Prathima's Miles & Milestones

As a hobbyist, my next skill I wanted to accomplish has been “Swimming”. The Summer of 2k17 had just been around the corner and it was ideal to check another item off my Bucketlist. I was determined to enroll for the swimming classes to get rid of my fear of water. I have been aware of my flaw and wanted to work on it. This makes me move away from my comfort zone which is challenging.

The pool looked divine with the blue waters early in the morning. Our routine started with warm ups, shower, followed by entering the pool. The feeling of stepping into cold water sends shock waves which runs through my spine. After a couple of minutes, I tend to get back to normal.

We start with bubble breath through nose and mouth to increase the lung capacity followed by floating on the surface of the water. At times we used to panic during the float. The trainer taught us the technique to recover ourselves in water and then bubble breathes would calm us down.

Here are some of the prerequisites and my personal experiences through this journey:

• Know the chlorine content used in the pool, depth of the pool, length and breadth of the pool. I learnt in 4.5–5.0 mts depth and 25 mts length.
• The more we fight with water, the more it fights us back. So remain calm and composed.
• The pool remains warmer after the rain when compared to the rest of the sunny days!
• When we dont get a technique right in the first attempt we tend to swallow the chlorine water in the pool or inhale through nose by mistake causes irritation for next the next minute.
• Only when we love water, the water loves us back.
• Keep saying — “ I am a fish”, “I am fine, relax”, “I will do it in this attempt” to calm our mind. I bet it works. My heartbeats got back to normal and I stopped panicking after reaching the middle of the pool.
• Watch many YouTube videos on the techniques learnt to know other trainer’s perspective.
• To keep myself motivated, I watched many animation movies like — Moana, Finding Nemo and so on.
• Master one technique at a time in several attempts and only then move to the next.
• For stronger kicks on the surface of the water, listen to your own kicks in the water to track your progress.
• Do not hesitate to take guidance from the fellow students who has mastered a technique.
• Never give up just because you are unable to get the tricks right in the first ten attempts.
• Make sure that the trainers watch you if you are doing it right. Feedback and individual attention is very much necessary.
• Try the strokes across the breadth of the pool until you master it. After learning it, use the length of the pool to showcase the skill which actually increases your stamina and the confidence to turn it into a skill.
• Trust your trainer. He or She is the one who will save you from drowning until you learn the recovery techniques.
• Do not miss the shower after exiting from the pool.

Day 1

• Warm up with types of bubble breathes through nose and mouth.
• Breathing tricks — Inhale through mouth and exhale through nose.
• Holding breath and deep diving in water for a longer time.

Day 2

• Floating with arms stretched in the front and loosening up the entire body.

Day 3

• Kicking the water through legs with slightly bending the knees and without moving the upper body.

Day 4

• Float, kick, breathe holding a boat with your hands in the front.

Day 5

• Doggie paddle to swim in deeper waters.

Day 6

• Mushroom float to rest in waters.

Day 7

• Front float without any floating aids.

Day 8

• Side breathe using kickboard. (facing the board and from the sides)
• Moving one hand to push the water backwards and kicking with legs using kickboard.

Day 9

• Practice strong kicking and without the kickboard.
• Gliding in the waters on right and left to know your dominant side.

Day 10

• Walking in the water with pushing the water backwards with hands. (no gap between the fingers)

Day 11

• Freestyle swimming with stronger kicks.

Day 12

• Back float with kickboard.

Day 13

• Back float with kicks and no aids.
• Hands free back float.

Day 14

• Back strokes with kicks.
• Diving into the pool.

Day 15

• Test for the right techniques and individually feedback and we were rewarded with a certificate.

The summer of 2k17 is indeed memorable. I fell in love with water by the end of the classes! The voices inside me wanted to still stay in waters so I treated myself with enrolling with the intermediate level in fact 😀

“See the line where the land meets the sky, It calls me. No one knows, how far I’ll go…” Inspired from the disney movie Moana.