Powering through

I'm sure you all have heard all about it, but just in case you haven't I passed my stage 2 swimming lessons and powering through stage 3 now,
For this achievement I have been awarded a stage 2 certificate and badge which I have added to my "I can Swim badge"

So here I am stood by the baby pool showing off my certificate.

Impressive I know......

I'd love to do my pool life guard course after I pass my level 8 which is the last level, it would be a great achievement to go from a non swimmer to a life saver. It also be a great challenge for me, hopefully by setting targets like this I'll be able to focus on my lessons more and get to the top level sooner than expected.

I love a challenge, 

Pair of legs needed

Me and treading water do not get on at all,

This week I struggled as much as this guy struggles to fly

I don't know whether it was the fact that I was very tired or the fact that I'm just not used to tread water, either way it was a difficult lesson.

I knew as soon as I got in the water I had to swim the big length of the pool, at least once, It is something I've been wanting to do,
I tried it and it was going all well until I passed the middle point, where my legs just didn't have any energy left in them to push onwards,
I did learn something that day though, if you have a swimming lesson and you are planning to do a full length when you are not the strongest of all swimmers, don't go to the gym then decide to go for a 3 mile run then try to do your lesson.

I felt the same as this guy feels,

Up to last week, every lesson has gone pretty smooth, however for the first time I felt challenged by what I was doing,
should I choose to accept the challenge????

CHALLENGE ACCEPTED

Nik

Olympics fever

I felt bad for Michael Phelps last night since his record breaking 19 Olympics medals was over shadowed by my awesomeness in water.

I went to my lesson last night with extra motivation after spending the week watching the Olympics, ( If you'r reading this Carl "the Gaffer" it wasn't during work hours.....Honestly )

It was all about treading water last night, It's something that I have always struggled with and could not get the hang of it.

Just in case you don't know what treading water is here is a picture with description.

Treading Water is an aspect of swimming that involves a swimmer staying in a vertical position in the water while keeping his or her head above the surface of the water. Treading water provides the swimmer an opportunity to keep the head from becoming submerged while not providing sufficient directional thrust to overcome inertia and propel the swimmer in any specific direction.

I can't say I have mastered the technique however I think I did OK for a first timer, It is defiantly something that I have to practice over & over again to get it right, 

More on that next week.

If you would like to know more about DCLT adult swimming lessons scheme please email me on nik.pey@dclt.co.uk or check out our website www.dclt.co.uk/learnetoswim

Thanks

Nik 

Back at it

I know how most of you have been waiting impatiently for me to update my blog and here it is,

So I didn't have my lesson last week since I had to attend a seminar, however last night's lesson was outstanding.

Even though I had one week out, I remembered everything from the previous weeks, it was the first time I felt comfortable in water from start to finish.

I started the by practising breast stroke, this is something I want to get it spot on before i move on to other techniques.

To make the lesson even more special Alison Awarded me with a " I can Swim " badge at the end of the lesson, I have been waiting for this badge for the last couple of weeks if I'm honest.

So 5 weeks into the lessons and I already know how to swim, I never thought I can pick it up this quick but then I am pretty smart after all i did manage to get a job in marketing, ahem 

Not too sure what i'll be doing next week but i will keep you updated.

Meanwhile if you have any questions regards to swimming lessons please contact me on nik.pey@dclt.co.uk or contact the reception team on 01302 370777.

cheers

Nik

No lesson this week

I know how you all have been waiting for me to update my blog, telling you all about my lesson, but sadly there was no lesson this week.

I had to attend a seminar after work roughly about the same time as the swimming lesson, however I will be attending my lesson next week.

The seminar was pretty good btw

Nik

It's all about Breast stroke

So yesterday was all about breast stroke.

After a few push and glides to start the lesson with, we started practising the Breast Stroke technique,

Just in case you don't know how it works, I've found this beautiful demo animation to describe it.

My breast stroke looked nothing like this btw,  but then I was my first attempt.

If I'm honest when I started, the idea on breast stroke was pretty easy but when it came down to me doing it, my brain was telling me one thing and my arms and legs were doing something else.

Having confused limbs in water did not help the situation at all. but then like everything the more you try it the easier it would get.

I think I was destined to be a under water diver because I spent a lot of time under water yesterday.

Goggles came handy once again.

Towards the end I managed to do one or 2 good runs, but more on that next week.

If you have any questions about Swimming lessons, please leave your questions and comments and I will try to get back to you as soon as possible.

Thanks

Nik 

Getting Carried away!!! Nahhhh

Well if you read my previous post you would know I am a big fan of goggles now, I have my reasons...

This week I am trying something different, For someone who has not done much swimming in the past I have got plenty of swimming gear.
So this week a long with my awesome goggles I'd be trying out my Quicksilver Swimming vest, which I have had for couple of years and only wore it once on holiday,

We just didn't want to feel left out so we went out and bought some surfing kit. More on that later.

The point is, I'm enjoying myself now I know the basics, Alison has helped me gain my confidence in the water, At first it felt like I had to attend these lessons because I couldn't swim but now I can't wait for them.

I no longer have that hat btw, it rained that night and ruined it.

Nik