Still Not Loving Swimming

[Tri Girl]

Do you slowly breathe out while swimming? I don't hold my breath, I take a breath, then slowly exhale it out underwater for my 5 strokes (or 2 or 3 or whatever you do). When I turn my head for a breath, I'm not exhaling and inhaling in that short little time- it's only inhaling. Fully exhaling before you inhale on the breathing stroke is much easier and won't exhaust you like exhaling and inhaling at once.

I'm someone who has to turn my brain off while swimming. Sorry this is long.
Just as a background here: I swam competitively for years as a kid and in high schoool, then didn't swim for 16 years. When I finally came back to it, I felt good in the pool, but thought I should get some lessons. So I got lessons from a good friend (and professional triathlete) and she told me how to tweak my stroke and what to do.
So then I go swimming and start thinking about all the things she told me (elbow up, extend through the water in front, pull down, rotate, kick from the hip) it was all too much. My stroke suffered and I felt like I was standing still in the water. Like a golf swing, I couldn't just do the motion the way I do it- I was too caught up in thinking about all the things I had to do right.
Finally I just forgot about trying to work on technique and just started swimming at a pace that was comfortable and felt good.
I know my stroke could use some work, and that I'm not as smooth and efficient as I can be, but to heck with it. I swim decently fast and I'm not stressing about it- and that makes ALL the difference.
Turn your brain off, and just swim for that 50, then rest and do it again.

I think swim strokes are like running strides- you have what you have and you can always tweak, but in the end everyone's stroke is different (I've tried changing my running stride with no success either). Just go swim and don't think about stuff- or only think about ONE thing each session- like elbow up, or rotate side to side.

It also helps when I just repeat mundane things to myself over and over while swimming. Like keeping track of how many laps I do, I say the number to myself the whole 50 in rhythm to my breathing (1,1,1,1,1 2,2,2,2,2). It's all about mind games in the water for me.

And it DOES get easier. I promise!!!
I taught my husband to swim and he used to really struggle, and now (of course), he swims faster than me.
Keep at it- and it WILL get easier!!!