Process Analysis Essay On Swimming

I happen to be a petite 5 foot 3 stick. The majority of swimmers my size happen to be 10 year olds. Because I do not have the typical “swimmer build” I have been thrown into a wide variety of events. Swimmers are often classified by their build. If you have broad shoulders and “bulk up” with weights and protein shakes, you’re expected to be a phenomenal butterfly swimmer. While the tall and lanky swimmers are predicted to be the breaststrokers. Taking a closer look at what makes each stroke, I’ve realized that this method may not be all too accurate. Although these strokes appear to be very different, from body position, body undulation, and the muscle groups used, both the butterfly (fly) and breaststroke (breast) happen to be very similar

strokes.
For each stroke, there is certain criteria that must be met in order to swim the stroke legally and effectively. For both the breast and fly, body undulation is prevalent. Body undulation is the technical term generally associated with the movement made from the shoulders to the hips while swimming the butterfly or breast. The “body dolphin” is how this is explained to new swimmers.
The core, or basis of both the breast and fly is body undulation.

Against the typical stereotype; while swimming you use a lot more than just your arms and legs. In specifically the fly and breast, your limbs are powered and controlled by your undulation pattern. This pattern is similar to that of a teeter-totter, as your hips and chest are alternately pushing down or up against the water. The shoulders will open and press down as your hips rise to the surface of the water. Doing this sets your body up to efficiently be pushed forward in the water. Following this motion your hips drop as the torso is pulled up while throwing yourself forward in the stroke that you are doing. Wherever you are in the flow of your undulation determines whether the arms, legs, or both are in movement and what movement they are doing. These two strokes are the only two that are swam this way, and their patterns are almost

identical.
In the fly, while your hips are down your arms will be pulling out of the water and around towards the front of you are you take your breath. This set you up to push your hips up and your chest down and your arms have just entered the water. The same goes for the breast. As your hips are down your arms scoop around and shoot towards the front as you take your breath, causing your chest to press down as your hips rise to the surface as you kick. Again and again, these cycles repeat as you continue to swim.
Flyers are typically stereotyped as the “bulky” swimmer.

While breast strokers are presumed to be the more slender swimmers. Both these strokes use the same muscles and an identical motion is what powers the each of these, countering this stereotype. Different physical attributes do tend to be more prominent in one certain type of swimmers, but that isn’t determined by the stroke you swim. Because body undulation is the power for each of these strokes, the same muscles are used. Your core is doing a majority of the work. My coaches always told me “ if your core doesn’t ache, then you aren’t doing it right.” It took me a while of swimming both the fly and breast to figure this out, and by golly were my coaches right. Both these strokes are relying on the core to push and propel you forward while

swimming.

It is evident that the two strokes considered to be “opposites” are a lot alike. The breast and fly happen to be the only strokes that are powered by body undulation. Not only are they powered in the same manner, but their undulation pattern in the same. The core is crucial in the control of these strokes, as the core keeps your body tight together as you throw yourself through the water in each stroke. While watching these strokes being swam, you can never confuse the two because at first glance they appear to be very different. We now know that isn’t the case, from body position, undulation, and the muscle groups used, both the butterfly (fly) and breaststroke (breast) happen to be very similar.