How often do you drown?..

1 and 2 and 3 and 4 BREATH 7 and 8 and 9 and 10 BREATH...
Perhaps you may be wondering about the missing 5 and 6. Well,... apparently its not a Salsa class, or a disco class, as it rhymes. Its my swimming class, and the counts are the kicks. While breathing kicks are to be maintained, thats why its implicitly mentioned. Those of you who knows swimming may find this dull, and might have followed a different method for studying, but for the time being, lets swim together..

All my uncles and aunties from  dad's side are excellent swimmers, but those from my mom's side haven't dipped their body in a river or pond. The funny fact is, both of their houses are along riverside. Unfortunately, we moved from my paternal house, to this sweet home while i was on age 1. So i had no option to learn swimming. 20 years later, i got selected to the Navy. Thats where i am going to work, to the sea. Apart from that, swimming is a  necessary trick to be learned by everyone.

I joined for swimming a few weeks ago, at my old school, which has a 2 year old well equipped pool, and good trainers. As usual, i didn't feel at home to the new place. I mean who would, when you are the only man with a hairy chest, wearing a tights, making the body line exposed to every one, while rest of them are kids, all giving a weired look, unable to judge whether i am a new instructor or a student much junior to them in the aspect of swimming?... The head coach gave me some tips about breathing i was supposed to imitate it. Later he asked me to glide, and try gliding with kick. "excellent work, man. Usually no one catches up so fast in the very first class". Said the head coach. Oh! that was a day of celebration. I felt the same happiness which i felt while riding my bike for the first time.

The following days were totally different. Whenever i finish gliding and start kicking, i start to drown. I can hold breath for a good time and breath out slowly so that i can sustain my gliding. But when ever i tries to breath meanwhile sculling to keep my balance, again, i start to drown. It was head coach who told me, to be relaxed, and keep kicking even while breathing. I tried, tried, and tried, but i failed, failed and again failed. I was a bit disappointed. For the next few days, i was trying the same. During these days i see at least one movie per day. One of the best ways to kill time. So Jana suggested me a movie- "The Guardian". Its the story of a legendary US Coast Guard rescuer. The hero is transferred to a training school to overcome a post traumatic shock. He expelled a student on the very first day, who could not float in water for about 30 mins. Then he makes a statement, "First lesson on physics of swimming- Muscles do not float!..". That was exactly my problem. To kick we need to transfer power to our legs. Meanwhile, keeping the upper part of the body relaxed is like smiling with one half and crying with the other half of our face. I was confused. I blindly believed that it was possible. Somehow, i was able to do that, i still don't have any idea about it; its just an involuntary process now.

Later i was given with a kick board, and asked to kick towards the deep area. To be sincere, i was afraid. There is nothing to be ashamed of being afraid there is always a coward in you. Again, a movie came to my help. In "Three Kings", George Clooney says "The best way to get rid of your fear is by committing that deed and proving yourself that you are courageous". I went to the deep area. I could see the floor tiles running down grade, and the depth increased as i advanced. I couldn't breath. I lost my control, i was drowning,... Suddenly i grabbed the track line. In fact i was climbing over it. The skin of my right arm got clutched between the plastic floats. After taking a deep breath and removing the goggles to get a clear vision, the first thing i noted was, every one, in the pool, the coach, the students, parents sitting in gallery burst into laughter. I really wanted to go deep down to the pool so that i can escape from the scene, but the pool was too deep. A fifth standard kid laughed at me again and went down to the pool and showed up a dozen times, which meant it was as simple as that. The coach asked me to do what the kid did. I obeyed. I then realized that it was just 6 feet deep. What George Clooney said was right.

After a dew days, i was taught with arm actions, and breathing associated with it. Still, my swimming was not smooth. While i swim, the pool echoes like there is a Tsunami coming from the track. Yesterday was the worst day, where i could not even repeat the first day lessons properly. I realized the exact meaning of "Back to square one". Two days ago i was sitting in Best Bakers with a cup of hot coffee in my hand, i was analyzing my problem... It took me a whole night to understand that it was my ATTITUDE. While i swim, i do it not to get drowned. I haven't tried it once to enjoy the beauty, to feel the hidden physics of swimming. And i believe that in every aspects of life where we fail miserably, we all are behaving with this attitude.

As i mentioned before, i was back on square one. So today i was accompanied by a lady coach, who was very gentle, giving me live feedbacks and tips, correcting me after every step. I repeated every stages of freestyle from day one, every thing the very same, except one- ATTITUDE. Believe me or not. Today, i did some real freestyle. As my vital capacity was not adequate, she advised me to stay off from deep area. So from next day onwards, i have to do some exercises to improve myself.

There were times at which i wanted to give up, i wanted to cry, i wanted to raise my middle finger to the other arrogant female coach, but giving up and desperation were not the reasons for which i went to the pool. After climbing out of the pool, i wanted to give my coach a hug, as i couldn't do it without her, but, you know, my costumes..I just spilled a few coffee over my jeans while laughing with the cup held in my hands. I was celebrating over a cup of coffee over the same table, same chair, but with a different attitude....