Bring your hands together under your chin, with the palms down,
fingers straight, close together, and pointing in the direction you
are about to move. Next shove the two hands straight out in front of
you, keeping your thumbs touching. As your hands are pushed forward,
kick backward with your legs, as previously described. When the knees
are straight, the legs will be spread wide apart. Bring them together,
and, if you time this properly, your position will now be that of an
arrow, the point being your extended hands.

While the arms and legs alike do their share in the propulsion of the
body, the legs perform by far the most important work, and the
importance of a good "kick" cannot be too strongly urged. Though the
action of the soles of the feet upon the water helps the "drive," the
momentum is also given by the "wedge" of water embraced and driven
backwards by the action of the backs of the thighs and calves, as they
almost come together at the completion of the leg stroke. Hence, the
wider the stretch the more powerful the "drive," and the beginner
should try to rival as closely as possible that acrobatic performance
known as "the splits" when trying to master the kick. The action of
arms and legs is alternate; that is to say, when the legs are making
their sweep, the arms are thrown forward to their fullest extent, thus
helping to sustain the upper part of the trunk, and serving as a prow
or cutwater; then, during the first part of the arm stroke, the legs,
almost touching after finishing their work, remain stiff and extended,
so as to offer as little resistance as possible. These positions are
but momentary, but their rigid observance is necessary to ensure pace
with the least expenditure of force.

THE ARMS