Rules and the basics for Swimming

Field of Play:
Swimmers will swim in a 25m pool which is known as shortcourse, or a 50m pool which is called longcourse swimming. For olympic swimming the pool is divided in to 10 lanes but only the center eight are used for competition.

The Basics:
In competitive swimming there are four strokes freestyle (front crawl), butterfly, breast stroke, and back stroke. all four strokes are used in the Individual Medley (also known as the I.M.) and in the Individual Medly Relay. Olympic races in the pool are conducted for many distances from 50m to 1500m the first athlete to hit the touch pad at the end of the pool after completeing the distance without getting disqualified wins the heat (race).

Officials:
Every swimming event needs many different officials such as time keepers, start and finish judges, stroke judges, turn judges and an overall chief referee whois incharge of the competition.

Keys to Sucess:
For all events getting a good start is crucial to your whole race. Most events start from off of the blocks in front of the pool the only events that don't start from off of the blocks is any of the races that are backstroke races. good stroke technique and breathing will make or break the difference between a good race and a bad one.

Termonology:
Flip turn: The turn you make at the end of the pool ina freestyle or backstroke event.

Two hand touch: This is the finish you make at the end of a butterfly or breast stroke event when you give one last powerful stroke.

One hand touch: This is the finish you make at the end of a freestyle event when you reach for the wall after your last stroke.

Long course:A pool that has a length of 50m.

Short course:A pool that has a length of 25m.

Two hand turn:A turn for breast stroke and butterfly events where you touch the end of the pool with both hands then quickly push off the wall.

Medley:This is when swimmers swim all four strokes seperately for Individual Medley or I.M. or Medley Relay.

Negative split: when a swimmer swims the second half of a race than the first half.