ENERGY-SAVING MODE OF FREELY STAYING IN WATER

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present inventions relates to the field of human activities involving staying in water, in particular, it can be used in order to teach swimming and escape drawing, in the course of physical training and auto-training, and in sports, medicine, etc.

BACKGROUND

There are various modes of swimming (see, e.g., description of RU Patent No. 2,003,370 Cl), which employ auxiliary means in order to increase buoyancy of the human body. Such means, while offering convenient aid in learning of unskilled swimmers, do not help to overcome the main difficulty, that is, fear to sink into water (fear of depth). These auxiliary means are rather misleading, making an unskilled swimmer dependent on the availability of such technical aid. In order to make possible the use of the auxiliary means of increasing buoyancy, these devices, despite their relatively large dimensions, must be always at hand. A special class of means that is worth of mentioning includes lifebelts, neoprene overalls, etc.

There are several means of swimming whereby the head is immersed under water [see, e.g., J.-M. Oyenar and P. Miulen, Diving, Astrel, Moscow (2004)], which stipulate the use of snorkels provided with special devices for the removal of water. Such means are convenient in the course of diving sessions, whereby a diver chooses (i.e., knows) the time of immersion and expects that some water can get into the snorkel tube.

However, real practice shows that a swimmer occurring on a rough water surface usually cannot correctly and timely assess the situation and prevent (by breath-holding) the admission of water into his respiratory tract (breathing passages). This situation is especially important in cases of rescue from drawing. Snorkels are not at all applicable in rescuing unconscious persons.

In the prior art, there is a mode of statically staying in water, whereby the head is turned with the face up and straightened with the chin up, and the legs are flexed [see N.Zh. Bulgakova, N.N. Maksimova, N.N. Marinich, et al., in: Water Sports, (N.Zh. Bulgakova (ed.), Akademia, Moscow (2003)]. This mode of staying in water was used as a prototype for the present invention.

A related mode of keeping on the water surface in the course of active swimming, which also makes use of the above elements, was presented in the aforementioned prior art (RU Patent

No. 2,003,370, see Fig. 8 and related text). According to this mode, the thighs are additionally flexed and the arms are slightly (within 10-15°) flexed in or out.

The aforementioned prototype is convenient, in particular, for occurring in a static state prior to performing base elements in synchronous swimming. One disadvantage of the prototype is the need for continuously performing motions with hands in order to stabilize the position of a body relative to the water surface. Another disadvantage of said prototype is a significant deviation of the body center of gravity toward legs from the vertical line passing through the point of application of the buoyancy force.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

The present invention is aimed at developing the known modes of swimming, including those employing auxiliary means. The invention provides comfortable staying at the water surface (with only certain parts of the face such as nose, chin, mouth, elbows, eyes, and forehead occurring above the surface) without using any additional means and/or supports. The disclosed invention is also intended to facilitate the teaching process, impart sense of security and buoyancy to a learner, and accelerate his adaptation to aqueous element.

In creating the present invention, problems have been solved in order to (i) develop the optimum modes of grouping the body, still admitting simple energy-saving motions necessary to maintain desired orientation in water and to restore peripheral blood flow; (ii) find a convenient start position that precedes active swimming (leading to motion of the body center of gravity);

(iii) provide auxiliary means facilitating realization of the present invention by various individuals, including those with restricted mobility of joints, under conditions of prolonged staying in water and/or considerable water surface roughness.

The technical result that can be achieved due to implementation of the present invention is as follows:

(1) eliminating stress related to staying in water far from supports;

(2) ensuring high stability of staying in water without movements, even at large perturbations of the water surface;

(3) providing the possibility of full body rest with effective muscle relaxation during prolonged staying in both sea and river (salt and fresh) water far from supports, with effective relaxation of muscles which are predominantly involved in motions during active swimming;

(4) expanding the possibility of staying in water far from supports for individuals with restricted mobility of joints;

(5) ensuring therapeutic and prophylactic unloading of joints, spinal column, etc.

(6) ensuring prophylaxis of disorders in respiratory apparatus;

(7) providing the possibility to use auxiliary means (compact devices) in order to increase buoyancy, which perform additional functions as the elements of equipment;

(8) offering convenient arrangement of search and survival means on the body.

