I took one set of swimming lessons in grammar school. We were introduced to the crawl in the last lesson or two; I was miserable at it. We learned to dive off the lowest board: I could dive, but I had a hell of a time paddling back to the edge of the pool, which was a big university gym type pool. I think I sort of shook my feet instead of really kicking.
Took 1 set of lessons in high school; learned to dog paddle and blow bubbles again.
For many years I was afraid of the deep end of pools.
At 37, I went to the local YMCA and took a set of lessons, and then a few more sets of lessons. I got so I could do the crawl for a few 75 foot lengths, and one other stroke - I forget, think it was the butterfly. I was never good at treading water, somehow always causing myself to start to sink at some point - and got little better at it during those lessons - but if all else failed, I could float.
Then I kept swimming 3 days a week during free hours at the pool.
I eventually could do a slowish mile of laps, in the process learning to love doing that, kind of a dream state, and the breathing finally seemed natural. Did those miles of laps for a few years, then turned to jogging.
My problem was picking the correct lane - there were three, one closest to the edge, one bordering mid pool, and the one in the middle, which was my best spot, since all the faster swimmers were in the lane mid pool and the slow and stoppers were in the edge lane. Still, I was fairly slow at the best of times and so always worried about being overtaken and in someone's way - so I really liked it when it was a day the pool wasn't very crowded. Then I was a happy peaceful swimmer.
Never did learn to tread water well, heh.
That was all a long time ago, and I've no pool handy to relearn all this. Last time I swam was at a motel with 3, count 'em, 3, pools in Ukiah, CA. I was the only person in any of the pools, and managed to do a few laps of, I suppose, 35 feet each, panting in between each lap. Still, I remember that I learned to improve once, and I could get at least slightly better at it even now.
One of my earliest memories, as a lad, was being pulled into the ocean and dumped directly onto my coccyx, knocking the wind out of me.
@ossobuco,
You did pretty well, osso.
@maporsche,
Practice practice practice, said edgar, sitting on his couch.
@djjd62,
djjd62 wrote:
i never learned to swim
i like the water well enough, when i was younger and friends had a boat, i used to put on a life jacket and join in riding an inner tube towed behind the boat, never thought twice about it, another friend never went near it, and she was a certified lifeguard and a medaled swimmer in high school
Sounds kind of unsafe, even with a jcket.
@Letty,
Letty wrote:
That's the one thing that I can do is swim. Learned to when I was little and first started to mud crawl. Gradually, I learned to float and it takes total relaxation to do so. Then I learned the Australian crawl. Learned to dive next and that took practice.
What is the Australian crawl? Do you wear a kangaroo suit?
@dyslexia,
dyslexia wrote:
Edgar, I meant to tell you when you were here, you have unusual hands.`
That's what the girls tell me.
I'm remember now that I liked swimming best at night. My husband and I used to go together, doing our eventual miles in different lanes, he being much faster. It was a good time re pool crowding, and kind of surreal as you could see the night sky if you happened to look ahead through the windows. I'm also remembering why I stopped - I used to go into raging allergic sneezing once I got out of the pool, and would be allergic for an hour or two.
@ossobuco,
All the chemicals, likely.
@LionTamerX,
LionTamerX wrote:
One of my earliest memories, as a lad, was being pulled into the ocean and dumped directly onto my coccyx, knocking the wind out of me.
We went to Santa Cruz beach a number of times as kids. Niver had to swim. I would go there today, if I lived on the coast.
@edgarblythe,
edgarblythe wrote:
I joined the Navy because I did not fancy digging a hole and sleeping in it.
I chosen service in the army because I thought my inability to swim would have barred me from entering the navy. In hindsight, I should have joined the air force, though I could never become a pilot because I always wear glasses.
Quote:I did not consider the swimming part, because there are life jackets to be had, plus, sailors stay on ships. Rarely do most swim.
Very well made point.
@tsarstepan,
Little thing looks amazingly domesticated.
@edgarblythe,
edgarblythe wrote:I barely can swim
I prefer with a bathing suit on though. That way, if the water's cold, folks don't notice.
Like Yoda I was not talking.
@edgarblythe,
Nice seeing you around.....
@Reyn,
It's nice to see you around here reyn, even if dys doesn't like you.
@edgarblythe,
Another rather crappy swimmer here, edgar. (And glad to be in such illustrious company: you, the tsar, Eva .... should we form a club?
)
My reasons are family ones. Parents not heavily into risk, of
any variety ("Don't go near the water!") , when I was little. To do with their war/refuge experiences, I'm sure. I can understand that. But a bit of a handicap to overcome, all the same.
@msolga,
msolga wrote:
Another rather crappy swimmer here, edgar. (And glad to be in such illustrious company: you, the tsar, Eva .... should we form a club?
)
My reasons are family ones. Parents not heavily into risk, of
any variety ("Don't go near the water!") , when I was little. To do with their war/refuge experiences, I'm sure. I can understand that. But a bit of a handicap to overcome, all the same.
Perhaps you could have lessons at the Y?
