Swimming: Side Stroke/
Swimming is simply another mode of travel for the ninja. You must be more proficient in the water than the average person. Underwater tactics alone require hundreds of hours of training, the same dedication should first be practiced with staying the surface. Practice in lap pools and in open water. Lap pools have an added advantage of lines painted on the bottom to help keep you straight while you swim, and guide wires above you to tell you when you are approaching the wall. Open water swimming can be more challenging where there is current or waves. Sometimes, being familiar with the direction of the current and wave-breaks will be the only way to be confident in your direction of travel without breaking form to look for your landmarks.
First, learn tips on how to break the rip current, if caught, and get confident in your form before jumping in the ocean. Remember the buddy system, and practice with your partner on rescue swimming before going out deep. When you are sure you can safely drag one another doing the side stroke for 100 meters, then you can be relatively sure that, if one of you gets a cramp, the other can hold the weight. Also, study future books of ours, on underwater and ocean tactics where you can perfect your ability to even the air in your body. When you can imitate a fish's swim bladder you will have no problem floating on your back to stretch out a cramped calf muscle. Until then, always have a partner, and always, especially when swimming alone, let a lifeguard know where you will be in the ocean. Relaxing while in open water is essential, and that means getting comfortable in the water.
Swimming long distance requires a lot of endurance unless you utilize the sidestroke. A very short distance can seem like forever if you are wearing full uniform and weighed down by a piece of equipment. It is recommended to review the provided link for an example of the side stroke.
http://www.wikihow.com/Teach-the-Sidestroke
Live and breath endurance. Swimming is all about breathing pattern, so get comfortable blowing out while your face is underwater and inhaling while your face is up.
Pointers on this:
Only half of your head should be out of the water at anytime. I.E. Either one ear left or right, or either the face or the back of the head. This makes your overall buoyancy more equaled. Perform the sidestroke as follows.
Try the basic movements on your side, on dry land first! Then advance to the pool. Wear comfortable Running and Swimming Shorts when exercising and reliable Goggles in the water. If you graduate to open water swimming or cross country running you may want to invest in a harness. We love to collect shells when we swim and flowers when we run. We stitch a harness that you can where as a belt or as a chest strap. It comes with a survival knife and two zipper compartments. It is great for mounting a go pro. Contact us on our website, if you want one. We love making them! Don't forget to wear Sunscreen!
Now, to the basic form. Lie in the water on whichever side feels more comfortable. The lower side of your head is in the water, your legs are close together and extended, and your toes are pointed. Holding your feet together, draw your heels up toward your seat as far up as comfortable. Move your top leg forward and your bottom leg backward with your knees bent, so your lower legs resemble scissors opening up. Snap your legs together in a scissor kick. When your legs meet they should be extended as in the starting position. Extend your bottom arm ahead of you, palm down beneath the surface of the water. Your top arm lies alongside your top leg. Sweep your bottom arm from its extended position down through the water. When it's pointed nearly straight down, bend your elbow and sweep your hand up to your chest. Slide your top hand sideways through the water from your thigh to your chest. The force of your stroke is transferred from your bottom hand to your top hand. Sweep your top arm back down to the starting position, pushing water down toward your feet, while extending your bottom arm forward again. Synchronize the timing of your arms and legs so you're snapping your legs together at the same time your arms meet at your chest. Glide at the end of each stroke.
