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!

Crappy day

Last nights lesson wasn't the best but it was because I hadn't been to the pool to practice and it showed. Also have mega sore shoulders from stress and its hard to relax them in the pool so that makes me swim really awkwardly.

Started off with breaststroke and really struggled with the breathing. Also felt like my arms and legs were all over the place. I tried to slow it down which helped but I can't get used to breathing in through my mouth without gulping loads of water and the back of my nose was burning with the chlorine.

Moved onto freestyle and tried with a float to get arms doing the right thing so I can breathe to the side, then trying one arm at a time but it was hard and I was swallowing half the pool!

Lastly, first time doing backstroke arms which I liked, although I still have that feeling of "where am I going?" I was under the rope at one point, but thats ok I can work on that.

Lots that need practice.

My colleague at work handed me a flyer for the Loch Lomond great swim event which is at the weekend, might be something to try next year. Can hardly do a couple of lengths never mind a loch but look what I have acheived since January so anything is possible!

PS - very weird but i've noticed I have a better lesson when the showers are cold....they were roasting last night!!

Feeling Proud!

Just writing my blog with a really sore head as I thudded it off the headboard...ouch!

Great start to the day as my son excelled in his exam results and I cried all the way to work! Very proud mum.

Arrived at my lesson and met with a journalist who wanted to film me swimming a little bit to put on a website. So she went through to the pool and I went into the changing rooms.
I did my usual and sorted out the locker and went into a cubicle. Then I heard this voice talking away but no one was answering, it was really creepy. I got changed in superfast time. When I got out the cubicle there was a woman sitting stark naked on the bench talking away and saying how bad it was the Queen was dead?? I actually thought I maybe had missed something on the news but then she started on about OJ Simpson and Michael Jackson. Obviously just some mad wee woman (I do seem to attract these folk!).
I eventually got away from her and went through to the pool. I did a half breadth of breaststroke for the camera a few times and then the journalist left so the pressure was off there.
The pool was lovely and quiet today so I had a nice big lane to practice in. Did lots of breaststroke practising coming up for air every stroke. I tend to breathe in and out my nose but I should use my mouth so need to practice that.
Then lots of practice front crawl arms and taking a breath to the side. then did a length of front crawl then turning onto back, then turning back onto front which was good. Then a length of back float. also did a little bit of butterfly kick which was fun as I had never tried it before so I liked that.
Was a great lesson! Lots to improve on.
When I came out, I was relieved to see that the crazy woman was away. So I got changed and was just about heading out the door when this woman came out the showers and said she was watching me having lessons. I told her I had been coming since January and how great the lessons were. She said she could only swim with a woggle and that she wished she had the confidence to get lessons and said well done you, inspiring!
I walked out with a big smile on my face today :)

Swimming lessons in Glasgow

Ouch my brain!

Eek tonight was a hard one!

As I sat in the car staring up at the blue mirror that is the Crowne Plaza hotel and wondering why its peeing down on the 2nd of August I felt quite confident about tonight's lesson. The nerves are gone completely!

I don't worry about falling under anymore....I can get back up easily.

I don't worry about swallowing water.....I just spit it back out (don't worry, not often).

I don't care what I look like....I kind of look like I know what I'm doing now.

I don't worry about drowning! 

So i'm feeling pretty great about the whole thing. I was a bit early so I had a chat with the teacher about our articles that were published by Scottish Swimming on their website. It was an interview I did a while ago so it was a bit out of date but I was really pleased with how it was written.

On with today's lesson. Started with kicking, with arms stretched out in front of me. That was fine and I did that two lengths. Then the teacher said to go a bit faster do smaller kicks so I did a couple of  lengths of that. all good just a bit out of puff.

Then we went on to freestyle arms. Much harder! I was to try and rotate side to side and take a breath but I struggled to get my arms to coordinate with my brain. Then I did an exercise where it was like I was pulling up a zip on the side of me which forced me to get my shoulders out the water. After this I was already shattered.

Next I did a couple of front to back and back to front rolls which were much better than last week.

