Today was my 3rd swim lesson with Tabitha. She asked me what I wanted to focus on. I told her the breaststroke. I really need help with this stroke.
I don’t think the breaststroke is required for lifeguarding, but it seems to be a go to stroke for so many people. I feel like I need to learn it. When I watch people do the stroke, it looks so effortless and comfortable.
I feel like I look like a mess when I do the stroke. I can do the kick. I can do the arms. I can’t seem to put them together at the right pace. It doesn’t seem to help that I’m a floater. When I do the kick, my feet end up out of the water. ARGH! I really need more practice.
At one point, Tabitha said that I wasn’t the worst she had ever seen. Hmmm… I’m not sure if that was comforting. I am determined. We spent the entire 30 minute lesson on the breaststroke. I finished the lesson knowing that I really need to practice it more.
I should have worked on the stride jump, but the J pool really isn’t a great pool for it due to the shallower depth in the deep end. In addition, we really didn’t have open space for it due to the lap swimmers, class and casual pool users.
I warmed up with a few surface dives and ended with getting out of the water without the use of the ladder.
I’m not sure what I will work on next. Part of me wants to spend time practicing the breaststroke and part of me wants to work on endurance. I know I can swim 300 yards, but a 500 yard swim will be required to work at the J. I’m pretty sure that I can do it, but I haven’t done it in years. Maybe if the lanes are not too crowded Friday, I’ll swim 500 yards.