Mask and Snorkel

5 laps: No longer timing the rest intervals. More relaxed at sidestroke. Tried it without the left hand but wasn't strong enough. Tried the snorkel and fins. The mask leaked. Snorkel was ok.

Fins and Stretching the Dog

3 laps: 2 side, 3 dog, 3 tread. Still feeling the "blahs". Tried on the fins today. Wasn't much though. But it did bring back the proper feet/ legs narrow kicking profile. Did 2 laps with fins. Realized that I forgot to take Pritor. Could that be the reason for the blahs? Discovered that I could go farther with dog paddle by STRAIGTHENING out the arms infront and then GRIPPING and PUSHING water all the way back. Self, take your own advise from Apr21. Felt some pain later in my triceps and thighs. The tricep pain from treading/paddling and the thigh pain from low kicking in Dog. Should I go back to weights?

I'm still having gag-reflex when swallowing water. Was "barfing" underwater but still stroking and breathing air for 6 mtrs or 4 breaths. Should I learn to stop and tread and try to get composure first before resuming? The fins helped tremendously with backstroke. Maybe I should use them for backstroke drills.

2D Echo and Treadmill Results

5 laps: 2 widths of sidestroke, 1 length brst, 3 widths dog and tread. Tried out back balance. This can work well only if face is exposed and facing directly overhead. Head vertical only works at sea water. Didn't feel easy today. Felt heavy and wasn't streamlined in free. Still conscious of putting low profile in water when breathing. Still can't manage good hip rotation (side-to-side) without the feeling of fishtailing the legs. When dog paddling and treading, I felt the strain in the triceps. Felt the need of a good treading kick in the modified breast. This adds to the balance and continuity of the stroke.

The sidestroke today was a little more streamline than in the past. Again, air is important in the lungs and be relaxed. The head can be comfortable above the water. Need to focus on a more longer streamline (count 1 or 2 secs?) and relax while doing so. Again the secret is relaxing just like when doing the dog paddle and treading. Legs in free need to be more streamlined with narrower kicks.

I received the results on the 2d echo and treadmill stress test from Medical Center Muntinlupa. This followup test was requested by the company doc who found "Left Anterior Hemiblock" in my Annual PE results. Anyway, the cardiologist who conducted the tests said not to worry too much and said that this could just be the normal effects of "aging".

No Shorts Allowed !!!

I posed a question to a swimming forum about an American who was pissed coz he couldn't swim at a pool in the Czech Republic. There's a sign in the facility that said his shorts weren't allowed. See the sign at the left and notice that the approved swimming attire are illustrated below the banned shorts drawing.

Personally, I have no problem with the sign. I have and I don't mind wearing the swimming trunk shown on the left side of the poster. I probably could wear the one on the center as well. But the one at the right? Yikes! Out of the question. I just don't have the bod nor the guts to wear one . That T-letter thingie right there looks like a thong.

Anyway, the question elicited a LOT of reactions - some benign and some violent. You'll probably sense a hint of arrogance from some of the posts. Click the link below to see them:
USMS Discussion Forums - No Shorts Allowed !!!

Narrower Kicks for Free

7 laps: All laps continuous but slow to practice technique. No extra tricks today. It's graduation day for the summer beginners. Did 1 dog paddle. For free, I felt relaxed though a little hurried with the arms. They can be slower, ie, slower turnover. Discovered that my legs kicking produce drag. I felt it when I minimally kicked, ie, narrow kicks. It felt MORE STREAMLINED! So, resist bending the knees too much. And keep them close together especially at kick-off streamline.

Essence of Dog Style

6 laps: All laps are continuous. I did the face/ cheek ot left extended biceps. It's true the left arm sank more on the extension so I need to remember this. Keep head horizontal! Gave a few tips to a couple of kids regarding dog-paddle to keep arms long and slow and relax. Dog crawl using loooong, sloooow arms in my opinion teaches/ enhances tactile sense of the water. Just realized how difficult it was for me to learn dog paddle as the first drill in my first swim lessons.

