The History of Swimming Part 3

In Japan swimming was considered a noble skill of the Samurai, and historic records describe swimming competitions in 36 B.C. organized by emperor Suigui (spelling not clear), which are known to be the first swimming races. The Germanic folklore also describes swimming, by the way was used successfully in wars against the Roman Army. Swimming comeptitions are also known from that time in history.

During the Middle Ages, swimming was considered to be one of the seven agilities of knights. this included the knights swimming in their armour. Swimming was done more nude than any other way, yet it became less popular as society became more conservative. Swimming was later opposed by the church at the end of the middle ages. In the 16Th century, a German court document in the Vechta prohibited naked public swimming of children. Leonardo Da Vinci made early sketches of lifebelts. Nicolas Wynman's book on swimming "Colymbetes" was not designed for the showcase of swimming as an exercise, rather to educate and reduce the dangers of drowning. The book also contained a methodical approach to learning the breaststroke, and includes swimming aids such as filled cow bladders, reed bundles, or cork belts. Around the same time that Wynman's book was written, E. Digby in England also wrote a book about swimming, however his book claimed that humans had the ability to swim better than fish.

Japan established the first national swimming organization in 1603 and emperor Go-Yozei declared that all school age children should learn to swim. "The Art of Swimming", written by the French author Thevenot described a breaststroke technique similar to the modern breaststroke. The book was translated into English and became the standard reference manual for swimming for many years.

Stay tuned for the history of swimming part 4.