Portal:Swimming/Intro

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Swimming describes any method by which living creatures move themselves through water apart from walking on the bottom. The most common reason for swimming is probably recreation, where the swimmer enters the water merely for enjoyment. Swimming is a good way to relax, with many swimming styles suitable for recreational swimming. Most recreational swimmers prefer a style that keeps their head out of the water and uses an underwater arm recovery. Swimming is also a good form of exercise. Because the density of the human body is approximately similar to that of water, the body is supported by the water and therefore less stress is placed on joints and bones. Furthermore, the resistance against movement depends heavily on the speed of the movement, allowing the fine tuning of the exercise according to one's ability. For this reason swimming is frequently used as an exercise in rehabilitation after injuries or for the disabled. Swimming developed as a competitive sport in the 19th century and was part of the first modern Olympic games in 1896 in Athens. In 1908, a world swimming association, the Federation Internationale de Natation was established to regulate international competition.