Then onto breast stroke. I did two lengths the way I normally do it then I was to glide for a couple of seconds in between. I could not get my brain around this! I really need to practice as I was getting frustrated that I couldn't get it right.

Lastly I dived for a couple of sharks and then I tried a bit of swimming underwater, trying to get as low in the deep end as I could. This wasn't easy. I didn't really get anywhere but by this point I was absolutely puggled so I wasn't really giving it my all.

I need to build up stamina by practising lengths....Bring it on!!

my article in Scottish Swimming

my teacher Viviennes article

I go for my swimming lessons with Vivienne at www.swimmingmasters.co.uk

Back to life, back to reality

I've been back from holidays for a few days now and the tan is starting to fade and the realisation that i'm back to real life is creeping in.
The last post was at the beginning of the holiday and I said how I had been swimming in the sea. I did lots more of that on holiday and really enjoyed it. There weren't much waves and it was lovely and refreshing in the blistering heat.
One of the main aims of me starting to learn to swim (as can be seen at the start of my blog) was to be able to get in the water with the kids and go on the slides.  Our hotel was attached to a water park which we ended up going to nearly every day as it was great fun and the pools were freshwater as opposed to the salt water pools at the hotel.
As promised I did go on a slide, in fact I went on twice and it was fun....to be honest it wasn't really for me. I'm a bit lazy and the whole climbing a million flights of stairs in bare feet while the ground is 100 degrees was no fun, but I did do it and I lived to tell the tale.
The lazy river was more my cup of tea.....floating round on a giant donut float with not a care in the world. Ok, this was not strictly true. Anyone who has been to Kos will know that its blows a hoolie there so when you first get in the lazy river you practically fly down the first side at a speed Lewis Hamilton would be jealous of, then when you get round the corner you end up frantically paddling with your arms to stop going backwards and crashing. Not so lazy after all, but you should see my guns now!
Anyway Olympic rowing aside, I spent a lot of time in the pool. It was 1.4m right across so I knew where I stood (quite literally) with the depth and I quite happily swam back and forward while my kids played around. I had taken my goggles to use but I hardly got to use them as my daughter decided she would start swimming underwater and that she needed them to be a mermaid...I couldn't really argue with that.
So I think I can tick the box for swimming on holiday....job done!

       Swimming in the pool! 

 Teaching Jess to swim underwater.

                       Looking for Dory 

Tonight was my lesson and it was weird being back in an inside pool again. I could definitely feel an improvement and I'm sure the teacher could tell too. My confidence levels are much higher but I still have a way to go with technique. I practiced mostly front crawl arms, trying to keep my head still and get my arms out the water as much as I could, sounds a lot easier than it is. Also did a couple of lengths of back float. I still get a bit disorientated doing this and end up going a bit squint, all adds to the fun!

Big decision that I made on holiday is that I want to work towards being a swimming teacher. I think its something that I could do and it gives me an end goal, even if its years away its a plan.

I love a challenge :)

Under the sea

Thought I would do a wee blog update while I'm on holiday in the very sunny and very hot Greek island of Kos.
So we have been going to the beach because the water is crystal clear and shallow for miles so very safe. It's so hot the water is like a blessed relief. The sand is like walking over hot coals so everyone does this mad dance to get in the water as quickly as possible.
In I got and I started swimming straight away! Then we realised there were wee fish under us so I've had the goggles on and been swimming under water looking at them. It's been awesome! Also cause it's saltwater it's lovely for just floating on your back and enjoying the light waves.
I'll take better photos next time but got one for proof.
Waterpark next....Can't wait!