There is a known mode of static staying in water, according to which the head is turned with the face up and straightened with the chin up, and the knees are flexed. The claimed technical result is achieved predominantly due to the following distinctive features introduced into the known mode of staying in water:

The face is turned upward, the head is straightened to an angle of up to 60°, the legs are flexed by angles from 20 to 170°, and

(i) the arms are drawn aside and turned out by angles from 60 to 160° and from 30 to 100°, respectively, and the forearms are flexed by angles from 60 to 160°, or (ii) the arms are straightened out by angles from 170 to 210° and the thighs are flexed, or (iii) the arms are flexed by angles from 10 to 90° and the hips are straightened.

There are also the following additional distinctive features, whereby

- after the above movements, the head orientation and/or the orientations of extremities relative to the body or relative to each other are changed over a period of time involving from one to ten respiratory movements so as to stabilize the body position in water (in other words, the deviation of the body center of gravity from the vertical line passing through the point of application of the buoyancy force is controlled in accordance with the buoyancy of a particular body), and

- the so established position is maintained for a long period of time.

The claimed technical result is achieved in full, provided realization of the main and partial distinctive features as indicated below:

The thighs are flexed in by angles from 20 pp 170° and drawn aside by angles from 5 λO 30°. The arms are also flexed in or out and, accordingly the spinal column is flexed by an angle up to 60° or straightened by an angle up to 45°.

The arms are flexed until the forearms will be parallel to the water surface to within ±20°.

The thighs are flexed and drawn aside by angles from 5 to 45°. The arms are flexed so that the fingers touch the distal parts of legs or the regions of ankle joints. The fingers are bent so that the hands would clasp the legs or the regions of ankle joints.

The arms are flexed until they will be perpendicular to the water surface to within ±30°. In flexing arms, the effort necessary to perform or maintain the aforementioned bending can be reduced with the aid of an auxiliary device.

The arms are flexed so as to reach auxiliary devices attached to the distal parts of legs, the regions of ankle joints, or the feet. The fingers are bent so that the hands would clasp a part or parts of this device.

The head is straightened until the face will be parallel to the water surface to within ±20° and the nose will be situated above the water. For this purpose, the body position is controlled using proper respiratory movements, by setting maximum acceptable extent of expiration or the degree of lung ventilation. After performing ultimately deep inspirations over several dozen seconds, the breathing character can be changed to shallow.

A snorkel can be used so as to eliminate the admission of water to the respiratory tract (breathing passages). In particular, the inspiration or all respiratory movements can be blocked when water occurs in the snorkel.

It is also possible to use special nose clamps, which prevent the admission of water into the nasal tract.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

The present invention can be illustrated by the following drawings:

Figure 1 shows the typical top view of a man staying in water using the disclosed mode with the arms drawn away.

Figures 2 and 3 shows the typical side views of a man staying in water using the disclosed mode with the arms flexed out.

Figure 4 shows the typical side views of a man staying in water using the disclosed mode with the arms flexed in and with the hands clasping legs.

Figure 4 shows the typical side views of a man staying in water using the disclosed mode with the arms flexed in and with the hands not touching legs.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

In Figs. 1 and 3, gray contours show parts of the body, which are not protruding out of the water. Figures 1 to 5 fully reveal the main idea of the present invention and show possible variants of its realization in accordance with the main distinctive features.

Everywhere in this description, the word combination "relative to water" in most cases implies "relative to the water surface" (that is, relative to the median line of the air-water interface). This word combination can also be understood as "in stationary flows - relative to the center of gravity of the main volume of water, and in turbulent flows - relative to the center of gravity of the volume of surface layers of water commensurate with the body weight."

By stationary staying in water is implied the occurrence in water with a depth above 0.25 m (far from any supports), whereby the body is at the surface (with some parts, primarily the face, occurring in air) and the body center of gravity is predominantly at rest relative to water. It is also stipulated that no significant changes take place in the position of a body in water (for example, in quiet water, the body does not completely sink into water as a result of buoyancy variations in the course of breathing).

It should be noted that, while staying in water according to the disclosed mode, a man can perform various movements with his body, head, and/or extremities, not violating the claimed destination of the disclosed invention.

By stabilization of the body position relative to water is mostly implied the elimination of body rotations relative to its longitudinal and transverse axes (that is, relative to the water surface in terms of the heel and pitching).

By a long period of time is implied that exceeding five seconds. It is important to note that, to the inventor's knowledge, the disclosed mode can provide for stable staying in water over more than five hours. Thus the period of time can range from 5 sec to 5 h.

