The meaning of swimming

Originally posted by mattson What are you worried about? Of course the Steelers are going to win. ;) Keep in mind that being surrounded by moving water is going to provide your sense of touch with a lot of sensation. Normally the mind ignores this (like feel of your clothing, the pressure of the floor against your feet), but swimming allows you to explore your kinesthesia. Really groovy!

Originally posted by newmastersswimmer Swimming is a lot of things for me......First of all, it is a way that I can keep from blowing up to a giant ball of fat....seriously...up until about 4 or 5 months ago, I had blown up like Violet from Willie Wonka when she grabbed the 12 course meal chewing gum and shoved it in her mouth. Great reference! But then again, it made me think of the oompah loompah song - and now it will be in my head all day! Seriously though, here is what I love about swimming - the "high" after a hard workout where I feel wired for about four or five hours. I can accomplish almost anything in that time. One thing that I find interesting is that usually, when I get in the pool, I can focus on swimming and completely block out the rest of life for an hour or so. But once or twice a month, when some particularly troubling thought is in my head (kids, work, money, will the Steelers win this week:rolleyes: ) I will go through a workout without thinking much about my stroke. Sometimes I get to the end of a workout and I am not really sure if I did what I had planned to do! Those workouts will not always be the best ones for my endurance or stroke mechanics. But I have made many important decisions in the middle of a kick set!

Originally posted by swimpastor I began to stress out about how disastrous it will be if my candidate doesn't win. Don't stress - Nader has it in a landslide. "Would you want to elect someone who was crazy enough to actually want to be president?" - Hunter S. Thompson

Originally posted by mattson Normally the mind ignores this (like feel of your clothing, the pressure of the floor against your feet), but swimming allows you to explore your kinesthesia. I agree. The other day when I was swimming I started to think about what I was doing...not just stroke and such, but what I was really doing. If you think about it, swimming is a very strange sensation. To be pulling yourself through a virtually weightless material is an odd feeling. It's also incredibly relaxing. There have been times when Im swimming and I can't stop smiling because Im just so happy to be doing something that I love...these are truly the best workouts for the body and mind.....and it's so hard to get out and go to class on these day! :)

Originally posted by Scansy But once or twice a month, when some particularly troubling thought is in my head (kids, work, money, will the Steelers win this week:rolleyes: ) I will go through a workout without thinking much about my stroke. Sometimes I get to the end of a workout and I am not really sure if I did what I had planned to do! QUOTE] The way the Steelers are playing this year you shouldn't have to worry about that!!!! Go Steelers!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:D

I always say that swimming is what keeps me sane. After a hard days work there is nothing better to let out all of my stresses of the day. Is there any other sport were you can be surrounded by water and there is absoultly nothing that can bother you. (We'll try to forget about the kid who just hit you in the head with a ball) I can truely say that swimming helps me get over any work related stresses so that I can come home and focus on my two wonderful daughters.

