5 Secrets About Swimming That Nobody Will Tell You

I am unstoppable, I am a porsche with no breaks
I am invincible, I win every single game! 

I don’t know what Sia was dreaming about when she worked on those lyrics. But I totally resonate with them now! Why? Let’s have a quick look. 

I am the person who if falls for one thing would never look at any other opportunity! That’s the kind of love I had for mountaineering. Even though my work routine didn’t allow me to hike as much as I wanted to, my mind was always stuck there! It still is! 

Well, this story is not about me and the mountains. This time I had to find another source for my dopamine to rejuvenate my mind, body, and soul! Thanks to the unprecedented grade 3 tear in my meniscus that I was left with no other option of physical activity except swimming! 

While I was still recovering from the state of trauma, I registered myself for the UMK swimming session. I was ready to back out until the last moment, but I pushed myself out of my comfort zone and ended up taking swimming training sessions! All because of my desire to get back to the rough treks as soon as possible! 

To be honest, for the first few days, I was convinced that I am not made for swimming, and water is not my friend. I desperately desired to heal my injury and to fasten the process, I was grappling with the swimming lessons every day! But here are few things I realized during my 12 days of swimming: 

1 – You don’t have Aquaphobia (Hydrophobia)

Many of us get anxious when we see water or the fear of drowning may take over them. Yes, that’s natural if you don’t know how to swim! It’s as simple as your fear about failure in exams you didn’t study for! So, get rid of baseless assumptions, and give yourself a chance for a new experience! However, if you still doubt yourself, then consult a doctor. Just keep your facts clear and don’t mislead yourself into a quagmire of false beliefs.

2 – Swimming is the game of mind & body

Well, that’s rule number #1 of swimming i.e, relax your body the moment you step into the pool. You simply can’t swim with a stiff body. And where does that stiffness come from? Well, ask your neurons 🙂 So, make up your mind if you are new to swimming. Trust me, that’s another inner battle with your subconscious false beliefs! Just keep telling yourself that “you can do it”, and you will be all good! 

3 – Trust your body

We all know our limitations and our capabilities. Yes, challenging yourself to test your capacity is worth appreciating! But, be mindful of how your body reacts to water. If you ask me, I will suggest that you should go easy on yourself for the first few days, and that’s how you will be able to free yourself from the stress! The more relaxed you are in the water, the more you will feel light-weight, and thus faster you can develop swimming skills! 

So, if someday, you feel tired already, don’t go for it. You will end up increasing your cortisol levels (the primary stress hormone), and that’s not the goal here! 

4 – Swimming coach is your only friend in the water

Many of us get aggressive and impatient when we see ourselves not progressing as per our expectations. And many of us might also blame our swimming coaches! To be honest, the facts are: 

• If someone claims to be a swimming coach, he/she will never disappoint you! 
• It depends on you how eager you are for some serious learning! The more you seek, the farther you go, and the more you get! 
• Your swimming coach is the only person around you who wants to see you float and swim on your own! So, trust and follow the techniques taught by them! 
• Be open about your ideas with your swimming coach, so you can benefit from an expert’s advice! 

5 – Practice, Practice, and Practice

The more you exercise the newly learned swimming skills, the better you will swim. Unlike horse riding, swimming needs your exceptional skills to give life to water. A horse may be friendly even when you return to him after a long break, but water demands commitment when it comes to partnership!  

Having said that, I must admit that swimming came to me as an epiphany. I had no idea if I would be able to find excitement in any activity other than hiking and trekking! Exposing myself to a new adventure is all I needed for a distraction and quick healing so I could return to fulfill my deepest desires of summiting higher peaks! And here I am, more content than ever before! I appreciate UMK Swimming for helping me in learning a survival skill as well as making my healing journey a thrilling one! 

I will confess that a person like myself who had no idea about swimming a month ago is now confident of thriving in bigger pools. That is why I cited the lyrics from Sia’s song “Unstoppable”! 

You’ll feel the same if you stop limiting yourself in a world full of challenges as well as opportunities! 

Let all the worries be washed away
Let your soul find another way
Give yourself another chance
To grow, to glow, and to conquer the trance! 
Maybe the water become your new friend
Just don’t stop until it all ends!