Early evidence of this timeless activity is a late fifth-century depiction of a young diver at an ancient burial vault in Naples, Italy. Modern history of diving takes us back more than a hundred years to when people simply enjoyed jumping into the water, and dare devils challenged one another to their best and deepest plunges possible.

Most diving competitions involve three general categories: Springboard diving (1 meter and 3 meter), platform diving, and synchronized diving. World class diving events fall under the jurisdiction of FINA, the governing body for international swimming and diving competitions.

Some of the earliest evidence from Japan shows that open water swim competitions were held as far back as 2,000 years ago. Today, an ageless passion for water finds expression in the modern Olympic Games.

Scuba diving is a kind of underwater diving that uses a set of gear to breathe underwater, and S-C-U-B-A is actually an acronym that stands for Self Contained Underwater Breathing Apparatus.

Perhaps no other recreational activity demands quite as much technical know-how as scuba diving. Proper training, preparation, and confidence go a long way to having a safe and enjoyable journey through the underwater world.

An alphabetical list of terms used in scuba diving.

When water makes up about seventy-five percent of the earth's surface, humans can't help but explore it. But the mystery of the vast underwater world could never be solved on a single breath. And so scuba diving came to be.

As scuba diving reached a point of widespread popularity, diving organizations were created to provide resources and training to ensure diver safety.

As scuba diving reached a point of widespread popularity, diving organizations were created to provide resources and training to ensure diver safety.

There was a time when swim caps did more than just protect swim athletes' hair from harsh elements, and reduce swimmers drag. They were indispensable fashion accessories. About 70 years ago, no woman's swim costume would have been complete without one.

The following are main points regarding swim cap rules gleaned from the two leading swim competition bodies that govern the sport of swimming in the US, which are USA Swimming, and FINA.

General swimsuit rules for team swim suits worn during official swim competitions in the US. As rules vary from one organization to another, please check with your local high school, college, or organization for official rules pertaining to your swim team.

Take a dip into the colorful history of swim suits, and what you'll find is that swimsuits have a long and curiously spotted history. In the wake of struggling to strike a balance between functionality and modesty, the world of recreational and competition swim suits' only task now is to stay in keeping with the ever-evolving fashion trends.

An alphabetical list of terms used in team swimming

As with other widespread competitive sports, water athletics requires guidance for swim coaches and athletes worldwide. Swimming governing bodies oversee team swim, diving, open water swimming, synchronized swimming, water polo, and other aquatic sports in the US and internationally.

According to stone-age paintings, humans have braved the waters since the dawn of man. The Cave of Swimmers, found in southwest Egypt, shows people doing something like the breaststroke, which began as, yes you named it, the doggie paddle. A 4,000-9,000 year-old Egyptian clay seal reveals humans taking to water in ancient times. On the seal, four swimmers appear to be doing the front crawl. Ancient Assyrian and Babylonian reliefs bear proof of man's age old love of diving into the deep blue sea. Most famous among them are drawings found in the Kebir desert dated to around 4,000 BC. Various depictions of swimmers have been unearthed among the Minoans, the Hittites, in Pompeii, and other Middle Eastern civilizations.

A first place race at the pool begins before swimmers take their marks. Making swimming drills and tips a regular part of your aquatic training will ensure you achieve your personal best.

Grace, timing, control, water, and music all combine to create an elegant swim competition known as synchronized swimming. Whether it's done as a solo, a twosome, a trio, or a team, synchronized swimming is about performing routines in the water set to music. How, when, and where it began, how it became a sporting event, and where it is today are a few questions you'll find answers to as you read on.

What follows are some basic FINA guidelines for judging international synchronized swimming competitions. National and local competitions use similar rules with certain modifications.

As with all competitive sports, team swimming in the US and internationally is governed by an extensive set of swim rules and regulations. What follows is a look at basic team swim rules set by the governing body for international swim competitions, or *FINA, which serve as a guide for national and local swim clubs. The national governing body for the US, USA Swimming, provides its own official publication of a similar but modified set of rules.

The history of water polo dates to late nineteenth century Scotland, and its invention is the work of swim instructor William Wilson. Water polo quickly became a popular pastime in Scotland and Britain, and was one of the first team sports introduced at the international modern Olympics.

The following information includes some main points from the water polo rules of play established by FINA and enforced by USA Water Polo.