horizontal on the water
using your leg kick, begin practicing with the kick board, moving
along the pool's side, staying in the shallow end. Swim fins help
beginner swimmers move faster, helping them stay on top of the
water.
Focus Questions (practical question)
Guide questions for Unit 5 discussions
Instructions:
Answer the following. Guide questions for Unit 4 discussions
(a) Answer the following questions.
(b) Write your answer in Microsoft Word and save it as PDF
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(c) You will submit your answer on Google Classroom during the class
discussion and class intended time.
(d) Please be guided of the rubrics. Points for your answers will be based
on rubrics below
Points Criteria
5 Answers are right and well-explained
Answers have NO grammatical error.
Submit on established deadline.
4 Answers are right and well-explained
Answers have 1 to 2 incorrect reasoning.
Submit 15 minute to 59 minutes after established
deadline.
3 Answers are right and well-explained
Answers have 3 to 4 incorrect reasoning.
Submit 1 hour after established deadline or later
QUESTIONS
1. What is the standard size of Olympic Swimming pool?
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2. Enumerate swimming competition officials and their roles.
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3. What are the rules against paraphernalia that FINA is implementing?
_____________________________________________________________
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_____________________________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
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4. Explain briefly the saying “talk, reach, throw, row, and go”.
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_____________________________________________________________
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5. How can Dog Paddle Swimming Style will save your life in case of
emergency?
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Related Readings
Hey there!! Below is the link that can help you to understand the different
swimming strokes. Watch it this will help you accomplish your task.
E-Book Reference
Biro, M., Revesz, L., Hidvegi, P., (2015) Swimming: History, Technique &
Teaching , The rector of Eszterházy Károly College- EKC Líceum Press
https://sporttudomany.uni-
eszterhazy.hu/public/uploads/swimming_56757dde86541.pdf
You can also check this website to understand more
http://www.fina.org/content/fina-rules
Learning / Assessment Activities
Activity 5. Do as indicated
TITLE: Swimming Rules & Regulations, and Basic Live-Saving Skill &
Swimming
TASK: You will present an 3-minute essay video explaining Swimming
Rules & Regulations, and Basic Live-Saving Skill & Swimming
INSTRUCTIONS:
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a. Choose the topic you want to explain (Swimming Rules & Regulations,
or Basic Live-Saving Skill & Swimming)
b. Research for additional information. Your references must be at least
three and must appear on video
c. Film yourself explaining your topic.
d. Submit your video on Google Classroom
e. NAME YOUR VIDEO FILE WITH YOUR SURNAME (example
GUERRA.mp4)
REMINDER:
a. Video maximum duration 10 minutes
b. LATE SUBMISSION IS SUBJECT FOR POINTS DEDUCTION
You will be graded by the rubric below:
CRITERIA PRESENTATION CONTENT
_____
Points
20 Consistently uses Speaks for close to the
formal and full 3 minutes but not
academic more than 10 minutes
language Meaningfully connects
Maintains natural questions to answers
eye contact with Provides 3 or more
the camera specific, tangible
evidence to support
claims
17 Answer Speaks for less than 3
conversationally minutes but greater than
includes filler i.e 2 minutes
um, like Answers have significant
Make effort to connection to question.
have eye contact Provides general
with the camera evidence to support
claims
14 Periodically uses
slang word. Speaks for less than 2
minutes
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Look somewhere Answers have no
else instead on significant connection to
the camera most question.
of the time Provides claims but with
little to no evidence
References
Website References:
Barrett Barlowe (2018)
https://www.sportsrec.com/391803-what-are-the-rules-for-
competitive-swimming.html
F.I.N.A (2019)
https://www.fina.org/content/fina-rules
swimoutlet.com contributors (2020)
https://www.swimoutlet.com/guides/swimming-rules-regulations
Steve Milano (2017)
https://www.sportsrec.com/157004-swimming-life-saving-skills.html
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