The swimming is one of the best sports practices carried out in recent decades. This may be due, among other reasons, to the fact that it is a discipline suitable for anyone, as it is not conditioned by age or physical condition, being one of the most inclusive sports out there. In addition, it can be practiced for different reasons, whether for recreational purposes, for pleasure, as a means to exercise, to do rehabilitation or to compete.
The swimming encompasses within its different practice styles: crawl, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. All of them are practiced during training hours and, once mastered, it is considered that a person knows how to swim adequately.
In each style of swimming, different areas of the body are worked, since with each one there is a greater or lesser relationship between the force used and the limbs used. For example, from the point of view of propulsion and examining the prominence of the extremities of the body, it is observed that the only style that works equally on both parts, both the lower and the upper, is the breaststroke. In the other modalities it can vary or alternate.
Know the muscles involved in swimming
One of the main characteristics of each of the different styles is that each muscle or limb makes a greater or lesser effort. Although in most competitions the styles most used are front crawl or butterfly, the truth is that the other two options, backstroke and breaststroke, are very tough disciplines. Next, the varieties of each modality will be analyzed:
Breaststroke style: to exercise both arms and legs
The breaststroke, also called breaststroke, is the oldest form of swimming. It is the discipline that requires the most strength of all, since the muscles of the legs play a fundamental role, accounting for 50 percent of all movement, as is the case with the muscles of the arms.
Both limbs must move in a coordinated manner, while the core remains completely straight and afloat.
Front crawl style: ideal for the arms
The crawl style is the most popular. The swimmer is in a ventral position (as in fathoms) and puts the arms into full action with alternating movements, first the right and then the left, while the same happens with the legs. It is currently the fastest, although it competes with the butterfly.
In this case, the force exerted by the arms is 80 percent, and the legs only contribute 20 percent. The most stressed muscles are the pectoral, lats, delts, and triceps.
Back style: pecks, lats, delts and abs
In this style the swimmer is in a dorsal (supine) position. It consists of performing movements similar to the crawl, only with a different posture. As with the previous style, the greatest displacement force is originated by the arms with 75 percent, and 25 percent by the legs. The muscles used are similar to that of the front crawl: pectorals major, biceps brachia, lats and deltoids.
Butterfly style: triceps, delts and lats
It is the fastest style along with crawl and, also, the most difficult to learn, as it requires mastering high levels of strength and coordination. Throughout the action, the body is in central style. The muscles that wear out the most during lengths vary depending on whether the body enters or leaves the water. On entry: triceps, deltoids, pectoral and teres major (abdomen). In output: pectoral, dorsal, biceps and angular shoulder blade, mainly.