By a body is implied a limited region of space occupied by organic tissues of the human body.

This description of the invention frequently indicates the angles characterizing movements resulting in a change in the mutual orientation of various parts of a body. It should be noted that the lower boundary indicates the minimum value at which the claimed technical result is achieved, while the upper boundary usually reflects the potential ability of a skilled individual (for example, an athlete) to perform this movement. The optimum values of all angles are individual. In realizing the present invention, each user should keep indications given in this description and choose the angles of bending for extremities and parts of his body. As a rule, the preferred values fall in the indicated intervals and are closer to their upper boundaries.

Three preferred embodiments of the disclosed invention are presented below, which provide stable static staying at the surface of deep water. These variants represent the development of a prototype, whereby the head is turned with the face up and straightened with

the chirrup, and the legs are flexed (see Figs. 1 to 5). In order to refine the movements, it should be noted tat the head is straightened to an angle not exceeding 60° and the legs are flexed by an angle from 20 to 170°.

The necessary parts in all the three preferred embodiments are the two steps. First, the head orientation and/or the orientations of extremities relative to the body or relative to each other are changed over a period of time involving from one to ten respiratory movements so as to stabilize the body position in water. This is necessary in order to control the deviation of the body center of gravity from the vertical line passing through the point of application of the buoyancy force in accordance with the buoyancy of a particular body. Second, the so established stable position of the body can be maintained for a long period of time, which provides realization of the present invention.

The aforementioned stabilization can be reached and the stabilized body position relative to water can be maintained, as a rule, using movements selected from the following list:

- The spinal column is tilted and/or rotated by angles up to 60°;

- The thigh is flexed by angles up to 50° (in the particular case, the thighs are crossed);

- The thigh is turned inside or outside by an angle of up to 40° and 20°, respectively;

- The leg is turned inside or outside by an angle of up to 20° and 50°, respectively;

- The foot is flexed in and out by an angle of up to 50° and 30°, respectively;

- The foot is turned inside or outside;

- The toe is bent or straightened (as a rule, all toes are bent rather than one, see below);

- The toe is driven in or out;

- The arm is turned inside or outside;

- The arm is flexed by an angle of up to 60°;

- The forearm is straightened;

- The forearm is turned inside or outside;

- The hand is flexed in and out by an angle of up to 100° and 80°, respectively;

- The hand is turned inside or outside by an angle of up to 50° and 30°, respectively;

- The finger is bent or straightened and turned inside or outside;

- The head is tilted or rotated by angles up to 50° and 80°, respectively.

It should be noted that, although the above list indicates one part of the body, the movements can be simultaneously performed by the other (for example, pairwise) parts as well. For example, the left foot can be turner inside, while the right foot is turned inside or outside. By the same token, one finger or all fingers simultaneously can be bent or straightened.

The main differences between preferred embodiments of the disclosed invention are as follows:

- in one case (Fig. 1), the arms are drawn aside and turned outside (by angles from 60° to 160° and from 30° to 100°, respectively), and the forearms are flexed (by an angle from 60° to 160°);

- in the two other cases, the arms are straightened (to angles from 170° to 210° and thighs are flexed (Figs. 2 and 3) or arms are flexed (by angles from 10° to 90°) and thighs are straightened (Figs. 4 and 5). Here, thighs can be flexed by angles from 20° to 170° and stretched to angles from 5° to 30°.

A significant difference between the two embodiments illustraόted in Figs. 2 and 4 is as follows. In the horizontal position (Fig. 2), the body center of gravity is close to the vertical line passing through the point of application of the buoyancy force (the center of pressure produced by water upon the body). In the vertical position, the nose and/or mouth are also situated close to this vertical line.

For successful implementation of the disclosed invention, in particular, for staying in water under most comfortable conditions, it is also recommended to perform the following movements. Depending on whether the arms are flexed in or out, it is possible to bend or straighten the spinal column (Figs. 2,. 4, 5) by an angle of up to 60° and 45°, respectively.

The arms can be straightened (Fig, 2) are flexed out until the forearms will be parallel to the water surface to within ±20°.

The thighs can be flexed (Figs. 1 and 3) and drawn aside by angles from 5 to 45°. The arms can be flexed so that the fingers touch the distal parts of legs or the regions of ankle joints. Then, the fingers are bent so that the hands would clasp the legs or the regions of ankle joints. However, this clasping is not necessary (Fig. 5) and the arms can be straightened and kept freely in water. Alternatively, the arms can be flexed until they will be perpendicular to the water surface to within ±30°.