I was recently asked to write a newsletter article on my philosophy of swimming and this is what I came-up with... Missouri Valley (MOVY) Masters Swimming is part of the diverse community within United States Masters Swimming (USMS). USMS is part of United States Aquatic Sport (USAS) which is part of the Federation Internationale Natation Amateur (FINA) which governs international swimming including the Olympics.. We represent individuals that: · are 18 to 80+ years old · are competitive, fitness swimmers and cross-trainers · are seeking weight loss, weight control, fitness, and competition · are different racial, ethnic, marital status, with and without children · are leaders and followers · have long hair, crew cuts, chlorine-bleached hair or are folliculrly-challenged · work in diverse occupations · are longtime swimmer and the new starters · live in the urban cores or in the rural areas of the heartland · swim in pools with chorine or bromine, and in lakes (Note: We don't have ocean to swim in Kansas and Missouri, but some of our swimmers travel to swim in the ocean.) · MOVY is built on a foundation that we all enjoy aquatic activities. MOVY is a community that tries to make everyone welcome. We are a community of inclusion. We share our lives with each other. We are friends. We hold socials. We support each through illness, family issues, problems at work, problems at home, life changing experiences, and more. We celebrate each others’ successes - the birth of a child, marriage, a promotion at work, and a victorious event. MOVY offers a diversity of workout groups - some workouts are 30 minutes, other 60 minutes, and a few are 90 minutes. We workout early in the morning and late at night, and a few over noontime. We find time on the weekends to workout. We workout occasional, and we workout ttwice a day for weeks on end. We workout through the cold winter month and under the summer sun. MOVY celebrate diversity within our swimming community. We honor each individual’s goals, and we help each other set and achieve goals. We encourage everyone to have goals appropriate for them, whether that is making a 25 yard fly, completing a 1500 Free or an open water swim or triathlon, or just making it through a whole workout. We push our fellow swimmers to prepare for competition, and enjoy the team aspect of relays. We travel around the world to swim, and we wait for opportunities close to home. MOVY gives us the opportunity to share our experience and expertise. We learn from each other and we teach and observe. We give back to our community by supporting many aquatic centers, volunteering or working as coach, mentors and lifeguards, participate and lead fitness groups, workshops and clinics, and recruiting new people to our community. MOVY is led by a core of volunteers. So get involved. Find a workout group or even 2-3 that meet your needs, or train on your own. MOVY is a diverse community and part of the greater communities of USMS and FINA. Celebrate the diversity of Masters Swimming and be part of the community.

I'll put it pretty simple: some people go for mental help to a psychiatrist's or grab a bottle if they have a bad day -- well, I go to a swimming pool ...it clears my mind and soul:-) and starts my life all over like nothing ever troubled me ... every single time. It's not just sport ... it's the lifestyle, the drug I recently discovered that I am addicted to now...

(We'll try to forget about the kid who just hit you in the head with a ball) Very Funny Insert...(and so true!)!! It's nice to know that some things will always be the same at every public pool (YMCA I'm guessing??) At my YMCA I'm convinced that the kids have made an organized sport out of this....and they always act so innocent afterwards. Also I want to say that I really appreciated reading the messages from CraigIII and Sonic Swimmer. Thanks for sharing those stories with us.....I'm so glad that swimming has been able to smooth out some of the unfortunate rough edges that life can sometimes bring!!....For me, I was falling into a kid of depression associated with my severe obesity problem.....and since running was to hard on my feet and ankles (I already was suffering from severe swelling of the ankles), swimming was the clear choice for me....so far it has worked miracles for me....I've lost around 65 pounds since the middle of May (when I first started back to swimming again)....I still have about 30 - 40 pounds to go before I reach my weight goal, but now I feel confident and healthy...and I just feel 100% better in every way thanks to swimming! newmastersswimmer

Originally posted by SWinkleblech I always say that swimming is what keeps me sane. As far as I can remember, Swimming has always played a major role in my life, but for ten long years, Swimming was left out of my life. Sadly, I experienced depression, frustration and to some degree, anger toward the world. Being vision impaired (since birth) isn't easy and sometimes life is more challenging. I remember at the beginning of '04, promising myself that I'll go out more, do more things and live life at it's best... It wasn't until early spring that I realized that my life was incomplete, there was something missing, but what?? By April, while at work, I realized that I hadn't swam in such a long time. The tiny spark in the back of my head soon turned into a forest fire. I knew what was missing. I wanted to go back into the water and swim. It wasn't until Monday, April 26th, 2004 (after making my research on the aquatic centers in town and buying swimwear and equipment) that I started a lifelong commitment. Swimming, to me is like the narcotic you don't want to put down. It's the feel of the water when you dive into your favorite lane. It's more than just competing or working out, it's the asthetic view of it. It's swimming in an indoor pool on a sunny evening, seeing the sun set, watching the night unfold. It's the wonderful smell of chlorine when you take a quick break. It's the relaxing sedative that tells you "Everything's gonna be all right." It's knowing that life isn't as bad as it might seem at times. Why, if it weren't for swimming, my life would be an absolute mess. So, I thank myself for going back to the pool, I thank Masters Swimming for broadening my circle of friends, and I thank this forum for all of us who have one thing in common: Swimming and how we can't get enough of the water. Some say that being 90% water isn't enough.