Swimming Honor - advanced

Recreational Activities

Requirements

Have the Swimming Intermediate II Honor.
Answer: You need to have completed the Swimming Intermediate II Honor before starting Advanced Swimming. This prerequisite ensures mastery of the four basic strokes (front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly), aquatic endurance and safety in deep water, the foundations for the more demanding challenges of the advanced level. — The progression Beginner Swimming → Intermediate I → Intermediate II → Advanced reflects increasing difficulty. The Advanced level requires swimming 1500m continuously, 800m of front crawl and 50m of butterfly — only feasible with a solid foundation. Prerequisites protect Pathfinders from attempting challenges beyond their actual physical preparation.
Swim continuously for 1,500 meters, in any combination of swimming strokes.
Answer: You must swim 1500 meters without stopping, freely combining the strokes (front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly). In a 25m pool, that is 60 lengths; in a 50m pool, 30. — 1500m is the Olympic distance event (the mile). Good swimmers take 18-25 min; beginners up to 40-50 min. Combining strokes allows muscle groups to rest — alternating front crawl with breaststroke helps maintain a pace. Hydration before and after exercise is essential to prevent cramps and dehydration.
Front crawl - 800 meters without a break.
Answer: You must swim 800 meters in the front crawl stroke (also called freestyle), without stopping. In a 25m pool, that is 32 lengths; in a 50m pool, 16. Maintain correct technique: alternating arm stroke, lateral breathing every 2-3 strokes, constant leg kick. — Front crawl is the fastest stroke (8-10% faster than breaststroke). World record holders do 800m in ~7:30 min. Beginners do it in 20-25 min. Lateral breathing avoids swallowing water. The leg kick (60% of the propulsion) should come from the hip, not the knee. Good technique considerably reduces fatigue.
Swim underwater on a held breath (without breathing) for 25 meters.
Answer: You must cross 25 meters submerged without breathing (dynamic apnea). Do light hyperventilation beforehand (do NOT overdo it — risk of blackout), submerge and swim with an underwater breaststroke or a modified front crawl. — 25m on a held breath requires about 30-40 seconds. Extreme hyperventilation causes hypocapnia and an underwater blackout — a fatal risk. Free diving professionals do 100m+ on a single breath. An evaluator must watch in order to assist immediately in case of a problem. Never practice breath-holding alone in the pool.
Backstroke - 200 meters without a break.
Answer: Swim 200 meters in the backstroke (face up) without stopping. In a 25m pool, that is 8 lengths; in a 50m pool, 4. Technique: alternating arm stroke (one at a time), constant leg kick, body at the water line. — Backstroke is the second fastest after the front crawl. Breathing is free (the face is out of the water). Head positioning is crucial — it should be almost submerged, aligned with the spine. Looking upward helps. World record holders do 200m in ~1:50 min; beginners in 5-7 min.
Breaststroke - 200 meters.
Answer: Swim 200 meters in the breaststroke without stopping. In a 25m pool, that is 8 lengths. Technique: symmetrical arm stroke (both arms at the same time), frog leg kick (knees together, feet opening), frontal breathing with each stroke. — Breaststroke is the oldest and slowest of the four Olympic strokes. It is considered the most technical — small errors cause a significant loss of speed. World record holders do 200m in ~2:05 min; beginners in 5-8 min. The kick is the hardest part to learn correctly for beginners.
Butterfly - 50 meters.
Answer: Swim 50 meters in the butterfly stroke without stopping. In a 25m pool, that is 2 lengths. Technique: both arms simultaneously out of the water in an arc, continuous body undulation, dolphin leg kick (together), frontal breathing every 2 strokes. — Butterfly is the most tiring and technically most difficult stroke. It emerged in the 1930s as a variation of the breaststroke. World record holders do 50m in ~22 seconds; beginners in 1-2 min. The body undulation comes from the hip — the legs kick together like a dolphin's tail. Warming up is essential.
Demonstrate the flip turn in backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and front crawl.
Answer: Front crawl: flip turn — touch the wall with your hands, rotate underwater, push off with your feet. Backstroke: flip turn with a hand touch beforehand. Breaststroke and butterfly: touch with both hands simultaneously, turn and push off. — The flip turn saves 0.5-1s per turn — in 1500m events there are 30 turns, an enormous gain. It was invented by Adolph Kiefer in 1936. In breaststroke/butterfly, the rule requires a two-hand touch before the turn. Botching a turn results in disqualification in official competitions.
Speak about the principles of good conditioning and demonstrate them by checking your heart rate.
Answer: 1) Principles of good physical conditioning: progression (increasing load/distance gradually), regularity (training with a constant weekly frequency), overload (stimulating the body above the usual to improve), variation (alternating exercises and strokes to avoid stagnation) and rest/recovery (giving the body time to replenish energy and strengthen the muscles). 2) Demonstrate by checking the heart rate: measure the pulse (at the wrist or the neck/carotid) for 15 seconds and multiply by 4 to obtain the beats per minute (bpm). Check the rate at rest before exercise, during/right after the effort (it should rise, indicating that the heart is working harder) and again after a few minutes of recovery (it should return close to the resting value — the faster it recovers, the better the conditioning). The aerobic training zone is around 60-80% of the estimated maximum heart rate (220 minus the age). — These 4 principles underpin exercise physiology. A target frequency of 60-80% optimizes fat burning and cardiovascular gains. For a 15-year-old: 220-15=205, target 123-164 bpm. Above 80% is the anaerobic zone, demanding for beginners. Always consult a doctor before starting intense training.
Review the water safety rules.
Answer: Water safety rules: 1) never swim alone — always accompanied and supervised; 2) always have a lifeguard or qualified evaluator nearby; 3) warm up and stretch before entering the water; 4) know the depth of the location before swimming; 5) never dive headfirst into shallow or unknown water; 6) stay hydrated and do not swim right after a heavy meal (risk of cramps); 7) get out of the water when you feel extreme tiredness, dizziness or intense cold; 8) respect the signage and the limits of the bathing area; 9) beginners in deep water should use a float or vest; 10) in currents or the sea, never fight against the current — swim parallel to the beach until you escape it. — Drowning is the 3rd leading cause of accidental death in Brazil. 70% happen in fresh water. Muscle cramp is a common cause of drowning — stretching beforehand helps. Lifeguards should always be present at community pools. Children need constant supervision, even in shallow water of 30 cm.
Float or stay at the surface for 5 minutes. (1 minute with your hand out of the water).
Answer: Stay at the surface for 5 continuous minutes without sinking. Use floating techniques: lie back relaxed, gently move your arms/legs as if pedaling, or tread water with an egg-beater kick. — Passive floating requires total relaxation — tension sinks you. The egg-beater (an alternating leg movement like underwater pedaling) is a technique used by artistic swimmers. Keeping a hand out requires extra balance. This exercise proves the ability to survive in a situation of waiting for rescue.
Simulate a rescue with a board or rope to assist victims.
Answer: Use the lifeguard's board or rope. Stay on the edge, throw the board/rope toward the victim, ask them to hold on and pull firmly. Never enter the water alone — drowning people can grab and drag the rescuer. — A panicking victim has drowning strength (10x normal) — they can drown the rescuer. The rescue rule: 'Reach, Throw, Row, Go' — entering the water is the last resort. Drowning people can inhale fresh water that causes pulmonary edema. Always go to a hospital after a rescue.