In moving arms, it can be also convenient to draw the scapulas back toward medial side via the acromioclaivcular joint, whereby the trapezius (shawl) and rhomboid muscles are working and the scapulas are moved toward the spinal column.

In order to more precisely determine the necessary movements, it should be noted that (i) the head is straightened at the atlanto-occipital joint relative to the frontal axis, whereby the trapezius and sternocleidomastoid muscles and the splenius, longissimus, semispinalis, rectus posterior major and minor, and superior oblique muscles of head are working;

(ii) the leg is flexed at the knee joint relative to the frontal axis, whereby the semitendinous, semimembranous, thigh biceps, gracilis, tailor's, gastrocnemius, popliteal, and plantar muscles are working;

(iii) the arm is drawn at the shoulder joint relative to the sagittal axis, whereby deltoid, supraspinous, and arm biceps muscles are working;

(iv) the arm is turned outside at the shoulder joint relative to the vertical axis, whereby deltoid, supraspinous, infraspinous, and teres minor muscles are working;

(v) the forearm is flexed at the elbow joint relative to the frontal axis, whereby the arm biceps, brachial, brachioradial, radial wrist flexor, long palmar, and long and short radial wrist extensor muscles are working;

(vi) the arm is straightened at the shoulder joint relative to the frontal axis, whereby deltoid, dorsal, and teres major muscles are working;

(vii) the thigh is flexed at the hip joint relative to the frontal axis, whereby the thigh rectus, iliopsoas, thigh fascia tensor, tailor's, gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and pectineal muscles are working;

(viii) the arm is flexed at the shoulder joint relative to the frontal axis, whereby deltoid, greater pectoral, coracobrachial, and arm biceps muscles are working;

(ix) the thigh is straightened at the hip joint relative to the frontal axis, whereby the gluteus minimus, medius, and maximus, great adductor, semimembranous, semitendinous, thigh biceps, and thigh quadrate muscles are working;

(x) the spinal column is flexed and straightened at the vertebral joints and intervertebral disks relative to the frontal axis, whereby the spine erector, trapezius, head and neck splenius muscles are working for flexing and the abdominal rectus, oblique internal and external muscles, and the scalene, long neck, and sternocleidomastoid muscles are working for straightening;

(xi) the thigh is drawn at the hip joint relative to the sagittal axis, whereby the gluteus minimus, medius, and maximus, thigh fascia tensor, piriform, and tailor's muscles are working;

(xii) the fingers are bent at the metacarpophalangeal and interphalageal joints relative to the frontal axis, whereby the finger long and short flexor and lumbrical muscles are working.

It should be noted that all these movements can be performed, without significant loss of the quality of claimed technical results, either sequentially or simultaneously.

Another important feature is that the movements deterrnining the main distinguishing features of this invention (as well as the other movements) can be performed by a man both with respect to himself and with respect to foreign bodies.

The claimed technical result is also achieved in full, provided realization of the following movements. In flexing arms, the effort necessary to perform or maintain the aforementioned bending can be reduced with the aid of an auxiliary device, which allows at least one of the aforementioned muscles to be relaxed. In particular, the knees can be hold by a belt fixed with ends at the swimming trunks. Alternatively, the knees can be drawn to the breast by a belt turned round the waist. The arms can be flexed so as to reach auxiliary devices attached to the distal parts of legs, the regions of ankle joints, or the feet. The fingers are bent so that the hands would clasp a part or parts of this device. In one possible variant, hands can hold the ends of a rope fastened to the fins or turned around the distal parts of legs or around the feet. In rescuing an unconscious person, such auxiliary devices can be used to attach its hands to the distal parts of legs. In a particular embodiment, the flexing and straightening of extremities and joints can be performed with elastic deformation of such auxiliary devices. For example, it is possible to use rubber ribbons, ropes, etc., including the elements of swimming wear.

In realizations of the disclosed mode of staying in water, it is always necessary to provide that the head would be straightened so that the face be parallel to the water surface to within ±20° and the nose would be above the water. For this purpose, the body position is controlled using proper respiratory movements, by setting maximum acceptable extent of expiration or the degree of lung ventilation.

In order to increase the buoyancy, ultimately deep inspirations are performed over several dozen seconds and then the breathing character can be changed to shallow.

