This was written March 10, 2024
Introduction
Last Monday, I decided I finally try my hand at swimming again. I’ve been wanting to get into it for a while now, even buying a swimsuit, swimming cap and goggles last fall. However, I’ve been procrastinating (and some inconveniences with my living situation also get in the way). But I finally had a first session, and it went better than I expected. Thus, I figured I’d share some of my thoughts regarding the experience. Luckily, I wrote down a lot of my thoughts right at the end of the session.
But why swimming? First, because it is known as a good full body exercise, and I want to get into shape. Next, I also think swimming is a valuable skill. Finally, I also find it a relaxing and enjoyable exercise, in part due to the sensation of the weightlessness water provides.
Stress and Issues
To start with, I was a little nervous about going. While my Chinese has reached a level where I can have simple and casual conversations or ask for simple information, there is specific vocabulary with such activities that I worry about lacking. Regardless, this went relatively well. The price for a session was 100NTD, and I could rent a locker for 10NTD plus a deposit of 100NTD. Overall, considering it’s to be healthy and in shape, I think it’s reasonable. However, if I get properly serious about this, I might want to check whether they have monthly rates or something.
So, before getting further into it, I have to admit a few embarrassing issues. First up, I forgot to bring a towel, which means I had to air dry for a while and then return home partially wet. I also hadn’t brought any shampoo or conditioner, so ended up having to re-shower once home. Moreover, I initially forgot to tie my swimming shorts, which I realized later. Luckily, I had no accidents on that front. Finally, I had a few struggles with adjusting my goggles, usually being too tight and hurting, yet eventually being slightly too loose and water getting in, which was rather underwhelming.
The exercise
When I arrived, I first looked around to see where I could actually swim. There were multiple lanes, but also some signs to indicate the purpose of each. And while these signs were all written in Chinese, it was luckily vocabulary I know, such as “practice”, “slow lane”, “fast lane” or “lessons”. I opted for the practice lane and got started. At this point, I should have checked the time to know when I started, but unfortunately forgot to. Regardless, I believe I was in the water for roughly 45 minutes.
The session overall went really well, which was unexpected. The last time I’d tried swimming was over five years prior, at which time I was more overweight, and thus more buoyant. Regardless, I was easily able to stay above water and move around decently. Don’t get me wrong, it was far from effortless, but it went better than how I remember previous instances going, a pleasant surprise. Though it should be noted that the pool was shallow throughout. Not to the point where it would impeded swimming, but I could still stand up and keep my head above water.
Over the course of the session, I did multiple back and forths, which was definitely tiring. Whenever I was too exhausted, I would take a brief pause at one end of the lane to catch my breath, once or twice leaving the pool. I would have liked to measure my heart rate, but unfortunately the clocks were all digital, only showing minutes, so it was impractical. Alas, I’m not sure what solution I could take here, not having a suitable watch to bring.
I also decided to experiment a little, for example changing the “shape” of each hand to increase/decrease the drag, aiming for less drag while a hand went forward, and more drag going backwards (in order to better pull me). This is partially a factor because my hands remained underwater to limit the splashing, being reluctant about inconveniencing others. In terms of technique, I usually went for a rough front crawl in one direction, and was on my back in the other direction. There were also a few time where I tried to swim using only my legs. I’ll probably want to study and try out some specific strokes in the future.
An additional thing I experimented with, which always worried and scared me, was holding my breath underwater without pinching my nose. I also didn’t have a nose pincher, so it had to be through pure control of my breath. I did spend some significant time just practicing this, and improved significantly, where I’m not worried anymore. I don’t know what usually works for people, but here’s what I found out:
- Whereas at first I thought it would be about slowly exhaling throughout, while underwater and getting back out, that’s not what worked for me. You can simple hold you breath without any issues while underwater. The most important thing is to build the habit to not breathe in once your head emerges out of the water. Instead, you need to breathe out first. (Though it’s ok to hold your breath longer). I believe the ideal state would be for this to become instinctual.
- While holding your breath and going underwater, it’s possible for water to get up your nose, especially if, for instance, you quickly “bring your head down”. Relatively speaking, this is akin to pushing water up your nose. However, because of the pressure you’re holding, it shouldn’t go too far, so as long as you exhale once you’re out of the water, things should be fine. But if you inhale instead, that where you’ll have issues.
- It’s important to keep the fear under control. I think panicking is more likely to get you to breathe in than out when your head surfaces. I did have an instance where I was starting to worry about needing water and had to consciously remind myself that it was more dangerous to breathe in than out, no matter how much I craved air.
I eventually practiced swimming while holding my breath under water, and then measured how many Mississippis I could last. I was usually able to last at least 6 Mississippis, and managed to do it at least once up to 10 Mississippis. Considering this was my first time learning this, I’m truly impressed with the results.
Also, I must say that being underwater is a very calming and relaxing experience for me, despite the worry about air deprivation. The usual noise and bustle gets replaced by this ethereal sound, it’s as if time slows down, and if wearing goggles, the distorted vision with a different hue is also something. I would venture that holding your breath also impacts this experience, though that’s less of a conscious thing.
Conclusion
Well, I think this was an interesting session, and that swimming more should definitely be on the agenda. In fact, I’m planning to swim later today, and this time I made sure to bring a towel. In terms of logistics, I think I might also want to buy a new towel dedicated to swimming. Regardless, I hope I can turn this into a habit, since it should benefit me both physically and mentally.
Hopefully, you learned something from this article and my experience, and it can benefit you. Have a nice one, and take care!
This post is followed by Starting to Swim (Part 2)