I think swimming is consuming my life and I've been doing it for less than 3 weeks
Former Member
At first, I was on vacation and I saw my girlfriend swim a few laps and thought, "Gosh, I should really take some lessons and learn how to do that."
Then it was, "I should really do some online research to complement my lessons."
Then, "I might as well start participating in some of these swimming forums."
Then I needed more time to practice, so I started going to rec swims. I'm now getting a SECOND instructor for a different perspective in addition to my on-my-own rec swim time.
And all the time I'm not in the pool, I'm watching videos, reading forums and articles, learning about top swimmers, going out to buy goggles (tonight), and generally wanting to get back in the water and practice...
All this and I can barely frakken swim a length in anything other than backstroke! Jesus. I'm taking "addictive personality" to new levels here. What on earth did I do with my life before three weeks ago?
And what implications does this have for the rest of my life? The first 23 years on dry-land are looking more and more like a write-off in comparison to the satisfaction I get from being in the water -- when it isn't in my nose, ears, mouth, and eyes, that is.
I spent a lot of time on dry land practicing my dancing and these days, I teach it. Because my dancing is automatic -- I "just do it" without thinking -- I can't really remember what it was like NOT to be able to do it.
In the same sense, I've had a lot of people say to me, "You're just learning to swim now? I can't imagine what it would be like NOT to be able to swim." I think I can relate.
Parents
Former Member
Breating with the kickboard can be tricky because your cann't roll, like you would breathing for freestyle. Try to bring your arms out of the water above your head, not off the the side, bending your elbows as your arm comes out.
Some people prefer or favor breathing on one side over the other. I'm a left sided breather, try it both ways can choose what is comfortable for you.
Again try this, if you are, lets say a left sided breather, when your right arm come out and stretched out to enter the water and make the pull, you would then sightly roll your shoulders to the right, turn your head and breathe, you should be able to start to see your left arm starting to come around, this is basicly you window of opportunity to breathe without getting a mouth full of water.
Catch some air put your face back into the water and at that time your left arm should be coming over the hit the water to make the next pull.
Most people I teach learning how to breathe in freestyle will, do this and say wow, that worked, it does take time to cordinate everything and that just comes with practice.
Alot of people just learning also will tend to side breathe fine, but then lift there head up and look forward then, put there head in the water. Because it takes alot of practice, this is okay for now, but try to not look forward, just turn breathe, turn face back into the water.
There are alot of people that can't swim or can't swim well, like my husband's friend says the most he swims is when he looses his beer off the floatee and he has to paddle to get it. Swimming is the only sport that can save your life. People shouldn't laugh but applaud you for your effort to want to learn. I walk past our workout room at the "Y" and just see it packed full of people working out, and in the pool there is just one or two of us lap swimming, I think to my self why don't they swim, it's the perfect exercise, but then I think, maybe it's because they don't know how or can't swim all that well. I applaud you keep ,up the good work!!
Breating with the kickboard can be tricky because your cann't roll, like you would breathing for freestyle. Try to bring your arms out of the water above your head, not off the the side, bending your elbows as your arm comes out.
Some people prefer or favor breathing on one side over the other. I'm a left sided breather, try it both ways can choose what is comfortable for you.
Again try this, if you are, lets say a left sided breather, when your right arm come out and stretched out to enter the water and make the pull, you would then sightly roll your shoulders to the right, turn your head and breathe, you should be able to start to see your left arm starting to come around, this is basicly you window of opportunity to breathe without getting a mouth full of water.
Catch some air put your face back into the water and at that time your left arm should be coming over the hit the water to make the next pull.
Most people I teach learning how to breathe in freestyle will, do this and say wow, that worked, it does take time to cordinate everything and that just comes with practice.
Alot of people just learning also will tend to side breathe fine, but then lift there head up and look forward then, put there head in the water. Because it takes alot of practice, this is okay for now, but try to not look forward, just turn breathe, turn face back into the water.
There are alot of people that can't swim or can't swim well, like my husband's friend says the most he swims is when he looses his beer off the floatee and he has to paddle to get it. Swimming is the only sport that can save your life. People shouldn't laugh but applaud you for your effort to want to learn. I walk past our workout room at the "Y" and just see it packed full of people working out, and in the pool there is just one or two of us lap swimming, I think to my self why don't they swim, it's the perfect exercise, but then I think, maybe it's because they don't know how or can't swim all that well. I applaud you keep ,up the good work!!
