My other instructor has helped me figure out a bunch of things.
First, she solved my kicking problem for good: I was still kicking from the knees mostly, even though I can do a proper kick on dry land. All the advice I got here was great, but it turns out that no matter what I can reproduce on dry-land, I always go back to my old habits in the water.
I realized it when I put my legs in the water and WATCHED what I was doing: the water made me FEEL like I was moving my whole leg, but really just the lower half was doing anything. Once I started doing it RIGHT, I felt new muscles engaging everywhere.
The other major thing she's done for me is taught me the breaststroke (although I don't have the breathing down very well) and elementary backstroke.
Compared to my regular backstroke, I can just zip across the pool with the elementary backstroke. It's quite fun. I have no idea why this isn't the first thing everyone learns in the pool, as it took me just 15 minutes to get it right (more or less) and I was zipping around in no time.
She also fixed my push-offs and glides. I would push off the wall on my back and then glide, but my knees would be bent. I figured out that I was subconsciously trying to get my legs up to the surface, but the physical result was sinking legs and a knee bend. Once I just learned to straighten them out, they naturally started to come up to the top thanks to the velocity from the glide.
It IS a bit frustrating to see some folks in the group lessons (before my private) picking up freestyle in like an hour. I've struggled with breathing for freestyle under my old instructor for WEEKS. The new one hasn't tried to teach it to me yet, but I'm hoping when she does, it'll become crystal clear... that's the effect she's had elsewhere.
I'm getting really tired of drinking the pool.
I tried the very first TI float drill... it's really frustrating because my legs sink, so I have to start sculling, and then that distracts me, and so on. I've "pressed my buoy" with limited success.
Incidentally, my new instructor also taught me how to scull properly. My old one had me moving my hands in big, wide, slow circles. That did NOTHING for me in terms of lift.
Well, I watched my new instructor do it: small, fast, forceful, little circles. Bam. Lift. I think I could probably tread water now if I tried... I can certainly do it in the shallow end with just my hands, but I'm a little unbalanced.
Parents
Former Member
Big improvements yesterday and today in the pool for me.
Backstroke: I feel like I've really nailed this one. I'm not very fast, but I am relaxed. I think I kick too hard without much benefit.
Elementary backstroke: Doing well with this one. Having trouble getting a nice wide whip kick, but apparently my form is quite good other than that. Must remember to point toes to glide!
Front crawl: Practiced this with fins, pausing between strokes with my face on its side. Breathing is getting easier. Basically, I swim on my side with one arm out, then take a stroke and switch sides... swim on that side for a bit, then take a stroke back to the other side. (I suppose this is very similar to a TI drill, except that I look at the pool wall rather than the ceiling.) Once I get this nailed, I'll try doing a 'continuous' freestyle.
Breaststroke: Still working on this... need to get the rhythm down so I don't inhale the pool.
Butterfly: Hah, yeah right.
Treading water: I MANAGED TO DO THIS TODAY WITHOUT ANY AIDS! It was the coolest thing in the world. I still don't know what the hell to do with my legs as scissor/flutter/eggbeater kicks don't seem to support me, but I can tread just by sculling vigorously.
(Although at one point I started struggling and my instructor/lifeguard had to 'save' me by dragging me to the side of the pool... it was kinda fun. I told her I'd always wanted to be saved. It was good lifeguarding practice for her. =) I was in no real danger... I could've just floated on my back, but I kept struggling trying to tread properly. I had done it without problems for a good minute and I was determined to continue.)
Big improvements yesterday and today in the pool for me.
Backstroke: I feel like I've really nailed this one. I'm not very fast, but I am relaxed. I think I kick too hard without much benefit.
Elementary backstroke: Doing well with this one. Having trouble getting a nice wide whip kick, but apparently my form is quite good other than that. Must remember to point toes to glide!
Front crawl: Practiced this with fins, pausing between strokes with my face on its side. Breathing is getting easier. Basically, I swim on my side with one arm out, then take a stroke and switch sides... swim on that side for a bit, then take a stroke back to the other side. (I suppose this is very similar to a TI drill, except that I look at the pool wall rather than the ceiling.) Once I get this nailed, I'll try doing a 'continuous' freestyle.
Breaststroke: Still working on this... need to get the rhythm down so I don't inhale the pool.
Butterfly: Hah, yeah right.
Treading water: I MANAGED TO DO THIS TODAY WITHOUT ANY AIDS! It was the coolest thing in the world. I still don't know what the hell to do with my legs as scissor/flutter/eggbeater kicks don't seem to support me, but I can tread just by sculling vigorously.
(Although at one point I started struggling and my instructor/lifeguard had to 'save' me by dragging me to the side of the pool... it was kinda fun. I told her I'd always wanted to be saved. It was good lifeguarding practice for her. =) I was in no real danger... I could've just floated on my back, but I kept struggling trying to tread properly. I had done it without problems for a good minute and I was determined to continue.)