Copacabana

Post title is because tonight at the Hydro Barry Manilow was on!
So hadn't had a lesson for a few weeks and I was eager to get back on it. It was a really long day cause at the start I was dropping off my oldest son for a school trip to Geneva. Then a day of meetings at work so I was pretty shattered.
When I got to the pool it was quiet with just one other man in the pool apart from the lesson lane so I got in and did a bit of a warm up (cause the pool was cold). I did a mix of breaststroke, freestyle and backfloat.
Then when it was lesson time. I started with a couple of lengths of breaststroke. I tried to take a few breaths in between instead of standing up. I think I managed a few breaths which was good.
Then the teacher got me to do breaststroke legs with the float board and try to concentrate on putting my knees to the side and getting more propulsion with my legs.
Next, I did a couple of lengths of freestyle legs and arms which was good but really tiring and I practised trying to take a breath in between instead of stopping again. I seemed to stop and stand up by habit, so I need to practice that a bit more.
So, after a couple lengths of backfloat and bashing into the stairs. The teacher asked me how I felt about trying to float from back to front. I was up for the challenge....I really wanted to do it!
Starting off on my back, I turned my head and I sort of went to the side but it wasn't great. So I tried again, this time the teacher said try turning faster. This worked much better and after a couple more attempts I worked it out.  Again that is something I need to practice. After that I tried rolling from my back then forward and onto my front and that was great too.
Lastly diving for some sharks which I managed quite easily.
All in all a really great lesson, I need my bed!

Deep thoughts

Bit of a non swimming post today. No lessons this week as I was at Coldplay on Tuesday which was awesome!
Was interviewed by a lovely journalist today and she asked me some questions which really made me think. (Takes a lot these days believe me!)
One of the questions was what would I say to people who were wanting to learn to swim and didn't know how to go about it?
This was me at one point. I couldn't just turn up at a pool and start teaching myself because:
1. I wouldn't go near the pool let alone get in it.
2. Not being able to swim was embarrassing to me and I'm not the most self confident person at the best of times so that was a no goer.
3. If I went with the family I wouldn't want them to see me scared cause you teach your kids they can achieve anything they want so I would be a fraud.

I also looked into council run lessons at one point but they tend to be for groups or people who can swim and want to improve and also the idea of bumping into someone I knew while having a lesson...embarrassing...a no goer.

I googled lessons in Glasgow but it wasn't easy to find anything suitable. Either odd times or too far away. I considered a weeks residential course somewhere in England but don't think I would have done it.

So when I found the www.swimmingmasters.co.uk website it was ideal. The lessons are in the Crowne Plaza next to the hydro (other locations too) and they are on most evenings and weekends so times to suit everyone. Also, I knew I needed one to one lessons, probably more expensive but worth every penny to me.

I didn't really find out about swimming associations like @theasa and @scottishswim until I started swimming but these websites have lots of info for people wanting to learn and other countries will have similar organisations.
 Learning to swim is a massive initiative at the moment with #thisgirlcan and #makeyourmove  hoping to inspire people to get in the pool and even if you are just bobbing around....it's a start!

Turn the clock back 25 years and what would I have done differently?  I would have taken the setback of what happened at school and turned it into a positive and started swimming then. I would have asked my friends to help me. I wouldn't have given a toss what I looked like in a swimsuit and got in there anyway and by now I would be an Olympic swimmer!

Ok, a bit far fetched but one thing for certain I would go back and push that PE teacher in the pool, fully clothed maybe wearing something heavy like a pair of steel toe capped boots and see how she enjoys the struggle!

Essential kit

I have had people asking me what I take with me in my swimming bag.
It's not that exciting but here we go!

Swimming costume.....obviously.  I have a new one which has the shorts style leg which I really like. It's a speedo monogram one and it fits really well.

My goggles, which are an absolute necessity for me. I've been through a few pairs as I've either lost them or they were rubbish cause they steam up too much. My current ones are called View and so far so good!. Nice and snug and don't let in water. I do have quite bad marks after but I don't really mind that.

I have a nose clip that lives in a wee case. To be honest I've never used it but it lives in my bag anyway.  It's a universal one and I got it in sainsburys.

My beloved swimming cap! I carried this about for 4 weeks before I got the courage to put it on. It looks a bit funny but I don't really care anymore. It makes swimming much easier and although it doesn't keep my hair totally dry, it's worth having on. Mines is a blue speedo one.

I also carry about a wee zoggs spray that helps defog your goggles. I don't need it at the moment but it's handy to have. I think I got it on eBay for about  £5.

I also have about 50 kirbys, a deodorant and a hairbrush in there. And my actual bag.. it's tiny. Cause I get a towel at the lesson I don't need a big bag. It's see through so I know if I'm missing anything!

