At its most intense paces, virtually no physical task so taxes human physiology and tests mental endurance quite like swimming.
Propelling one’s body continuously through water, to borrow and paraphrase a line from the first Pool Service Mesa workout sequence in Rocky III, forces one to “use muscles he never knew he had.” Runners can slow to a stop or walk. A non-racing cyclist can climb down from the bike and either walk alongside it until a gentler stretch of road or, again, come to a complete stop.
When swimming, even treading water demands constant motion. Gliding through the water itself is a constant battle against water’s natural resistance. It may impose a different intensity upon the muscles than, say, basic strength training, but the mind can be challenged by how exhausting simple movements become when repeated through the water.
That’s why stronger swimming demands a certain mental strength and abandonment of the ego. Many swimmers unwittingly become their own worst enemies because they fail to adapt to the challenges the Pool Service Mesa can present.
Your neighborhood Pool Service Mesa professionals don’t just want you to be safe in the water — we want you to enjoy yourself and improve in the greatest total-body workout known to man. Let us offer a few hints to overcome common swimming struggles and truly own the pool…
- CHECK YOUR EGO ON THE DECK
Unrealistic expectations isn’t just a risk of holding yourself back in the Pool Service Mesa. Statistically, swimmers with inflated senses of their own abilities are among the leading worldwide sections of drowning victims.
Don’t be so stubborn that proud self-reliance restrains your improved swimming. Take advice in the spirit in which it’s intended: others wanting you to not only make the most of your time in the Pool Service Mesa but to be safe too. There’s no shame in swimming fairly strictly within your abilities. In the meantime, if you find yourself struggling with certain techniques or strokes, seek out a more advanced swimmer who can perhaps guide your improvement.
- LET THE PAST FLOAT AWAY
Those with traumatic past experiences with water or even near-drowning trauma arguably face the steepest uphill climbs toward stronger swimming.
Legitimate phobias can spring from moments in which weak swimming almost leads to tragedy. As first suggested, the most momentous step toward overcoming the lingering past involves admitting that you don’t know how to come to terms with it alone.
Preventing a recurrence of such past incidents can make for a great motivator — just don’t make it the only one. You have to let those bygone moments slip away with every technique that you master. Remember, your past frustrations in achieving a new skill only limit your present horizons if you let them.
Let go, one success at a time.
- DIVE INTO A REALISTIC PLAN
If there’s one law of living that every man, woman and child deserves to apply to every moment, let it be this one: always do your best.
Your “best” will vary. It may not be the same capacity tomorrow as it is today. You may have “off” days when it just doesn’t come as easily for one reason or another. That isn’t the end of the world.
Make a plan rooted in realistic goals. From there, follow through on it and let each “win” build your confidence in the Pool Service Mesa. Have a grander final objective in mind, but view each lesson as one more step toward it, each being the foundation for the next. You can expand your limitations while still safely being mindful of your own weaknesses as a swimmer until you master them.
Remember the first lesson: ask for help. As Pool Service Mesa professionals, we take a sincere interest in every family we serve making the most of their time together in the water. Contact us today for our recommended sources of tips and coaching to make you the strongest swimmer you can be.