Splash and Dash: Swim Lessons

So into the pool I went. My coach, a 19 yr old college student, introduced himself. He smiled warmly then... he socked it to me!!! This was the longest 30 minutes of my life.

Kick board and flippers on and then back and forth I went in the pool. This was my first lesson. Is this guy trying to kill me? I am twice his age. I said nothing and kept moving. We went back and forth in the training pool.

Then he took the kick board away. I thought…Noooooooooo. I was nervous. So we practiced blowing bubbles under the pool and up then bubbles under the water then up and again…

Between kicking, bubbles, focusing…I was worn out in one half hour.

How can this be? I am the cardio girl. I love cardio and I could hardly manage to get through this lesson.

I learned a lot from this lesson. Well…re-learned. Strength training is key for all sports, especially core training. I know how important strength training is in general, but it became even more obvious in swimming. I found myself swimming to one side because my left side is my weak side.

Now I have no excuses to miss the strength training classes at the gym. I MUST do weight training. Yes, there are other benefits like reducing injury, gaining strength and burning calories at rest. I just don’t want to look crazy swimming to one side.

After all of this I went for a 4 mile run…and the journey continues.

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