Lone swimmer

So I have stopped swimming lessons now and have just been going along to swim by myself. Ive been trying to do about 10 lengths everytime I go which is quite hard going, especially after a body attack class!
I tend to do alternate breaststroke and freestyle lengths but i'm still a bit lazy about swimming with my face in water.
Yesterday I was only one in the pool and the lifeguard came over and said he was going for lunch was I ok as a lone swimmer? I said I don't know am I? He said  "You can swim, so you are fine."
He had no idea how meaningful that sentence was to me.
I can swim 😀

All by myself

Well not quite.
Tonight when I opened the door from the changing rooms to the pool, I was greeted with....an empty pool! The teacher was sitting at the side waiting for me.

I started with a couple of lengths of front crawl. This time the teacher videoed me so I could see what I look like.  Eek it was awful to watch but it made me realise what I do wrong with my arms. So, I concentrated on working on them. The only thing with concentrating on my arms though, is that I forget about my legs and what they should be doing. It was definitely better after practice.

Then went on to a bit of swimming on my back. I just went into the middle of the pool and went for it. Again the teacher filmed it and I could see that I look very tense and I'm not flat...I need to lift my stomach. Easier said than done but I know what I have to work on.
Then I did some swimming on my front then turning onto my back then flipping onto front again. This was much better as I have been practicing this.
My confidence is definitely coming back and I'm feeling the benefits of going to the gym alongside swimming. My core is stronger and I have more stamina.
A wee break now while im on holiday but should be swimming loads there!

I've put the videos on so you can see what i'm talking about. It will also let you see how much I still have to learn but also how far I have come!

Getting back into it

Very Excited!! I've booked in for more lessons starting next Wednesday with Vivienne at Swimming Masters in Glasgow.
Really want to get back into improve my technique and see if I can be good enough to teach. I'm so excited to get back into it properly!
Also a good chance to get back into updating the blog as even though I haven't been writing it, 6000 of you have been reading it so I'm ready to tell you all some more of my sink or swim stories.

Last weekend I was out at a university class reunion and it was the first time we had met up in around 20 years. We had a great night talking about our families and old stories but the most amazing part of the night for me was when one of the girls told me that I had inspired her to go for swimming lessons. She could already swim and wasn't scared of water but she was just aware that she didn't swim well and wanted to be better at it so she could help her kids with swimming. I honestly felt so amazed by that!
So if that's one person that this blog has helped then that's fine by me, Anyone else now is a bonus!

I'll make sure to update after the lesson and hopefully it will be onward and upwards from there.

Im still swimming!

Its been a while but thought I would update the old blog. So, been swimming a few times and you will be pleased to hear its just like riding a bike...you dont forget!
I was on a spa day with my mother in law and swam up and down quite confidently and loved it.
My plan is to maybe go back and have a few more lessons to sort out my technique which isn't very refined.
I'll keep you posted!