I have always loved the water. I was one of those kids jumping off the diving board at age two swimming to the edge without really realizing that I was swimming. That is actually a true story. I didn’t know I was swimming until my Dad told me so, and then I freaked out that I didn’t have some sort of floaty on. Go figure!
I am ashamed to say that I do not swim year round on a regular basis. Growing up I did my time on the Swim Team and even graduated to coaching and teaching swim lessons to the tiny tots. I honestly loved those jobs, even when it was early in the morning and freezing cold and you were trying to teach those tiny tots how to blow bubbles in the frigid water. I think that is called youth.
Fast forward to today. I know that swimming is such a great total body workout and I marvel at my friends who swim year round. Even though I love the water, love the way it feels, love the way the workout makes me feel afterwards, it remains one of those things that I do not put first on my list when it comes to exercise . . . until I get injured. Yep. Then swimming is my best friend. I am finally beginning to realize that if swimming were my best friend all year long, then maybe I would not get injured in the first place. Sometimes I am not really smart like that.
So now I am back in the pool 2 – 3 times a week. It is actually lovely since it is hot as Hades outside and the pool feels quite marvelous. The timing can be tricky at my local YMCA and swim club to get in a lane around swim team practice. Thankfully, we moved into a new home about a year ago that has a nice, rectangular shaped pool that is good for laps. I love being able to swim laps at home outside. The downside is that it is not quite an Olympic size so I do need to swim longer AND my sweet dog, Lu, follows me on the side of the pool trying to catch me on each end to grab my hand as I touch the end of the pool. I can live with those obstacles, though.
I posted about my love/hate relationship with swimming back when I first started this blog. This is what I had to say:
THINGS I HATE ABOUT SWIMMING:
The thought of it;
Packing up gear for changing after the actual pool workout;
The first jump into the pool because I always THINK it’s going to be cold;
If it is cold; The racoon eyes I have from my goggles for hours after leaving the pool;
Waiting for a lane if I haven’t gotten to the pool at the exactly perfect time to not have to share a lane;
Bad lane sharers who kick, go too slow or want to rest after each lap;
The boredom and lack of distraction of the pool;
Having to go through the process of drying, changing in the locker room and either leaving looking like a drowned rat OR actually having to go through the ritual of really getting dressed (which means having been organized to pack it all up in the first place; see the first item.
THINGS I LOVE ABOUT SWIMMING:
Swimming – I love to swim;
The feeling of the water;
Working on the different strokes;
The quiet in the pool – it’s the perfect place to think, plan and work through things in my head;
The long, lean feeling after a pool workout;
The lack of aches and pains in my joints;
The all-day energy I feel after swimming;
When it’s over I am SO glad I made the effort!
I think all of those things are still true. Although, I have to confess I recently purchased a water proof IPOD and it makes all the difference. I may feel like I want to give up but then I tell myself, I’ll just swim through this next song . . . which may lead me to two or three more songs. It’s great incentive! I mentioned this cool device here.
Check out my previous post on swimming along with a good swim workout here.
So, how do you feel about pool workouts? Do you swim regularly? What workout do you do when injured?
Enjoy Your Day!
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