The Fastest Age

Connie, maybe the scuba diving you did when you were younger is helping now because you have a comfort in the water. Being able to relax in the water is a big part of being able to do some of these things. I am volunteering at the Y this week teaching their little Splash week introduction to water safety. One of the hardest things to get youngsters to do is relax. Try floating when every muscle in your body is tense. It doesn't work. I have to tell them I want their arms and legs floppy. Some tense up, some just keep thrashing. Then others just get in, feel at ease and do it. When I speak to the parents, I find these are the kids that the parent has gotten in the water with and played with, so the kid equates water as fun and is relaxed. So translate that to me trying to learn backstroke turns, which I only succesfully did in the last 6 months. Coach tells us we are going to work on backstroke turns. Having watched tons of age group practices I know the first step is to know your count, then learn the timing of when to turn over, stroke and flip. I know all these things, but my head is saying, yeah, but after I flip I am going to be on my back, under water and have used up all my air on the flip. So right away before I even start to execute the turn, I am uptight, using more air than I need, and subsequently have a near drowning on the turn! Time has started to erase these problems and I can now streamline at least halfway across the pool on my back underwater. But it is because I am so stubborn and refused to give in. And I now know I won't drown in 4 foot of water! When you are taught to relax in the water as a child, then these things don't plague you as much as an adult.

Connie, maybe the scuba diving you did when you were younger is helping now because you have a comfort in the water. Being able to relax in the water is a big part of being able to do some of these things. I am volunteering at the Y this week teaching their little Splash week introduction to water safety. One of the hardest things to get youngsters to do is relax. Try floating when every muscle in your body is tense. It doesn't work. I have to tell them I want their arms and legs floppy. Some tense up, some just keep thrashing. Then others just get in, feel at ease and do it. When I speak to the parents, I find these are the kids that the parent has gotten in the water with and played with, so the kid equates water as fun and is relaxed. So translate that to me trying to learn backstroke turns, which I only succesfully did in the last 6 months. Coach tells us we are going to work on backstroke turns. Having watched tons of age group practices I know the first step is to know your count, then learn the timing of when to turn over, stroke and flip. I know all these things, but my head is saying, yeah, but after I flip I am going to be on my back, under water and have used up all my air on the flip. So right away before I even start to execute the turn, I am uptight, using more air than I need, and subsequently have a near drowning on the turn! Time has started to erase these problems and I can now streamline at least halfway across the pool on my back underwater. But it is because I am so stubborn and refused to give in. And I now know I won't drown in 4 foot of water! When you are taught to relax in the water as a child, then these things don't plague you as much as an adult.