when I discovered swimming underwater. My dad got me a mask and I loved swimming around on the bottom looking for stuff (lots of trinkets for kids in public pools). But, I couldn't swim on top (oh, shut up. I don't know why). I went from side to side of the community pool by swimming across and popping up to grab hold of the coping (the tile lip of the pool). I even did this in the deep end, so I guess I was lucky I didn't drown.
A year or so later, when I was 6 or 7, my dad sent me to formal classes, but I was booted out after only a week or so. I hated those classes. We held onto the sides of the pool and kicked endlessly. The we floated around like jellyfish.
Then, later, they expect us to swim "racer style". I was chunky (okay, FAT), not at all coordinated, and I was spoiled by my mask. I wanted to SEE where I was going and annoyed and hurt by the teasing of the instructors.
Finally, they FAILED ME. "He'll never learn to swim" they told my father. I was soooo embarrassed.
The next day, my dad took me to the lake and, in 10 minutes, taught me to swim "his way", which was like Johnny Weismuller (the BEST Tarzan) did it on those old B/W movies. ......LifeSaver style, my dad called it. After those ten minutes I was swimming like a fish and I never stopped.
I still swim that way, which is probably terribly inefficient. But, I've done a couple of mile swims, so it works for me. I've tried the "reggler crawl" and do it sometimes just for a change, but I always go back to my old way. While I'm very comfortable in the water, I like seeing where I'm going.
I've noticed that my boys, 6 and 9, are starting to swim the same way, although they are doing well with their swim lessons.....
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