About
a month ago, D and I started going to the pool at his school to swim laps. It was kind of a big deal for me as I hate to try new things and
I’m kind of uptight about my workout routine, but I actually liked it
and it’s been going pretty well. D is, it turns out, an amazing
swimmer. Seriously, the man is absolutely at home in the water.
Me...not so much, but I try to splash along with the best of them.
We
usually go twice a week and swim for about 45-60 minutes at a time.
Well, I take lots of breaks in that hour, but D swims almost
continuously. It’s fun to have an activity that we can do together (D
will run with me maybe once a week, but he doesn’t love it as much as I
do) and it’s nice to be out of the hot weather. My joints also really
appreciate the no-impact cardio. I can tell that I’m getting better at
it, which is a nice feeling. I don’t always get that immediate feedback
with running, especially because I’ve been doing it for so long, but to know that this week I swam more laps than last week is
gratifying.
Here’s
the thing...I’m kind of terrible at freestyle (/front crawl?), and
prefer to do breaststroke, which I feel is more manageable for me.
What’s my problem? I guess freestyle feels very chaotic, and I always
manage to splash myself in the face when I come up for water and try to
breathe under my arm. You would not believe how much pool water I have
accidentally ingested this summer. I’m pretty much the picture of form
and grace. Breaststroke, on the other hand, feels graceful and calm. I
can stretch my arms out and get a really good stroke in, and it doesn’t
leave me hopelessly breathless. Which I’m sure also means it’s not as
good of a workout, but oh well. I usually end up doing about ⅔
breaststroke, ⅓ freestyle for my workout. I hope to improve that ratio
to include more freestyle, but it’s hard to make myself do something I
don’t love.
I’ve
also noticed that the pool attracts a wide cast of characters, and I
love to observe people and how they interact with others and with the
pool. I’m buoyed (har) by the fact that some people are even worse at
swimming than I am (or than I think I am--this is debatable). There are
also people who are really pretty good. I’m intimidated/inspired by
those folks. I’ve noticed that most of the foreign men completely
unabashedly wear the smallest swim bottoms I’ve ever seen, no matter
their physique. The American men almost all wear baggy boardshorts.
I
don’t know that I’ll continue to swim through the winter (leaving the
pool with wet hair in the summer is bad enough) but for now, it’s a good
addition to my workout and I’m glad I tried it. Now if only I could
figure out how to listen to music while I swam...
7 comments:
It makes me sad that I never learned how to really swim. I feel like I'm missing out.
I love swimming! I was on the swim team growing up and was a lifeguard for many summers but I haven't really swam in years. I would going swimming once a week when I was still at Loyola, and loved making stories about all the people because you are right! There are some strange birds. Swimming in the winter is rough which is why I think I don't keep it up. Winter is cold enough without adding a wet head to the mix!
I love swimming but no longer have access to a pool since I don't have a gym membership. :( The only thing I don't like about lap swimming is that you often have to share lanes and I am not good at that.
I also prefer the breast stroke. It is just easier to breathe. I suck at breathing when doing the freestyle, and then end up getting winded faster.
I just went lap swimming last night and while it was chaotic and frustrating at times, I know it's good for me to do something I'm not 100% comfortable with. Around 630, the pool started to clear out as well as the kiddos and I felt a little more relaxed. LEgs were definitely tired last night thanks to focusing on my kick a bit more.
Breast stroke is much more relaxing and easier for breathing. Why not try back stroke--just watch for the flags hanging above so you know when the wall is coming. Or grab a kick board and work on legs only---let's you still be moving AND get that great people watching in :)
I'm with Lisa...I love swimming but don't have a gym membership either. I used to go on my lunch break, so I did have to go back to work with wet hair, but I felt so refreshed afterward, plus I could still do a run later in the day if I wanted. I hope you learn to love the freestyle because when it's done right, it is fabulous!
The last (and only) time I swam for exercise was when I was training for a triathlon (which was also my first and last, thanks to the swimming portion). Even though I never fell in love with swimming, like you, I did notice remarkable improvements in my form and endurance over time. How can you not feel good about that?!
Post a Comment