Nayola

I’ve decided to take a break from swimming lessons for awhile. Since my last entry, I went to the pool on my own just to get some practice in, and I felt really tense. I was not really relaxed at all. I felt kind of like I had taken a step backwards!!

I think I’ve been trying too hard and it’s beginning to feel like a job. Swimming is supposed to be fun, right?

Anyway, I told my instructor that I needed a break. I will still go to the pool, but I think I will just try to goof around and get back to the basics by myself for awhile. I need to try to just enjoy the “feeling” of the water. I need to be 100% comfortable floating on my back, front, side, whatever!!! I need to stop rushing myself and just try to learn at a slower pace.

I was all pumped and excited to get started. I have been doing so well that I thought surely today would be more of the same.

Well, it didn’t quite turn out that way. I just wasn’t really “in the groove,” so to speak. My side breathing/resuming swimming underwater coordination just really sucked. Also, my arm strokes felt awkward, and I kept getting tired kind of fast. I blame it on the fact that I had a terrible case of insomnia last night and got very little sleep. Oh, well, there will be good days and bad days. Hopefully, WAY more good than bad.

One thing that I did accomplish was I was able to swim sideways all the way across the pool a couple times with my head out of the water. I had to use the flippers, though, but it still felt pretty cool to go from end to end nonstop. Now if I could only master my balancing on my side while coming up for air and then resuming swimming underwater.

I really need to work on my body rotation and also trying to become more relaxed. These uptight muscles of mine aren’t exactly making me streamlined ;-)

Until next time…

Well, since I last wrote, I’ve had two more lessons. We’ve been working on my being able to coordinate breathing underwater, turning to the side to get air, while kicking. And today we also introduced the arm movements while trying to do all of the above. I can kind of do it while using a kickboard to keep my balance, but I still need a lot of practice. And my coordination is kind of off sometimes with the breathing, but overall I’m making good progress

I’m really looking forward to the day where I can make it all the way across the pool without stopping and without using any swimming aids. I told my husband that on that day I’m expecting him to bring his videorecorder to the pool to capture my triumphant moment ;-)

In the meantime, I’ll just keep practicing and trying to do better than I did the time before.