Learning to swim

[Melalvai]

There are so many things to coordinate when swimming. One of the many things I like about Total Immersion (also Chi Running) is they instruct you to focus on one or at most two things at a time. So one length across the pool you focus on proper head position. Your arms and legs might be completely wrong but you don't worry about that. Coming back across the pool you pick a different focus, like body roll. Eventually it all starts to come together.

It reminds me of practicing hands alone when I was learning piano. Right hand once, left hand once, hands together.

[lph]

Yup. And I had a (minor) epiphany when I realized how I have to learn to breathe before I can focus on anything else. I was using fins, and managed to look back at my hand emerging from the water, and hey presto, I got to the other side without feeling my head was going to explode. Amazing how enough air made it possible to start thinking about hand position and arm position and finicky stuff like that.

Without fins I'm still only half-oxygenated, but working on it.

[lph]

Bizarre conversation at the pool today, with officious dude. I was miffed that the attendants hadn't let me borrow fins.

Me: "Excuse me, is that your own kickboard?"
Him: "No, I just borrowed it here. Having trouble with your leg kicks?"
Me: "No, timing my breathing, really. I'm a learner, and I wanted to borrow some fins, but they wouldn't let me."
Him: "Well, you can borrow the plate after me if you like"
Me: "Thanks, but actually I just need fins."
Him: "You have to keep a straight leg, not bent. And kick from the hip"
Me: "Uh, yeah. But it's the breathing.."
Him: "There was a triathlete here earlier practicing kicks. And he didn't budge from the spot!"
Me: "Yup, that sounds like me, on the first day of the class."
Him: "Are you a triathlete too?"
Me: "Uh, no. I'm a beginner trying to learn freestyle." (Trying to change the subject) "There's so much to think about. Using fins helps me concentrate on my arms."
Him, totally seriously: "You have to swim cognitively. Don't think!"
Me, mentally rolling my eyes: "Right. Thanks."
Him: "You have a noseclip. You don't need that."
Me. "Actually, yes, I do need a noseclip."
Him: "No you don't."
Me: "Yes. I do." (see, I'm learning )
Him: "Breathe in through your mouth, out through your nose."
Me. "I breathe both in and out through my mouth".
Him: "Oh."