Lesson #11 - Three weeks between lessons and I felt it

It's been 3 weeks since my last lesson and while I was not exactly looking forward to going today like the trooper I am trying hard to be I went. I was chatting to a girl who has been coming to the Wednesday class and interestingly enough we both commented on how we thought we would be a bit more advanced by this stage. I know, I know - expecting too much - but there you have it anyway.


So todays class seemed to go very quickly. Two laps of just plain kick boarding - which I am now pretty good at :), 2 laps of kick boarding incorporating breathing and arms  - which I am ok at, and 2 laps of 'swimming' - which  I am not so good at. :(


Still getting out of breath after only a few breaths and my left arm is dipping too soon relative to my breathing. 5 consecutive breaths and half way down the pool is my best so far and that seems like moons ago. Jackie suggested I focus on holding my left arm straight out of the water longer which I tried. I felt a difference so we had tiny win there. I also tried to move my right arm faster to see what impact that might have on the whole routine - unsure.  


For some reason today I also ingested a lot of water through my nose, something that hasn't  happened too often before today, but I think I was just out of practice. My breathing still seems too much on the gasping side too. As you can see, so much going on in my head. I probably just need to calm the heck down! 


This all seems so repetitive doesn't it??!  Not to worry. The main thing is that I don't give up. :)

Lesson #10 - Second missed lesson but I have an excuse!

I was sent out of state for work for a few days last minute-ish so missed my second lesson in a row. I didn't have a chance to reschedule the last one I missed and with only 2 weeks of lessons to go I may struggle to make up the 2 I have missed. Life has been a bit hectic in and out of work the last several weeks but will (hopefully) get back to normal after the weekend and with this should come some increased swimming activity.

Lesson #9 - A no show

I had to travel for work today and didn't get back in time to make the swimming class. I will try to see if/when I can make it up. I also won't be able to make next week's class though because, again, I am away for work. I hope this doesn't herald the end of swimming classes!!! I have been so busy in and out of work the last couple weeks and will also be next week I need to make sure my enthusiasm doesn't wane. Oh the complexities of learning to swim!

Lesson #8 - Losing faith but determined not to give up

It was been a fair few days since Lesson #8 and I suspect the fact that I haven't posted about it is reflective of my feelings about how my lessons are going. I feel that there has been hardly any progress now since Lesson #6 and this is dampening my enthusiam.

There was a lot of clock watching in the last lesson - I just wanted it to be over even though I missed the first almost 10 minutes. I did have a very hectice work day, got there late and wasn't feeling relaxed all of which Jackie said would have been contirbuting to my having an off day. While I agree that that wouldn't have helped, I can still only swim half way down the pool at best and all my comments in my last post still stand. It hasn't helped that I haven't gotten to the pool in my own time but without any drills to practice I don't know what I would do in my own time. I don't want to keep practising that which isn't working for me.

I really really really don't want to give up so I have taken matters into my own hands and have been researching some alternate swimming instruction styles. 

More on that next post.

Lesson #7 - Frustrated!!!

Lesson #7 and we are on the home stretch. But I am frustrated!!!!

More freestyle swimming today and I can now get about half way down the 25m pool. I have progressed a teeny weeny bit (again naughty naughty no practise in between) but it is not all that comfortable and I am still finding that my left arm is dipping too soon. Jackie said I am turning my whole body to breath and not just my neck but I feel like I need to to avoid sinking and so my face can clear the water to take a breath in.

What to do, what to do?!?! Jackie's solution is to just keep trying because I am getting better but I am not finding that response satisfactory. I would like to try some drills to help me work on my balance, buoyancy and breathing. I also want to think some more about what my arms are doing and when.

If anybody has any ideas please share them with me. In the meantime I shall be referring to some of my own resources.  :)