Swimming!

Its absolute fun to get back to swimming these days! It was third day today. Its summer time in Bangalore, so its easy to swim in cold/normal temperature water. 

I am observing how body is getting ready day by day to this sport and exercise activity. I can feel exactly which muscle in biceps is used, exactly which muscle in thigh is getting exercise!

Its interesting, when you are in water, you don't feel so tired, when you climb out of the pool, you can suddenly feel so much more weight!

This is one exercise where breathing is highly important:- as it is one is struggling not to drown(!) :) and avoiding water entering in mouth or nose... and in addition, suddenly you can get tired, will be out of breath!

From my previous swimming experience I have learnt that I need to do swimming with proper warm up. Else in middle of pool if one gets a cramp or muscle pull, that's it! Quite awkward. I am going to start a full fledged multivitamin course also, as the muscles need it.

I only know two types of swimming strokes- straight forward hand motion, tortoise like swimming. Would like to learn other two common ones this summer:- butterfly and backstroke. In both these others, there is more chance of water going in nose once in a while, so I haven't managed it yet. 

However in Diwali vacation in Mumbai, I learnt how to just float for a while on water... Its a skill!! You know, the babies can do it effortlessly! Because effortlessness is the key! And they are good at it. Very Very young babies only. And of course don't experiment unless you are expert in handling them! They can do so in a bath tub... The thing is, our body has enough air and other empty space to make it float on water. The density of body is very close to that of water! So there is saying in Marathi which  means "Strange is the way of water, it drowns a live man, and keeps floating a corpse!" Yeah corpse floats on water! And so the key to float is to be like a corpse:- effortless! :) And in that effortless state of mind and body you can also feel oneness with water element, air flowing in and around, the space above and fire in form of sunlight... 

And today two guys were swimming in another interesting way!! They swam :--- well, its tough to describe, you should have seen them, and I couldn't stop laughing for long after that --- They swam in the direction of their legs!!! so stomach was on water, their motion is not in the direction of head, but legs! they move the hands in opposite direction!! :) Its good to have number of  regular swimmers in the pool, along with amatures and novice. The Jayanagar swimming pool is very well maintained by corporation, there is nice mechanism to clean feet before entering, the pool is wide and long, goes upto 16 feet deep, and you can see the bottom even in 16 feet!!

hmmm. so to do thing is to buy a hair cap, goggles, ear cap, and get professional help for learning remaining forms of swimming now! lots to do.