Dog paddle explained
The dog paddle or doggy paddle is a simple swimming style. It is characterized by the swimmer lying on their chest and moving their hands and legs alternately in a manner reminiscent of how dogs and other quadrupedal mammals swim.[1] It is effectively a "trot" in water, instead of land.[2]
It was the first swimming stroke used by ancient humans, believed to have been learned by observing animals swim.[3] Prehistoric cave paintings in Egypt show figures doing what appears to be the dog paddle.[4]
It is often the first swimming stroke used by young children when they are learning to swim.[5]
The dog paddle has also been taught as a military swimming stroke when a silent stroke is needed - since neither arms or legs break the surface.[6]
See also
Notes and References
- Book: Boys' Own Book: A Complete Encyclopedia of Athletic, Scientific, Outdoor and Indoor Sports. 1881. J Miller. William Clarke.
- Book: At the Water's Edge: Fish with Fingers, Whales with Legs, and How Life Came Ashore But Then Went Back to Sea. Carl Zimmer. Simon & Schuster. 1999. 0-684-85623-9. 183.
- Book: Breakthrough Swimming: Stroke Mechanics, Training Methods, Racing Techniques. 12. Cecil Colwin. Human Kinetics. 2002. 0-7360-3777-2.
- Book: Olympic Swimming and Diving. Greg Kehm. 4. 978-1-4042-0970-1. Rosen. 2007.
- Book: A Framework for Physical Education in the Early Years. H. Manners, M. E. Carroll. 1995. Routledge. 0-7507-0417-9. 110.
- Book: Survival at Sea. U.S. Departments of the Army and Air Force. 1950. United States Government Printing Office. 58.
