Frequently, at our dinner table, we discuss learning a hobby. Any extra-curricular activity, we thought about learning golfing, martial arts and swimming. My father tried his finest to find us any academy or coach to train us in those fields.
One day, we headed to a restaurant to eat. As we drove, we noticed a sign for a swimming academy. Seeing the opportunity, we drove to the academy later that week. After we discussed with the receptionist about the fees and timings, we were ready to get started right away next week.
Day 1
It was a cloudy yet humid morning as we headed to the swimming academy as a family. We started early from home so that we might register in time and start our swimming journey. After my father and mother took care of the registration, it was time to jump into the pool. Before we could do that however, we had to take a shower and change into our swimming clothes. Then we plunged into the pool. I shuddered as I entered the pool. It was too cold for my liking. Our coach appeared instantly and commanded us to walk from one end of the pool to the other. My father explained that it was just so we could become much more confident in water.
After that, our coach taught us two things. First of all, we were asked to blow bubbles underwater. Later I realized this was actually a warm-up exercise. After we did this about five times, he asked us to float. It was about this time that I noticed I was shivering a great deal. I looked around to my brother and my mother and it was evident both of them didn’t suffer the same problem as I. I decided to overlook that matter and decided to do as the coach instructed, float underwater. Yet, it seems I must have made some mistake while floating as my body wasn’t completely straight underwater, my legs were drooping comparatively to the rest of my body. I kept trying, without losing heart, it seems I was almost going to do it. I was probably just minutes away from properly floating. Yet, as I came close, the whistle was blown, signalling the end of our session. The morning ended in disappointment. I assured myself that I will try again. I was going to push harder tomorrow.
Day 2
We all got up early in the morning to enjoy swimming. There was excitement in the air. We started with the warm-up, blowing bubbles underwater. Then the coach instructed us to float underwater just like yesterday. For my mother, the coach instructed her to kick of the wall in the swimming pool and float as far as she can. She was progressing rapidly, and I was determined not to be left behind. My first few tries to float properly ended in failure, but suddenly I could do it! Oh, I was over the moon! Our coach said that now I was ready to wall kick and float as well. I did the wall push and floated, to my extreme happiness, remarkably well. I was a dissapointed that the whistle was blown, what seemed to be, so quickly but not for the the same reason as yesterday. I was ecstatic that I had achieved what I wanted.
Day 3
In terms of the order of days, this should have been the 4th day. However, the 15th of August is Independence Day and it was a day off for the swimming academy. Anyway, we started off with a warm-up then we did the same thing we did yesterday. Simply floating for as long as possible in the water. As boring as it may sound, there was something relaxing about it. Your simply body loose, drifting over the water. You could say it felt like we were just sleeping on water. Sometimes, of course, our coach pointed out that my body was not straight, but I was improving. Then he shifted our focus to our legs. He made us lie down at the side of the pool, so that only our legs were dangling in the water. Then we were supposed to use our legs like a rudder and move it really fast. After we did that a few times, we dived into the water and the coach instructed us to float just like how we usually did but while also kicking with our legs. Unfortunately, just a few minutes later, the whistle was blown and we had to getout of the swimming pool.
Day 4
For today, we decided to come at an earlier time slot, 6:30 – 7:20. Other than getting up 1 hour early there wasn’t much difference. Anyhow, we made our way to the swimming academy. What we didn’t know at the time was that it also meant that a different coach was assigned to the timeslot. Oh, and boy was he completly different. Our previous coah was younger and perhaps much more softer on us. Meanwhile on the other hnd, this coach was quite rough, he wasn’t bad of course but not soft either. Anyway, we went on with our routine. Blowing bubbles underwater 5 times, then going on about with what we learned yesterday. However my brother was unable to push himself of the side of the pool with his legs and float confidently. He wasn’t putting in much effort to do so either. Now this new coach gave him some hard time about that, my brother cried.
Day 5
Today was more or less like yesterday. We did the exact same thing, however I did face one problem while doing it. I wasn’t able to float straight while kicking my legs. My body would tilt to some side randomly. Yet, even though I was disappointed about that, the coach did give us good news, tomorrow he was going to teach us how to use our arms as well. That meant, by tommorrow we would technically learn how to swim. Of course we would have to perfect it and also learn breathing control but otherwise we were close.
Day 6
This day was exactly what I expected and much more. Mainly, I had achieved floating completly straight,while kicking my legs, without any tilting. That in itself was such a joy, but secondly, the coach taught us how to use our arms as well. I couldn’t wait to put it to use and I just couldn’t bear going throgh simply the exercise. I wanted to actually do it. After I finished with the exercises, we started to move our arms and legs while floating. Simply put, we started swimming. I shouldn’t have been so impulsive however as my legs and arms weren’t so much so in sync. Sometimes I forget to move my legs, sometimes my arms. There was also a huge achievement for my brother, which I feel responsible to note it down here. He was able to break his mental barrier of staying put to the side of the swimming pool using a kickboard. It was a light and flat, rectangular piece of material, made of foam. My brother held onto it as if it was the wall lining the swimming pool and used it to float confidently on the water. In conclusion, this day was AMAZING.
Day 7
What can I say? It only seems to get better. For once I was improving in my synchronization between my arms and legs. I was able to do both, however my legs always seemed to droop down and I think the problem was the fact that I didn’t kick my legs much. Anyway another breakthrough for my brother was that he stopped using the kickboard. Now he was perfectly confidentin the water..
So that was 7 days learning how to swim. The question remains, what did I learn? Perhaps it was the fact that learning takes time, or maybe that the key to learning is to try, try and try again. But I think the most relevant part is that there are hindrances to learning. Whether it be mental or physical, it’s part of the process to become a better learner and as a whole, a better person.