So that's it, my swimming essentials 😀

Practice makes perfect

Today I turned up for my lesson and found out my teacher wasn't going to be in so I decided to stay and get some practice in anyway.
The pool was so cooling after a blistering hot day spent at an away day with work in a conference room. This was also good for my sunburned shoulders!
So in I got with my swimming cap and new goggles and new speedo costume.
I did a few lengths of breast stroke and a few of front crawl. There was only two others in the pool but they were fast swimmers and causing waves which was really off putting but I kept going.
Lots of swimming on my back and front crawl arm practice, swimming under water and with face out water. Probably did equivalent of a lesson if not more.
By time I was finished I was shattered.....swimming makes me crave toast!

Smug swimmer alert!

Kids were off today and I'm working from home so decided to take my youngest swimming for an hour.We just went to the local pool again and were both decked out in new suits and goggles so we were looking pretty fab!

When we got there we started off in the little pool as there was an aqua aerobics class on which was good cause the music was great..old skool and I was singing along.

Today was one of the first times I've found the water a bit shallow in the little pool but I still got some practice in. A lot of backfloat, breastroke and also playing about with my 5 year old. The pool was fairly busy and I soon realised that I was the only mum. The other five were dads with their kids and the mums were at the viewing bit. This used to be me so I felt a bit smug...check me out swimming with my daughter! You wouldn't have caught me doing this a year ago and we had a great time.

After the class had finished we moved into the big pool which was nearly empty and we had a good swim in there before getting out.

Was a great trip. I'm so glad I went and got some practice in and also some special time with my little girl.

Double bubble

Honestly? I wasn't looking forward to tonight's lesson. All my positivity from last week had sapped away after an exhausting couple of days at work.

I arrived at the pool a bit hot and sweaty after cooking in the heat of the office and the car. So the thought of the cool pool was quite welcoming. 
After getting changed and poking all my hair into a swim cap I was ready to go.

The pool was busy with a group of lads playing in one corner, a couple of swimmers and a pair getting jiggy in the corner.
So my lane seemed narrower than normal but off I went.
Started with breast stroke. A couple lengths then trying with taking a breath. Didn't manage much so I defo need to practice. Then onto leg kicks with the board and without the board while trying to tilt to each side a bit.
Then the best bit. I managed a couple of lengths of back float and kicking my legs right to the deep and back again.
Lastly diving for sharks and managed to get them in deeper water than ever.
So a good lesson today 😁

Also mega disappointed that my hair was wet after wearing a swimming cap 🏊

Here is a pic of me with dry hair :) 

Weird week

Last week was all exciting with the radio show and after a great weekend I was a bit stressed out about a week of jury duty.
I haven't actually been swimming since  the little paddle about with my friends.

I ended up being selected for jury duty so it was a bit of a stressful day and I honestly wasn't feeling great when I turned up for my lesson.

Lesson started with a bit of a catch up on all that had been going on and I admitted that I hadn't had much practice so was feeling a bit nervous.

First I did a bit of diving for the sharks. Started ok but my god I was out of breath! Once we got to the deeper bit of the pool I was really struggling and started to feel sick. I hated that. I don't like making excuses, but I felt awful.

Then went into some kicking with the kickboard and then a bit of breaststroke. Also did a couple of tries of going from sitting at the edge to in the pool.

It was just an odd lesson full stop. I think the feeling rubbish didn't help and I really need to get back and practice at the local pool.

Next week will be fab!

 

 

love their swimsuits and goggles

Scary biscuits

Well I did my radio interview this aft...it was terrifying. I was led into a wee studio and put on some giant headphones and sat in front of a microphone. Then I could hear everything from the Aberdeen studio and a wee voice came on and told me I would be on in five mins.
When the presenter eventually introduced me I was so terrified that my mind would go blank but luckily the words flowed and I treated it like a telephone conference at work. Also was really great hearing advice from Tom the sports psychologist and the competitive side of swimming from Hannah Miley.
It was great to tell my story and hopefully someone will go learn to swim off the back of it.

