subject: A Fascinating History Of The Swimming Pool [print this page] Everybody knows what a swimming pool is, but few know anything about the history. From the 3rd millennium BC, ancient Roman baths like the one out of the English city of Bath are already preserved. Greeks and Romans used artificial pools for athletic training and nautical games. A Latin word for pool is piscina because fish were kept in some pools.
Within the 1800s, pools for swimming became fashionable. In London alone, six natatoriums with diving boards were constructed by 1837. In Glasgow, Scotland you can find the oldest active swim club on the planet. The Arlington Baths Club began in 1870 and includes facilities like a 21 meter pool, sauna, free standing hot tubs, and a gym along with a unique Turkish suite with natural therapies.
Swimming races were part of the first modern Olympics in 1896, and also the interest in competitive swimming grew especially after the First World War. Johnny Weissmuller is credited with starting the golden age of swimming by winning 36 national championships and five Olympic medals. In 1922 he was the first one to swim 100 meters in under 60 seconds.
Enhancements in the competing swimming pool happened periodically. The Paris Olympics discovered the very first utilization of cork lane dividers in 1924, and also the bottom of the 50 meter pool was painted with lines that helped the orientation of the competitors. The Japanese used underwater photography to study stroke mechanics which led to an upset when the Japanese won basically one title in the 1932 Olympics.
After The Second World War the domestic swimming pool grew in popularity as a coveted symbol of status. It was due in large part to swimming star Esther Williams. By 1940 she had three national championships to her name and was headed to the Olympics. Unfortunately the Games were canceled because of the war that also canceled her desires for an Olympic gold medal.
Miss Williams went on to turn into a box-office lure lavish water spectaculars that dominated the majority of the next two decades. She's attributed with popularizing synchronized as well as competitive swimming. Her name is on the very successful line of backyard pools in addition to fashion swimwear and her own Esther Williams Collection.
Pool safety factors are obviously important. President George W. Bush signed a law requiring that every public pool drains be fitted with anti-entrapment devices. This might eliminate the chance of bather entrapment due to the suction of the pump that could hold a swimmer under water. This required of public spa and spas too.
Fencing around pools is another safety feature, and is normal with houston pool management. Toddlers discover the sparkling water attractive and will fall in and drown in no time at all. Appropriate fences could keep them out of the pool. Diving boards should also be positioned correctly, and the water ought to be deep enough to avoid diving head injuries. These are recognized to cause paralysis or death.
