What is swimming?

Swimming is a sport in which an individual moves through water by kicking and using the arms. The earliest record of swimming as a sport or physical exercise dates to about 100,000 years ago. A German professor wrote the first book on swimming in 1538.

Swimming is a competitive sport and is considered good all-around exercise for people of all ages and fitness levels. It works all the major muscle groups and is easy on the joints. It also helps build cardiovascular strength. Swimming is often used as a form of physical therapy for injured or disabled people. Swimming strokes, or ways of moving through the water, include freestyle, backstroke, butterfly and breaststroke.