Here it is at about 13 mins in

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b079rbmw

I have my lessons with Vivienne www.swimmingmasters.co.uk 

Radio gaga

 

Ok, so not a particularly swimming based post today but a milestone none the less! I was contacted by a lovely BBC person and asked if I would mind talking about my learning to swim journey as part of a programme on Radio Scotland called 'Out for the Weekend.' Its part of a BBC initiative called #makeyourmove to get people moving and this month it is about swimming.

 

I'm looking forward to it as I have never done anything like this before but also a bit nervous that I clam up and nothing comes out my mouth. Hopefully all will be good and I can get a photo of me with my headphones on at the BBC Glasgow studio to put on the blog.

 

It was a week off lessons this week as my teacher is on holiday so I haven't been, but planning on going at the weekend to get some practice in before next week.

 

Will post after the radio show....wish me luck!

A bit of deep reflection

Tuesdays lesson was fine again. I have been feeling that the lessons are becoming a bit samey (is that a word?)  I think I expect too much but in my head i've had a lot of lessons (17) and i'm still not properly swimming (i'm not sure how I define properly swimming!). My husband says its a consolidating stage so i'll trust him with that.

I had a bit of time before the teacher arrived and I was very aware that I was swimming up the side (where the training lane is ) but only to the stairs so always in shallow (ish) water. I'm still not happy in the deeper water but once the teacher arrives I just get on with it.

I did some freestyle legs so kicking and tried to remember to keep them straighter and together which seemed to go better than last week but once I try to add the arms in, the legs go to pot...i'm not good at concentrating on both things but i'm sure that will come at some point. I still have to stop when I run out of breath as I dont know how to breath in between strokes yet and I can't not put my legs down and take a breath. This is where I get frustrated. I can't complete a length without stopping a couple of times.

For the rest of the lesson I did a little bit of floating on my back, then turning in the water and floating on my front which I liked doing and a bit more diving for the little sharks (always my favourite bit). I'm getting better at going into deeper water to get the little sharks although its getting harder to get to the bottom. But again i'm always at the wall which is like a safety net.
So I think I felt a bit rubbish after that lesson, although usually I would have been swimming with the kids in between to the local pool and we hadn't been so that definitely made a difference.

So the other day my friends and I decided to go to a health club for a pamper evening and go to the sauna, steam and swimming. Im still a bit funny about swimming in front of friends cause i feel like they are waiting for a "tah da" moment.  Also not being used to the pool makes for a very different experience.

It turned out the pool was lovely with a glass roof and the sun was streaming in. It was 1.3 m all the way across which felt quite deep to me and that made me slightly uneasy but not enough to stop me going in. I was all prepared with my goggles too, cause being odd I can only swim with my head under water and not above, unlike everyone else!

My friends who can all swim like dolphins were quite happy to bob about in the water so we weren't swimming lengths anyway but I didn't feel happy away from the side and I definitely didnt feel as comfortable with the depth as I had hoped but I was still happy in the pool and it made a big difference to previous times when I would never have even got in.

I think this made me feel a bit disappointed that i'm not as far on as I had hoped but when my friend said to me that she thought it was great that I was learning to swim and how hard it is as an adult to do something new I decided it's not about how fast or slow i'm learning its just the fact that i'm doing it. I will get there in the end....I just dont know when the end will be. 

Maybe thats what keeps the journey interesting?

Sweet Sixteen

Last nights lesson was number 16 and I definitely feel different when I go in now. I'm not worried about what's coming, I'm not scared of the water anymore although still not been out my depth but I think I can safely say I've got a handle on this swimming lark!

Last night I worked a lot on kicking trying to keep legs straight and together. My teacher videoed it so I could see what I was doing and it didn't look like what I thought I was doing so that helped.
Did a bit of back swimming/floating which is definitely better than it was and lots of diving for toys, much deeper than I ever have before. I managed to get all the toys!

A while ago I downloaded an ebook which really helped me changed the way I think about water. I also really like watching the videos on you tube. The book is called conquer your fear of swimming and I bought it from the miracle swimming website. It's really well written as a self help book and the writer really believes in her method which comes through.  I thoroughly recommend it.

Next steps are working on technique and stamina to be able to swim a length without panting for breath :)