Apparently I'm hopelessly addicted to swimming. I don't actually swim that much, but I devote a large chunk of my day (what's not used for Chinese) to reading, thinking, talking, and dreaming about swimming. Today I did manage to visit the pool and do my usual workout of about 2000 meters, 95% of it freestyle. After my usual 300 warm-up and 200 pull, I was doing 200 kick (albeit painfully and slowly) when the guy in my lane left and a backstroke god-like male specimen took his place.
This guy had the most awesome dolphin kick ever. His turns were lazy, and he didn't really build off the wall, but he had a Phelpsian kick and went 15M underwater on every lap. Seven strokes to the wall and repeat. He had extremely good form on his backstroke: very precise hands, straight arms, and good shoulder rotation. His strokes looked so lazy, and incredibly perfect. He definitely swam in college. I'd have to say that his freestyle wasn't terribly great, a bit too slow and relaxed. But oh my goodness, his backstroke was to die for. And he was absolutely and unquestionably hot. Blond, nice build, and short red swim trunks. No, he was physically nice, but it's really his backstroke that was smoking.
This swimmer, despite his technical excellence, wasn't actually going that fast. I only got lapped every 200 meters or so, at which time I'd stop for a breather anyway. Or maybe I was inspired to swim a lot faster than my usual lethargic pace. When I'm not on a team or forcing myself to do timed sets, I slack off horribly. I would love to have a swimming partner, preferably someone slightly faster than me (that shouldn't be too difficult). Today, I felt that I swam really well. The second 1000 meters just felt incredibly smooth, maybe because I switched to breathing on both sides. I think it made my stroke more continuous (though I still feel that I over rotate my body), and I think breathing on both sides helps me not get any stomach cramps.
When I was little, I used to hate swimming freestyle. I was much better at backstroke and breaststroke. In a complete turnaround, I now swim freestyle pretty much exclusively. It certainly feels easier than my other strokes. I think my form is all right, though I don't have much speed. I have decent extension, though I could and probably should bend my elbows more when my arms are out the water. My kick bothers me because it's very weak and rather slow. I can't nail down its rhythm or the momentum, especially when I'm breathing. Breathing on both sides probably helps in that regard as well because I find myself stroking a lot faster, which demands a faster kick.
My pet thing about swimming is flip turns. I love slamming off the wall, and ever since the Olympics, doing underwater dolphin kicks. It's amazing how far you can go underwater with a couple of hip thrusts. I usually go 10 meters off the wall. Then I can take less strokes to the other wall! Granted, long underwater stints are fatiguing, and I'm usually feeling it on the 7th or 8th turn. Anyway, I also love gliding, and today's guy had an amazing streamline.
It bothers me that I suck at backstroke now. It was my signature stroke about fifteen years ago. At least Central Jersey thought so. Now I've lost the touch. Rotating my shoulders feels much harder now, and I constantly find myself choking on water that persistently slaps across my face. And I can hardly get my feet up to kick. As for breaststroke, I don't think I've ever mastered it, so I still bobble my way across the pool. Once in a while, I feel that I'm getting the up-down motion correct. Of course, it goes without saying that I love pull-outs. And let's not mention butterfly. If I ever got the hang of that dastardly stroke, I'd more or less consider my life complete.
Professional swimmers always talk about 'feeling the water'. That's where all the shaving comes in. There are definitely days when I feel and swim like a lump of lead. Sometimes I feel weightless in the water, but I'm never sure if it's because I'm swimming extremely smoothly or because I'm not pushing the water at all. However, today felt absolutely extraordinary. I went through 200s and 300s at a decent speed and barely felt it. It was almost like skimming through the water. I would love to join a master's class, but there isn't one close by in Philly besides a gay/lesbian chapter. Still, I think I'm at a place where I definitely need the solid discipline of a coach and a class.
The thing is, I know a bit about swimming, and that knowledge just reinforces how far I am off the mark. People can be confident and swagger when they don't know shit about what they're talking about. It's when you know a little and realize the richness and depth of the subject matter that it truly becomes frightening. You start wondering if you're destined to be sitting in the muck of mediocrity forever or if you can gradually pull yourself up. In any case, I'm really glad to be obsessed with something positive for once (Not that being obsessed with with tv shows and movies is terrible), and moving my lazy bum. Sometimes I frighten myself with my psychotic single-minded obsessiveness, but I hope this one lasts.
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