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Swimming: The Rules
The four competitive strokes are freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly.
In freestyle events, one may swim any stroke one wishes. However, the stroke used is the crawl, which is characterized by an alternating overhand motion of the arms and an alternating up and down flutter kick.
The technical rule violation for freestyle include the following; walking on the bottom; pulling on the lane rope; not touching the wall on a turn; or not completing the distance.
In the backstroke, the stroke consists of an alternating motion of the arms with a flutter kick. On turns, some part of the swimmer must touch the wall.
The technical rule violations for backstroke include the following: kicking into the wall on the turn (the roll to the stomach must be part of a continuous turning action); pushing off the wall on the stomach (not on back) after a turn; not remaining on the back while swimming; turning on to the stomach before the finish.
The breaststroke requires simultaneous movements of the arms on the same horizontal plane. The hands are pulled from the breast in a heart-shaped pattern and recovered under or over the surface of the water. The kick is a simultaneous somewhat circular motion. No flutter, scissor or dolphin kick is permitted. On turns and at the finish, the swimmer must touch the wall with both hands simultaneously, with shoulders in line with the surface of the water.
The technical rule violations for breaststroke include the following: an illegal kick such as flutter (freestyle), dolphin (butterfly), or scissor (side stroke); head not surfacing on each stroke; alternating movements of the arms; taking two underwater strokes or two leg kicks while the head is under water; touching with only hand at the turns or finish.
The butterfly is the most beautiful of the strokes. It features a simultaneous overhead action of the arms combined with an undulating dolphin kick. In the kick, the swimmer must keep both legs together and may not flutter, scissor or use the breaststroke kick.
The technical rule violations for butterfly include the following: pushing the arms forward under instead of over the water surface; a breaststroke style of kick; touching with only one hand at the turns or finish.
The individual medley, commonly referred to as the ‘IM’, features all four strokes. In the IM, the swimmer begins with butterfly, then changes after one fourth of the race to backstroke, then breaststroke, and finally freesyle.
In the medley relay, all four strokes are swum. The first swimmer swims the backstroke, the second, breaststroke, the third, butterfly, and the final swimmer, the freestyle.
The freestyle relay events consist of four freestylers, each swimming one-quarter of the total distance of the event.
Many races are won or loss by the swimmer’s performance in the start or turn. In the start, the swimmers are called to the starting position by the starter. The starter visually checks that all swimmers are motionless. When all swimmers are set, the gun or starting horn is sounded to start the race. If the starter feels that one of the swimmers has moved, left early or received an unfair advantage, the race will be recalled.
Trained officials observe the swimmers during each event to ensure compliance with these technical rules. If a swimmer commits an infraction of the rules, he or she will be disqualified from that event, which means that he or she will not receive an official time nor be eligible for an award in that event.
If your child is disqualified (DQ’d) in an event, be supportive rather than critical. For beginning swimmers, a disqualification should be treated as a learning experience, not as punishment. A disqualification alerts the swimmer and coach to what portions of the swimmer’s stroke need to be corrected. They should be considered in the same light as and incorrect answer in schoolwork: they point out areas that need further practice.
Officials are present at all competitions to implement the technical rules of swimming and to ensure that the competition is fair and equitable. Officials attend clinics, pass written tests, and work meets before being certified. All parents are encouraged to get involved with some form of officiating.
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