You don't have to prove to me you're beautiful to strangers, I've got loving eyes of my own.

[raybear]

I just went swimming and didn't die. I mean, obviously. Unless I found a way to uplink to my livejournal from beyond the grave, which, you know, I wouldn't put it past me.

DYA gave me some pointers, general overview on freestyle, breaststroke and backstroke. I'm sure I'll need a recap on everything, since I tend to get overwhelmed when learning something from scratch. Which, I mean, she wasn't completely teaching me how to swim -- I know how to float, tread water, go under water and swim around the way you do as a 8 year old in the pool. I just never really got beyond that. I don't know how to dive or anything remotely complicated. Today I tried to focus on just two main aspects: breathing at the right time while turning my head, and kicking. Kicking for some reason is not working. Like it feels completely unnatural, no matter how I contort my body. The thing with swimming is that it's harder for me mentally isolate one aspect while doing it, at least not untill I can relax the panic button that starts to go off when my body sinks into the water. I need to literally isolate each part, learn one part well, than the other parts will hopefully fall into place. But while I got tired, I never got so frustrated that I was unhappy. I'm getting a lot better at being okay with being new at something. Such a basic lesson to learn, but when you're hard on yourself for not getting something right, and you want to stop, but then you do it, so you're hard on yourself for being hard on yourself....it's a vicious, silly cycle.

And while I was a little self-conscious about my body at times, for the most part, I felt remarkably comfortable being in public in mere swim trunks. I was more self-conscious about the scars than my belly, but even that was fairly mild. Mostly I was just happy to look down while doing a backstroke and see my naked torso.

I'm pretty tired right now, but not so tired to keep me from taking the bike for a spin to put air in the tires and maybe ride her down to teaching tonight.

Comments

[saltjam.livejournal.com]

Where did you swim? I haven't gone swimming since my transition...well I barely went swimming before that cuz I couldn't deal with a women's swim suit. I really want to go now though.

[raybear.livejournal.com]

I went to "Koz Park" which is near my house, on Diversey but several blocks west.

I'm told a better place to swim is Eckhart Park on Chicago Ave. I tried to go swimming at the one near Sheridan, not too far from HoBro? But this was pre-chest surgery and they wouldn't let me swim with a basketball jersey.

We should go together! Are you ever free during the weekdays? It's less crowded then.

[saltjam.livejournal.com]

Yeah, my weekends are actually pretty free. We should definitely make a plan to go. When were you thinking?

[rahaeli.livejournal.com]

It actually really is easy to isolate just kicking, at least while still learning (and if you have a pool that eyes you with tolerance). Tuck your chest up over the side of the pool and fold your arms to hold on, which should leave the lower 70% or so of your body in the water. Practice kicking until it feels more natural. When it feels natural, see if you can turn up one of those kickboard thingums, which again your pool should probably have floating, no pun intended, around, and tuck it under your chest to keep you up and kick to propel you up and down the lane. A few days of this, and I promise the kicking motion will feel a lot more natural -- and it's easier to concentrate on the kicking when you don't have to worry about what the upper half of your body is doing.

Feel free to hit me up for more tips, I was a swim instructor for a while :)

[raybear.livejournal.com]

I was using the kickboard today a lot, and will continue to use it. It definitely helps, but I think because it's so slow going, it feels like I'm not making progress, you know?

I should say that the "proper" kicking motion is what feels unnatural. I've been kicking while swimming for years, flailing about and getting the job done, but not efficiently and not without lots of splashing. Any tips on how to properly kick?

[rahaeli.livejournal.com]

Oh, yeah, I know. I always have to stop and think about how to teach/describe swimming, since I've been swimming literally since before I could walk, but I've experienced that in a lot of other disciplines and yeah, I totally know the feeling.

Proper kicking? I'm assuming you mean for freestyle (since breast/side/backstroke and butterfly kick are all a lot different), yes?

Best thing I can offer without being able to demonstrate is: point your toes so your foot's a flat line all the way down, rest yourself on the top of the water so your feet are actually breaking the water when you kick, and do your very best impression of a two-year-old throwing the mother of all temper tantrums!

[raybear.livejournal.com]

Ah yes, should have specified -- I'm having problems with freestyle kicking. Well, I'm struggling/learning breastroke kicking too, but at least I know what that's supposed to feel like.

The kick your describing sounds about what I doing before! I'm trying to use more hip and thigh, not just kick with knees, calves, and feet alone. I think it's just a case of doing it and doing it and doing it and doing it....

Oh, and by the way, hi! I have no idea when you added me. But thanks for making an appearance!

[rahaeli.livejournal.com]

Hi! wearemany pointed me at you and said "Friend." So I did. :)

[sharkysmachine.livejournal.com]

don't do it! You'll fall in love and be force to call him and leave him looooooooong messages singing Frank Stallone songs.

[kneidlach.livejournal.com]

I hardly every kick my legs when I swim. It feels awkward, unnecessary, and like it takes more energy than its worth. So I use my upper body strength, and do what I call a frog-kick when i do the breaststroke.

[sharkysmachine.livejournal.com]

um, yeah so I've been playing Carly's version of You belong to me over and over, perfecting it cor karaoke. I have to do a part J-Lo part Carly.

[raybear.livejournal.com]

i downloaded the j-lo version cause you said it was "bad" and of course i love it. and your version as a meld will be brilliant. i did a karaoke version of Against All Odds that was half-Phil Collins, half-Postal Serivce.

[gloeden.livejournal.com]

I. Fucking. Love. That. SONG.
I cannot believe J-Lo has gone and scatted her funk all over it now.

[sharkysmachine.livejournal.com]

You know I love J-lo's version. It makes me think I can sing it. J-lo's version sounds like karaoke but with better backing music.

OMG. I am in all kinds of love with the postal service.