Day 4 – Swimming

It felt like I’d forgotten how to stay afloat in the last one week. Fell like a sack of potatoes to the floor. It’s always the nerves, isn’t it. In a bit though, with the help of the float board, was paddling around again.

Coach gave us the noodle floats and the old gentleman with a zen smile coaxed me to abandon my float board and paddle around with the noodle float tucked under my arms. It was not so bad actually, except that when I ran out of breath and tried to stand up, my hands went all awry and I keeled. Zen gentleman made me do it thrice till I learnt how to stand up straight when I stopped, instead of flailing around in panic.

My only problem remains that no matter how much I kick, splash and move my ankles around, I just don’t move. Coach said I should do the leg movements for this class, till I get it right. Shallow kicks. Loose ankle. Don’t bend knees. And yet, I don’t move.

It’s really disappointing to surface and see that you’ve hardly moved a few inches from the wall, when in your head you were imagining you must have covered one-thirds of the pool. It shall take time I guess. Patience is there.

Day 2 – Swimming

None of the sports shops around MG Road sells swimming caps. Did you know that? And all of them only sell this one red high-leg speedo swimsuit that could only be worn by Pamela Anderson in Baywatch. Is it because no one swims in this city? That cannot be. There are infinite clubs and that many pools. Perhaps only people who already have swimsuits venture into these pools. Whatever it is, this lack of swimsuits and particularly, swimming caps is not very conducive for beginners.

Today started off with pushing off from the wall and trying to stay afloat, while breathing underwater. Managed somehow. Was breathing underwater, eyes were open and was not drowning. Small joys.

Then those floating boards were handed out. I have always been wary of these boards. I have always been under the impression that if one were to rely upon them and swim, one’s weight would submerge the board and one would drown along with the board. Turns out that is true after all. And turns out, you should not put your weight completely on the board. It is only like a guiding hand – just something there to make you believe you have something stable to hold on to. First was holding the base of the board and pushing self off the wall of the pool. Small kicks on the surface of the water, with the ankle propelled one forward. I was so surprised that I was semi-swimming that I forgot to breathe out and breathed in instead. A whole lot of pool water rushed up my head, but I was grinning when I surfaced. I semi-swimmed again and again and again. And then, the board was taken away from me. I did it without the board this time and was surprised that I could do it! One third of the width of the pool is all I can do though. People were doing half and some with ginormous lung power did the entire length! Coach asked me to practice holding the breath for a little bit and then begin to breathe under water, when semi-swimming. With that, I managed near half the width of the pool.

Then was swimming with boards, with your head above the water. This time, holding the top of the board and resting elbow at the near bottom of the board. That just did not happen for me.

The freestyle hand motions were taught to the rest while another and I were asked to stick to the kicking for today.

I am happy! Finally, I am able to lift feet off the ground and suspend self on water, without support of hard surface and more importantly, without panicking. Yay. 🙂

Day 1 – Swimming

Hold on to the wall. Gasp. Dunk head. Breathe through the nose. Bubbles blind me as I bend my head to look at my stomach, so that my legs will lift up and I will be floating straight. Except, my legs refuse to lift up.

Step away from the wall. Do the breathing routine. Float towards the wall. Do not hold on to the wall. Except, I can’t wait to feel the wall. I don’t mind placing just my fingertips on the wall and doing the routine. As long as I know the wall is there.

Stand against wall. Push off from the wall. Hands straight, against the ears. It is a matter of seconds before I panic, bend my knees to my stomach and stretch my legs, placing my feet firmly on the bottom of the pool.

First day of swimming class. Adult beginners only. Only person who didn’t have the brains to get one of those caps. Coach lent me hers. That round thing in the pool making a fool of itself. Hi, can you teach me how to swim?