I discovered today that I could glide longer and faster if I feel the catch ALL THE WAY THROUGH. This occured when I lengthened the stroke touch the thumb to the thigh. I felt the catch of water up to the point the hand nears the thigh! It was WONDERFUL to learn! Another milestone. Maybe next time try the water polo stroke. My thigh sides, butt and quads felt a little sore in the afternoon.

Second Video; Prevent Mold

Family swim at RnR with Gay. I just discovered that the entrance was no longer Php80 but Php100 per person! We just spent Php580 for the 7 of us and a Php200 cottage coz of my membership discount. Lots of people in the pool. Gay, Che and Irene were "excited" to learn treading. Che seemed to have learned it since she's done breaststroke already. I also gave them "survival" drills to do. That is, go to center with free, turn around using tread and go back with free. I thought it was lots of fun doing these drills. I'm amazed by the swimming specific muscles I've developed since my arms didn't tire at all. I did feel a sharp pain in my left elbow at the afternoon though. I was worried but soon the pain disapppeard after light swimming and massaging.

I had myself videoed for the second time. I think I'm faster but the freestyle stroke doesn't look much different. Observations:
  1. Need to keep lead arms straight and nearer surface
  2. Keep low head profile, keep check on bicep of lead arm
  3. Keep legs together especially at pushoff
  4. Focus on first quadrant and catchup
  5. Elbows need to be higher/ more vertical
An idea to prevent mold in the Chamois towel. Do not keep the tube in the dark (inside bag) too long. Store/ hang it by the window of the car in the sun where it's BRIGHT IN THE SUN !!!
5 laps: 2 mins rest in between laps. Found a pair of goggles at bottom of pool and took it. Have found in the past: black briefs, hair garter, yellow trunks. Did 2 sidestrokes and 2 lengths of breaststroke.

Stretch Cords

6 laps and 1 play lap: Also did 2 sidestroke for 12.5m. May need to study left sidestroke. Tried doing the both arms symmetrically to see and get a feel of the left side motions. This will take time. Guess what? I saw an inflatable raft with paddles in the pool! And to think I've seen it all. Am still getting used to kicking out of the turn. Seems like I don't glide enough/ don't kick strong enough and I stroke immediately. Is this to breath quickly? Didn't put on Coppertone Sport after brunch. Don't forget next time!

There was a guy who was taller and heavier. He did the kind of freestyle I did where I would raise/ crane my head to high as in the video. In his case though he breathed to the right after 2 underwater right strokes. He only swam across the 12.5m width at the deep end.

Stretchcord Exercises with cords hung high or at eye level:
  1. Close to wall, target the lats by pulling toward opposite knee
  2. Farther, target shoulders by simulating catch.
  3. Close to wall, do the full stretch of external shoulder rotation
  4. Farther, do the half stretch of external shoulder rotation
8 laps: Another semi milestone. First 4 laps and 6th were no rests. Rests in between was long though - around 3 mins. Wanted to stay long coz there were 2 groups there. I think I wowed 'em. Why is it that I feel out of breath when kicking out from a turn? And then when I finally turn head for air, I gasp for air and this affects my rotation (balentong syndrome). Remember, RELAAAAAXX. Commented to Cecille the hair strands in the pool. I felt stiffness after the first lap. Was it muscle coldness? Nervousness? Anxiety?
5 laps: Another milestone! Today I did all 5 laps without rest between lengths. This means a go for 50 mtrs. Cool! My open turn though is very sloppy. Sometimes I kick off only from one foot - pathetic. But this still requires me to take 2 minute rests in between laps. This 2 min rest is my next target for reduction. Remember train the mind for MENTAL TOUGHNESS! How to improve turns? Do a better open turns, a flip turn? Backstroke tombstone for 1 arms keep feet kicking, maintain velocity. Sun is really out and hot. Put on Coppertone Sport to shoulders and upper arms after eating brunch. To add fun to workout, use fins.
5 laps: Only 1st lap was without rest. Pipes were being drilled for pump in kiddie pool. Need to replenish swim drops and sunscreen.

Cancer Risk ?

