SWIMMING GEARS AND

BASIC WATER SAFETY

WEARING PROPER SWIMMING ATTIRE AND USING PROPER ATTIRE AND USING
GEARS AND EQUIPMENT ARE IMPORTANT IN ORDER TO BE SAFE AND PREVENT
DAMAGE TO SWIMMING POOL FACILITIES. ASIDE FROM HAVING FUN, COMFORT IS
ONE OF YOUR DESIRES WHEN YOU GO SWIMMING. IF YOU WANT TO ENROLL
YOURSELF IN SWIMMING LESSONS, YOU NEED TO HAVE AT LEAST THE BASIC
GEARS: SWIMSUIT, GOGGLES, SWIMMING CUP AND KICKBOARD.
IN COMPETITIVE SWIMMING, OTHER EQUIPMENT INCLUDE SWIM FINS, HAND
PADDLES AND PULL BUOY.
BASIC WATER SAFETY

THE FIRST STEP IN WATER SAFETY IS TO LEARN HOW TO SWIM. IF YOU THINK THAT
YOU ALREADY KNOW HOW TO SWIM AND CAN STAY AFLOAT IN THE WATER, YOU
STILL NEED TO KNOW THE BASIC SAFETY MEASURE AD DANGERS THAT YOU
MIGHT ENCOUNTER
WATER SAFETY NO. 1
SWIMMING ALONE IS NOT ADVISABLE.
• HAVING A BUDDY/COMPANION PARTICULARLY SOMEONE WHO KNOWS HOW TO SWIM IS
BEST.
• HAVING STRONGER, MORE EXPERIENCED SWIMMERS WITH YOU CAN BE A BIG HELP.
THEY CAN KEEP AN EYE ON THE LESS CONFIDENT SWIMMERS TO ENSURE THAT THEY
ARE SAFE. WE NEVER KNOW WHEN ACCIDENTS COULD OCCUR AND HAVING SOMEONE
WITH YOU COULD HELP SAVE YOU LIFE.

WATER SAFETY NO. 2

• BE AWARE OF WATER CONDITION IN AN AREA BEFORE SWIMMING.
• ALWAYS BE CAUTIOUS WHEN DIVING, AS DIVING INTO WATER CAN POTENTIALLY CAUSE
HEAD AND NECK INJURIES.
• ALWAYS CHECK THE DEPTH OF ANY WATER BEFORE JUMPING.
 FACTORS/CONDITION TO
CONSIDER SAFE PLACE TO SWIM
PREVENTION OF POSSIBLE HARM OR TROUBLE FROM HAPPENING SHOULD BE YOUR FIRST THING
YOU CONSIDER WHEN YOU ARE IN A SWIMMING AREA. HENCE, YOU NEED TO HAVE KNOWLEDGE OF
THE PRECAUTION YOU NEED TO KNOW IN ORDER TO FULLY ENJOY YOUR SWIMMING EXPERIENCE.
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE FACTORS TO CONSIDER SAFE PLACE TO SWIM:
1. THE WATER SHOULD BE CLEAR AND FREE FROM POLLUTION
2. THE BOTTOM SHOULD BE FREE FROM ANY HOLES; HIDDEN OBSTRUCTIONS SUCH AS ROCKS OR
ANY SHARP OBJECT
3. THERE ARE PERSONNEL WHO SUPERVISE AND WATCH OVER THE SWIMMERS.
4. THERE ARE RESCUE EQUIPMENT OR DEVICES IN CASE OF EMERGENCY.
 DANGER IN SWIMMING

DROWNING IS ONE OF THE SUDDEN ACCIDENTS EXPERIENCED BY A PERSON WHO

HAS NO KNOWLEDGE OF THE BASIC WATER SAFETY. DROWNING AS DEFINED BY
WORLD HEALTH ORGANIZATION IS THE PROCESS OF EXPERIENCING RESPIRATORY
IMPAIRMENT FROM SUBMERSION/IMMERSION IN WATER.
MUSCLE CRAMPS- CRAMPS IN SWIMMING ARE SHARP MUSCLE SPASMS THAT CAN BE PAINFUL
AND ANNOYING.

3 KINDS OF MUSCLE CRAMPS:

1. FOOT CRAMPS-STRAIGHTEN YOUR TOES BY PUSHING THEM UPWARDS THE STAND ON THE
BALL OF YOUR FOOT.
2. CALF CRAMPS-STRAIGHTEN THE KNEE THEN PULL YOUR FOOT UP TOWARDS YOUR SHIN
3. THIGH CRAMPS- STRAIGHTEN YOUR KNEE, PULL YOUR LEG UP AND FORWARDS, THE
GENTLY PRESS DOWN YOUR KNEE DOWN.

STOMACH CRAMPS- IS CONSIDERED AS MORE DANGEROUS THAN THE MUSCLE CRAMPS. THIS
IS USUALLY CAUSED BY SWIMMING STRENUOUSLY IN COLD WATER ON A FULL STOMACH.

• IF THE PAIN IS VERY BAD, YOU SHOULD PERFORM THE BACK FLOAT AND ALWAYS KEEP
YOUR HEAD ABOVE THE WATER AND CALL FOR HELP
EXHAUSTION – CAN ALSO BE A CAUSE OF DANGER. IT IS SIMPLY THE LOSS OF
ENERGY AND INABILITY TO MAKE NECESSARY MOVEMENTS TO KEEP AFLOAT AND
MAKE PROGRESS THROUGH THE WATER

EXHAUSTION MAY BE DUE TO OVERFATIGUE, AFTER TIRESOME SPORTS OR

AFTER A LONG DISTANCE SWIMMING

PANIC- PANIC IS SUDDEN, UNREASONABLE AND OVERWHELMING FEAR THAT

DESTROYS A PERSON’S CAPACITY FOR SELF-HELP.
ACTIVITY # 1
ARRANGE THE SEQUENCE IN ENTERING AND EXITING THE POOL WITHOUT LADDER. WRITE THE LETTER “A-I” IN THE
BOX PROVIDED TO INDICATE THE CORRECT SEQUENCE.

1. SLOWLY GO DOWN INTO THE WATER BY TURNING YOUR BODY FACING THE WALL WHILE YOUR HANDS ARE STILL ON
THE EDGE
2. IF THE WATER LEVEL IS WITHIN YOUR SHOULDER, YOU ARE SAFE TO MOVE AROUND.
3. PLACE BOTH OF YOU HANDS FIRMLY ON THE RIGHT OR LEFT SIDE OF YOUR BODY (WHEREVER IS COMFORTABLE)
4. SIT AT THE EDGE OF THE POOL
5. CHECK THE DEPTH OF THE POOL BY REACHING THE FLOOR USING YOUR FEET
6. IF YOU ARE NOT COMFORTABLE WITH THE WATER LEVEL, YOU MAY PERFORM THE CORRECT EXIT
7. LIFT YOUR BODY BY ELEVATING IT TO A 90 DEGREE SLANTING POSITION. YOUR STOMACH SHOULD BE NEAR TO EDGE
8. WHILE THE HANDS ARE ON THE EDGE OF THE POOL, PLACE SOME WEIGHT ON YOUR ARMS AND BEND YOUR ELBOWS
TO LIFT YOUR BODY UPS.
9. ONCE YOUR BODY IS UP, TURN TO RIGHT THEN SIT ON THE EDGE