FLOATING TECHNIQUES

Horizontal Survival Float . The horizontal survival float is the most energy efficient floating position, and
is used when the swimmer anticipates being in open water for an extended time. Lie face down on the
water's surface, similar to the position a skydiver assumes during free fall.

Position: Extend your arms to your sides and bend the elbows so your hands are forward and within a
foot of your head. Spread your legs apart to offer the most surface area to maximize buoyancy. To
breathe, exhale while using your arms to push down on the water as if you were pressing yourself off
the ground. Lift your head up and back to clear the water's surface and take a breath. Lower your head
until your face is submerged.

Vertical Survival Float. The vertical survival float is also used for survival situations, and is typically used
by swimmers with lower body fat who are not buoyant enough to stay near the water's surface using
the horizontal survival float. Imagine you are standing in the water with your head near the surface.

Position: Keep your elbows bent, with your arms out to your side and slightly in front of you. Cross your
feet at the ankles to keep them from moving. With a full breath of air, you will only sink a few inches
below the surface of the water. Gently thrust your hips forward, then backward, to propel yourself up to
where your mouth just breaks the water's surface. Exhale sharply and quickly take a full breath. You will
sink below the surface again. Other than the hip thrusts, there is no movement in this floating
technique.

Back Float. The back float is commonly used by recreational swimmers for short periods of rest. With a
slightly arched back, lie on the surface of the water as if you were lying on a firm mattress.

Position: Keep your arms to your side and move them back and forth in small circles to keep your upper
body on the surface. If you find your legs sinking, use small kicking movements to keep them near the
surface.

Treading Water. Treading water has the swimmer in an up-and-down position like the vertical survival
float, but the arms and legs are used to keep the head above the surface of the water at all times.

Position : To stay afloat, move the hands in a figure-eight pattern just under the water's surface and
move the legs as if you were pedaling a bicycle. Treading water uses the most energy, and is used when
the swimmer needs a better view of the surroundings.
What Is the Front Crawl?

The front crawl, or freestyle stroke, is a common swimming stroke. Swimming the crawl is good for
whole-body fitness, and at the highest level, athletes compete for Olympic medals with this technique.
The front crawl is one of the four swimming strokes in international competition, along with the
butterfly stroke, breaststroke, and backstroke.

When swimming the front crawl, your body is facing down in the water. You perform a flutter kick
continuously, and your arms alternate reaching in front of your head and then pulling back underwater.
The front crawl is usually the fastest of all competitive swimming strokes, and it is of moderate difficulty
to learn.

How to Swim the Front Crawl

1. Body position: The front crawl begins in the streamline position with your arms outstretched in front
of you, your face down, and your legs behind you. As the stroke progresses, your torso will rotate back
and forth because of the alternating arm strokes. With practice, you can achieve the right amount of
rotation.

2. Arm movement: The arm stroke of the front crawl can be broken down into four movements, which
are known as the downsweep, the insweep, the upsweep, and the recovery. From the starting position
of arms outstretched, bring one hand down, with your palm tilted so the thumb is leading for the
downsweep. Keep your elbow high. At this point in the stroke, avoid using force; you are setting up the
insweep. As your forearm gets deeper into the water, pull backward. Now apply propulsive force and
move your body through the water. When your hand is about level with your belly, change the motion
from pulling to pushing. This is the upsweep and should bring your arm back upward. The recovery
occurs when you bring your arm back out in front of you. Relax your forearm and wrist, and drive the
motion with your elbow. Alternate both arms. While one is working through the power portions of the
cycle, the other is in recovery, gliding forward to begin the cycle from the other side of the body.

3. Leg movement: The front crawl leg movement is a standard flutter kick. With your knees slightly bent,
point your feet backward and alternate your leg kicks continuously.

5 Front Crawl Swimming Tips

1. Focus on your breathing. face down, finding the right moment to breathe is essential. Most swimmers
pick whatever side they feel most comfortable using. Then, during the recovery phase of the arm on that
side, they will turn their head, lifting it just enough to clear the water surface and inhale. Exhaling
through the mouth and nose occurs underwater. Some swimmers will use both sides, only breathing in
every third stroke.
2. Maintain a stable head and chest position. Your hips and upper body will rotate during the front
crawl, but try to keep your chest and belly level. This will reduce drag and will alleviate excess strain on
your lower back.

3. Be mindful of your head position. Ideally, the water level will be about halfway between your
eyebrows and your hairline. Turn your head only to breathe—just enough to take a good inhalation—
and quickly return it to the main position.

4. Practice with a kickboard. A kickboard can be a great aid for learning the technique. Hold it in front of
you while you practice your flutter kick. This has the double advantage of working on your leg strokes
while keeping your body in the approximate position the stroke demands.

5. Try the “catch up” stroke. The “catch up” stroke, a variation of the front crawl, is a good training drill.
In this variation, instead of the arms moving simultaneously, only one works at a time. While one arm
does a complete stroke cycle, the other remains outstretched until the cycle is complete and both arms
are out front again. Then, use the other arm.