In addition, a snorkel can be used so as to eliminate the admission of water to the respiratory tract. It is necessary either to avoid the contact of breathing passages with the snorkel parts where water can occur, or to exclude the possibility of water appearance in the snorkel. The latter can be provided by connecting mouth via a flexible tube to the snorkel whose upper end is mounted on an unsinkable and nonoverturning float. Alternatively, it is possible to use a system of valves, which are closed under the pressure of water admitted to the tube, thus blocking the way to breathing passages. In particular, the inspiration or even all respiratory movements can be blocked when water appears in the snorkel.

In some cases, it is expedient to use special nose clamps, which prevent the admission of water into the nasal tract.

The claimed technical result reduces in the general case to providing the possibility of breathing in the course of stable static staying without active motions at the surface of a in deep

water. This possibility is provided by the optimum grouping of the body in a stable equilibrium state, whereby the center of gravity is on the same vertical line with the center of pressure, the former center is below the latter, and the nose and/or mouth is above the latter (and above the water surface). Using the disclosed invention, any one can comfortably stay at the surface of deep water for a long time in immobile state without using additional means and/or supports. , to the inventor's knowledge, there were no cases when a particular person could not use all three of the preferred embodiments of the present invention.

The disclosed invention facilitates the swim teaching process by reducing the initial stage of preparation (for both children and adults) to several dozen minutes. Indeed, the main aim of the first teaching stage is to impart learners a skill of stable staying at the surface of deep water for a long time without active motions, after which the learner can readily proceed from static poses (Figs. 2 and 3) to active swimming. Use of the disclosed invention makes a learner self- confident in unsinkability on staying in water far from supports, thus accelerating the adaptation to aqueous element.

The disclosed invention ensures optimum grouping of the body, still admitting simple energy-saving motions necessary to maintain desired orientation in water and to restore peripheral blood flow. It should be noted that, in realization of the disclosed invention, no one of the movements described above does significantly violate the stability of staying in water. The aforementioned additional devices make possible realization of the proposed invention by various persons, including those with restricted mobility of joints, under conditions of prolonged staying in water and/or considerable water surface roughness.

The inventor reckons that relation of the main distinctive features of the disclosed invention to the claimed technical result is evident. In particular:

(1) The elimination of stress related to staying in water far from supports is ensured by realization of the distinctive features described in Claims 1, 9, 15-17, and 19.

(2) The high stability of staying in water without movements at the surface of deep water, even at large perturbations of the water surface, is ensured by realization of the distinctive features described in Claims 1 and 17.

(3) The possibility of full body rest with effective muscle relaxation during prolonged staying in both sea and river (salt and fresh) water far from supports, with effective relaxation of muscles which are predominantly involved in motions during active swimming is provided by realization of the distinctive features described in Claims 1-7, 10, 11-17, and 18-22.

(4) The increased possibility of staying in water far from supports for individuals with restricted mobility of joints (with highly effective use of additional devices) is provided by realization of the distinctive features described in Claims 1-8 and 10-15.

(5) The therapeutic and prophylactic unloading of joints, spinal column, etc. is provided by realization of the distinctive features described in Claims 1-8 and 10-15 (in particular, due to the effective relaxation of muscles not involved in the movements performed in the course of realization of the disclosed invention.

(6) The prophylaxis of disorders in respiratory apparatus is provided by realization of the distinctive features described in Claim 17, since the nose and/or mouth of a man occur in the immediate vicinity of the surface (i.e., in the region of increased vapor pressure) and it is possible to produce effective inhalation of the breathing pathways with humid sea (river) air saturated with trace elements (under natural ventilation conditions).

(7) The possibility of prolonged energy-saving staying in both sea and river (salt and fresh) water far from supports under conditions of considerable water surface roughness - in particular, during a storm - is provided by realization of the distinctive features described in Claims 1-7, 10, and 18-22.

(8) The possibility to use auxiliary means (compact devices) in order to increase buoyancy, which perform additional functions as the elements of equipment is provided by realization of the distinctive features described in Claims 1, 11-14, and 18-22.

(9) The possibility of convenient arrangement of search and survival means on the body is provided by realization of the distinctive features described in Claim 1 (taking into account the orientation of a body in water, such convenient sites are offered by forehead, knees, chin, etc.).

Preferred embodiments of the present invention are illustrated by Figures 1- 5.