Author: Shannon Keegan

Does not exist when you’re on the path to progress. 

Do you find yourself bored at the pool wondering what to do? 

Are you filling time to reach an arbitrary distance target? 

Are you swimming sets with no particular goal in mind? 

There is another way. 

On the path to progress you are excited at the prospect of swimming each practice, curious about new discoveries that you might make, and constantly challenged.

If you feel like you’re in a rut. Set a goal. And consider a coach!

I don’t like to call it work because I love it. 

Just because I love it doesn’t mean it’s easy to get in the water and practice. 

But I get in the water to practice because there is work to be done.

If you want to improve in baseball, practice hitting the ball.

If you want to improve in basketball, practice shooting baskets. 

What do you do when you want to improve in swimming? 

If you focus on how far you’re going, what does that tell you about your swimming?

If you focus on the times that you’re posting, what does that tell you about swimming?

If you focus on doing drills that put you in a position that you would never be in when you swim, what does that tell you about your swimming?

Put your focus on your body in the water; because that is what you want to improve!

It is in each shape that you make with your body in the water that you should train your focus. 

Don’t look at the clock, and quit counting. Observe what your brain and your body are doing when you’re together in the water. 

Where you place your focus, is how you will improve. 

For every action there is an equal and opposite reaction.

Knowing this, you can assess each action that you make in the water. Observe the reaction.

If you sweep your hand to the side, where do you think your body will go?

To the opposite side!

Are you trying to move to the side of the pool? I doubt it.

If you want to get across the pool, push the water behind you.

Experiment next time you go to the water.

Right here. Right now.

I have to remind myself often—to be right here, right now.

It’s easy to get caught up in what happened. Or what’s next. But it pays to be present – especially in each practice.

I hate…

I hate doing dishes. 

I hate laundry.

I hate cold water.

I hate swimming long distance.

Once you erect a wall of disdain, there’s no where to go. 

Catch yourself in the act; try opening your language. 

I have a hard time prioritizing doing dishes.

Laundry always takes more time than I expect. 

Cold is an unfamiliar sensation for me.

I’m not used to swimming long distances.

Loosening your language creates cracks in the wall.

You might be surprised at what happens when the light shines through!

I remember thinking that I knew pretty much everything I needed to know about coaching swimming (or that I could look up anything that I didn’t know)—and then strutting into Fundamental Skills Coach Training only to realize that there was a whole body of knowledge that I had not previously considered (that I wouldn’t have known to look up online).

I remember making up dryland training workouts for myself and figuring that it didn’t really matter, I just needed to do something—and then signing up with a personal trainer only to realize how beneficial it is to have someone create workouts for you, ensure that you have good technique, and keep you accountable.

I remember thinking that I was completely prepared for an upcoming swim—and then my coach asking me questions about things I hadn’t even considered.

It’s a muscle that we need to consistently flex, otherwise it will atrophy. 

When was the last time that you were humbled? 

Make a point to begin again.

There is no going back—just like we can’t go back in time—only forward. 

Sometimes in learning it feels like one step forward, two steps back. But the truth is that we can never have the same experience twice. 

Make it a deliberate practice. Take the opportunity to review what you did, what could have gone better or different, then begin again. 

Beginning isn’t only for beginners. It’s for anyone humble enough to try to improve. 

Just because you know how to swim doesn’t mean that you won’t benefit from learning to swim.

Equipped with your current knowledge, experience, and understanding, allow yourself to begin again.

Do you feel that you get winded easily when you swim?

Do you continuously exhale when you face is in the water?

Are you able to get oxygen in and out at a rate that sustains you for the distance that you’re endeavoring? 

Do you depend on breathing to a single side?

Or maybe you count on breathing to both sides? 

Are you able to move to a breathing position such that it doesn’t compromise your ability to be streamlined in the water?

All worthy experiments!

It’s helpful to know that the laws of physics are always at work.

A body at rest stays at rest.

Whether it’s getting out of bed in the morning, washing dishes, doing laundry, or getting to the pool; making the first move is the hardest.

Once you’re in motion, you are more likely to stay in motion.

Make the first move!