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How to do dog paddling properly? Things to note when swimming!
Dog paddling is one of the popular swimming styles, easy to learn and practice even at home. So what is different about this swimming style compared to the other swimming styles? What are the advantages of choosing this swimming style? Who is it suitable for? What should be noted in swimming techniques? Let's find out the details with doboinam.vn through the article below.
1. What is dog paddling?
1.1. Concept
Dog paddling is a type of swimming where the body is upside down, with the kicking movements similar to freestyle swimming. The hands are placed under the chest, and the fingers can be open or closed. When performing dog paddling, move both hands forward so that they are parallel to the chest, then push the water back to a position parallel to the abdomen. This movement is repeated many times, similar to the movement of the front legs of a swimming dog. And so, this swimming style has another name, dog paddling.
Dog paddling is a type of swimming where the person swims upside down.
1.2. Compare the dog paddling style with other styles
Dog paddling is an easy swimming style to do, it does not require too many skills like other difficult swimming styles: crawl or breaststroke. If you do breaststroke, you need to coordinate your arms, legs, and body movements rhythmically. Or butterfly swimming, crawl swimming requires higher swimming skills and techniques. Dog paddling is easier, you just need to move your arms and legs in coordination at the same time, quickly and continuously.
1.3. Who is dog paddling suitable for?
The dog paddle is known as an easy-to-learn, simple, and suitable for many different subjects. First, you can teach your child to swim in the easiest way.
Before doing the dog paddling exercise, you need to warm up your body. This step helps to stretch the muscle groups, avoiding cramps when swimming. Moreover, warming up first also helps you avoid shock when entering the water. Next, when entering the water to swim, practice a light warm-up in the water for about 1 - 2 minutes to let your body get used to the new environment. After completing the warm-up step, you perform the frog swimming movements.
Dog paddling is suitable for children who are just starting to learn to swim.
2. How to do dog swimming properly?
2.1. Breathing techniques
In terms of breathing techniques, compared to the breaststroke, crawl or backstroke, the breaststroke is easier to perform. Moreover, the arm and leg movements when performing the dog paddle are not strict, requiring compliance with a certain prototype.
With dog paddling, simple breathing techniques help children learn to swim quickly, correctly, and safely. And this swimming style will be the first step to help children learn other swimming styles more easily. Moreover, dog paddling movements are instinctive, so children will easily absorb and perform them simply and correctly.
2.2. Should children learn dog swimming from a young age?
Dog swimming movements are simple, easy to perform and are the premise to help children learn other swimming styles faster: breaststroke, butterfly or crawl,... If children skip breaststroke, learning other swimming styles will be much more difficult.
In addition, newborns up to 18 months old still maintain the innate mammalian reflexes. These are the diving reflex and the dog paddle. Diving is the reflex when the baby stops breathing when the head is submerged in water. The dog paddle is the reflex of the limbs. Therefore, for babies under 18 months old, this is the most ideal swimming style.
Children should learn dog swimming from an early age.
3. Some notes before letting your baby learn dog swimming
To ensure the safety of your baby when swimming, it is mandatory to use specialized accessories and protective equipment. Swimming goggles help protect your baby's eyes from harmful chemicals and bacteria in the pool water, and avoid dirt. A life jacket is an indispensable device to help your baby float on the water. And here are some notes you need to pay attention to:
- Choose a safe swimming location and wear full protective equipment.
- Take your children to reputable, safe swimming pools. If your family can afford it, your children can practice swimming in an indoor pool.
- Children should not eat a full meal before swimming, this will adversely affect digestion and may make the child uncomfortable.
- Do not let children swim in the sun.
- Only let children practice swimming in pools with a depth suitable for them.
After reading this article, do you understand what dog paddling is? How are swimming techniques performed? Who is it suitable for? In addition, when taking children to swimming lessons, what points should be noted to ensure that children learn to swim quickly, correctly, and ensure the safest way when swimming.