5 laps: First 2 laps were continuous (no rest but a turn). After that memorable milestoneof a swim at Anilao, it's back to pool work. Water color wasn't nice though that I almost turned back (still green). And this after reading an article about chlorine as a cancer-risk.

Anyway the deep end of this pool no longer seemed so deep. Tip: maybe to ensure that water is always acceptable, maybe start Wednesday or Thursday. In other words, time it towards the weekend so that it becomes crystal clear by Saturday. Chlorine is a free-radical generator? Take plenty of anti-oxidants!!! In spite of a semi-long layoff, no tiredness or sleepiness. My suspicion is still the Glutamax!

Vistamar, Anilao, Batangas

Another milestone! Finally, finally, finally! A major defining moment! I've learned to tread water - sea water that is. It was almost by accident. Actually, I wasn't trying to learn it yet. I just did freestyle along the beach on shallow water. But since there was no pool line, it was so easy to veer off the assumed parallel. I unknowingly veered towards my right and into deep water. For a split second I panicked. But then I was ready to attempt to tread using a modified breaststroke - and I did! I didn't sink and it was so easy to float. I also attempted to bicycle kick and scull the arms. Still good!

I discussed this with Bing while treading in deep water (shown in pic at left, I'm the one with goggles in 8ft deep water) and he showed how the slow breaststroke was more relaxing than the bicycle kick. I enjoyed this day so much that I was the one in the water the most. I also did 360 degree turns while treading. It looked like synchro swimming and it was way COOL! Tip: Be relaxed before treading in deep water. Later in the day, I deliberately went to deeper water to tread. I'm so proud of this accomplishment.

Some other stuff I tried:
  • Practiced navigating skills using brst after free but maybe treading is better.
  • Waterpolo freestyle as shown by Bing was very slow coz the hips, butt and legs sink.
  • Bilateral coz it was so easy to float and comparatively easier to do in sea water.
  • Sidestroke was very good but didn't do much of it.
  • Backstroke was very slow.
  • Switching from free to elem without standing - just to-and-back - cool.
  • Starfish float- feet out of the water.
  • Table-top or "Maternity" float - my term, parang manganganak, knees out of the water.
Anilao is at the Southwestern part of Batangas. The pic at the right shows a fantastic view of the bay. The outing was a daytrip and we bought foodstuff in the nearby market. We grilled fish and everything was fresh and good. We had Inihaw na Tilapia, Lechong Manok (Senor San Pedro), and yellow ripe mangoes. That's Flor finishing up on the booze.

Too bad, I didn't snorkel. But there was nothing much else to see near the shoreline other than these neon colored little blue, aqua and green fishes that congregate at the bottom still water and medium-sized gray fishes. I am still happy coz I learned and experience so much of swimming today. I feel that I'm ready for:
  • open-water swims
  • deep swimming pools in resorts like Jed Island's 15-ft deep pool
  • any outing to any beach and have no qualms to go to deep water
  • other watersports: scuba? surfing?
We also rented a boat that took us to the other side of the bay for Php2000. You could actually land on the other side and pay for the entrance at the other resorts there. This boat had special viewing box right in the center and that looked like a coffin. It was glass bottomed and you could actually view what's underneath the boat. The pic on the left is the entire group that went to Anilao.

Here's a shot of what you could see in the viewing "coffin". There were tons of different kinds of coral formations and some fish! Some parts of the bay was shallow and it was easy to see the formations but some parts were so deep and dark that you couldn't make out anything. It was simply marvelous and all of us were in awe! To see more pictures click here. Just go to the "view pictures" then "view slideshow" options.

Here's the final swim before heading on home. See the smile on my face? That's the smile of someone who finally learned to confidently tread in deep water. We left Anilao 6:30pm. I took glutamax the day before and I didn't feel tired at all. My head ached terribly the day after and it's only because of eye strain. But who cares, I can tread water!!! I'm so happy I could die now.

Update:Almost 2 years later, I learned a much better way to tread water and that is by using the eggbeater kick. Others call it a rotary kick. To see my entries on the eggbeater kick, click here, and here. To see my videos, click here.