How do the disabled swim? How do they use their legs?

Question

I'm disabled, not like Roy from the IT crowd :) I can walk on crutches or walker, and I can swim for few minutes. I realize that kicking my legs is what makes me float, using my arms is just to move around.

I can swim on my back but it's boring :) besides, I still need to use my legs at some point, and it feels awkward :) I asked my friend who has the same physical condition, he told me that he use life jacket! That's not the answer I wanted to hear! I don't want to buy anything, I could, but that's not the point.

I keep seeing people with no legs on youtube swimming, how do they do it? My legs gets tired if I kick for so long.

So how to swim using minimum effort with my legs? do they use a technique that I don't know?

Answer 1

You might be surprised at how well you can remain afloat swimming a stroke like the front crawl with just your arms once you've better developed the upper body swimming muscles :). I see the local YMCA team at the gym every morning, and these kids (aged anywhere from 10-18) all are able to perform the stroke without using their legs. The legs may sink down somewhat, but not enough to inhibit movement through the water.

While these kids may not be elite swimmers, they all are experienced, and so swimming in this manner might not be possible for you yet. To get to this point, I recommend purchasing a pull buoy to use to help you keep your legs afloat while you swim.