How to swim

In Short

This instructional manual serves as an early twentieth-century primer on the art of swimming, offering detailed technical guidance for beginners and advanced practitioners alike. It breaks down the physics of movement, teaching the reader how to breathe, float, and execute various strokes—from the humble breast stroke to the high-speed crawl. Beyond mere technique, it acts as a cultural time capsule, reflecting the era's emphasis on physical education, competitive discipline, and the emerging professional standards of swimming as both a sport and a vital life skill.

The Story

The journey begins with a foundational philosophy: swimming is a necessity, and anyone can learn it by mastering three elements: timing, breathing, and relaxation. The reader is invited to shed the fear of the water and replace it with a systematic understanding of their own body. The early chapters focus on the breast stroke, which serves as the entry point for the novice. Here, the text encourages the use of aids like water wings or the support of an instructor to help the body find its natural buoyancy. By breaking the stroke into three precise counts, the book demystifies the movement, transforming it from a frantic struggle into a rhythmic glide.

As the reader gains confidence, the narrative shifts to more complex maneuvers. It explores the over-arm side stroke, teaching the swimmer to treat their body like the hull of a yacht, keeping it balanced and efficient to minimize drag. The instructions are meticulous, focusing on the position of the hands—cupped like spoons—and the timing of the kick, which must snap in harmony with the arm’s pull. The book then introduces the double-over-arm stroke and the crawl, the latter being presented as a test of endurance and athletic precision. Here, the focus turns to the continuous, fluid motion required for speed, where the legs and arms work together to maintain a steady, rapid pace.

The arc of the book reaches its zenith when it moves from personal instruction to the broader context of competitive swimming and life-saving. It presents the case of Charles B. Durborow, an endurance swimmer of the era, as the ideal to emulate. His feats in open water serve as proof that with rigorous training, correct technique, and a calm, gentlemanly demeanor, the limits of human endurance can be vastly expanded. The reader is taught that the most dangerous hazards in the water are not the waves themselves, but the panic of the swimmer. By learning proper life-saving holds and the Schaefer method of artificial respiration, the swimmer evolves from a student of the craft into a responsible guardian of the pool.

Finally, the text transitions into the formal world of competition. It outlines the specific, rigid rules for diving, turning, and scoring, effectively moving the reader from the quiet, private practice of a beginner to the public, disciplined arena of the athlete. The book concludes with a pragmatic look at the equipment of the day—bathing suits, caps, and water polo gear—reminding the reader that while the art of swimming is timeless, it is supported by the concrete tools and structures of the modern athletic world.

How It Unfolds

The foundational philosophy The book opens by insisting that swimming is not a talent reserved for a few, but a skill anyone can acquire through the mastery of timing, breathing, and relaxation. It argues that physical tension is the primary cause of fatigue, and that by learning to remain pliant in the water, one can swim indefinitely.

The mechanics of the breast stroke The instruction proceeds to the breast stroke, breaking the motion into a three-count sequence. It emphasizes the importance of a "run" or glide between strokes to conserve energy and maintain momentum.

The transition to speed The text introduces the side stroke and the crawl, emphasizing the shift toward continuous power. It explains how to coordinate breathing with the cadence of the limbs so that the swimmer never gasps for air or breaks their rhythm.

The ideal of the master swimmer The narrative highlights the achievements of Charles B. Durborow to show what is possible through discipline. It provides a detailed account of his training habits, emphasizing sleep, nutrition, and the importance of a trainer’s care.

The duty of the life-saver The book pivots to the ethical dimensions of swimming, arguing that a skilled swimmer has a duty to save others. It provides clear, step-by-step instructions on how to approach a struggling person and how to perform artificial respiration.

The structure of competition The final section codifies the sport, presenting extensive tables for diving difficulty and rules for race conduct. It leaves the reader with a vision of swimming as a highly organized, regulated, and professional pursuit.

The People

The central figure of the book is the Beginner, a blank slate who desires to shed the fear of the water. The Beginner starts with stiff limbs and a tendency to hold their breath, but through the book’s guidance, they are transformed into a relaxed, competent swimmer. Standing in their way is their own anxiety and poor technique, which cause them to tire and "gulp" water. By the end, they are expected to be calm, efficient, and, if necessary, capable of saving others.

Alongside the beginner is the Expert, often represented by figures like L. deB. Handley and Charles B. Durborow. The Expert is not merely a fast swimmer; they are an embodiment of the book’s core values: precision, health, and gentlemanly conduct. Durborow, a Philadelphia bank clerk, serves as the ultimate archetype of the "distance endurance swimmer." He is portrayed as a man of great physical and mental control, someone who never takes nourishment during his long ocean swims and who remains unfazed by the most grueling conditions. He wants to show that even the most daunting distances are conquerable with methodical practice. Finally, the Competitor appears in the concluding chapters—the student who has graduated from the basics and now seeks the glory of the diving board and the race. The Competitor is defined by their adherence to the "official rules," their respect for judges, and their commitment to playing fair and true in the water.

In Its Own Voice

The very first thing you want to get in your mind, and fasten it there firmly, is the fact that there are only three things necessary to become a good swimmer—the proper timing of the stroke, or what experts call the alternate action or harmony (timing); breathing; and the ability to relax.

The author sets the tone for the entire work by identifying the three pillars of successful swimming.

Don’t think of a race or racing until you get on your mark, get set, and spring—and strike the water and then swim hard and steady clear through, and swim fair and true.

These instructions are offered to the aspiring competitor as the final word on how to approach a race with the proper mindset.

What It's Really About

At its core, this book is about the domestication of nature through the cultivation of the self. It treats the human body as a machine that can be tuned, optimized, and pushed to reach incredible feats of endurance, provided one understands the underlying laws of physics and biology. The argument is that fear is a failure of technique. By imposing order—through counting, breathing, and disciplined training—the swimmer creates a buffer against the chaotic, overwhelming power of the ocean. It asks the question of how an individual can achieve mastery over an environment to which they are not naturally adapted, ultimately answering that it is through the quiet, repetitive application of science and the relentless demand for self-control.

Why Read It Today

Read this if you have a curiosity about the history of athletic instruction or if you find comfort in the earnest, "can-do" spirit of the early twentieth century. There is a distinct pleasure in the book’s unvarnished, no-nonsense prose; it is a relic of a time when fitness was discussed with the gravity of a moral imperative. You will feel the weight of the era in its assumptions—the focus on "gentlemanly" conduct, the rigid categorization of sports by "groups," and the meticulous, almost bureaucratic attention to scoring systems and Spalding’s product catalog.

However, be prepared for a certain technical datedness. While the core physics of swimming remain true, the training advice, such as the specific dietary suggestions or the endorsement of water wings, may strike the modern reader as curious or even quaint. The book is not a modern training manual for a triathlon; it is a historical record of how a specific society taught its members to conquer the water. What stays with you is not just the advice on how to kick or pull, but the overarching, optimistic belief that any person, regardless of their starting point, could transform themselves into a master of the elements through nothing more than steady, deliberate practice and a calm, unshakable mind.