squidkid.

I have an odd pattern of always picking up a new sport in correlation with starting a new chapter in my life. Softball in middle school, tennis in high school, lacrosse in college.

So when I finally got my B.A. in journalism and was asked what I was going to do with my life next, it was totally normal for me to announce I was going to get my lifeguarding license and start teaching swimming as well as competing in triathlons.

How I Almost Never Became a Lap Swimmer
On my first day of the lifeguard training, after about four laps, the instructor stopped me.

“I don’t think you are going to be able to do this,” he said to me.

I didn’t get it. I didn’t get why I wasn’t just picking swimming up, I was so athletic and strong. I could see why the instructor had concern — after four laps I was totally winded. Everyone else around me were calming swimming those 25-yards back and forth, over and over, again like a ping pong ball hitting paddles in a rally. No choking on water, no heavy panting. Yet I was almost hyperventilating.

Slow Down and Begin with One-Lap Victories
Swimming laps well isn’t about fast kicks and strong arms and getting to the side as fast as you can. Swimming laps well is first about coordinating your breathing. It is about building distance stamina.

• FIRST-TIMERS LAP SWIMMING EXERCISE: Start it out slowly and with a kickboard. Body horizontal on the water, begin kicking with straight legs, holding the end of the board with two hands. With your head looking at the bottom, start to slowly blow bubbles. Let go your left hand go and pull straight down, bringing it all the way around and grab the kickboard once again. Now do this with the right, but when that right arm has finished pulling and is stretched behind you, roll your body to the right side and take a breath. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat.

Seriously, how many times do you think you need to repeat this process to make it 25 yards? For a newbie, I’d say 35 times. That’s 35 enhales and 35 exhales. That’s 70 arms movements, and an innumerable amount of kicks. You’d better paced yourself. Because your goal is to get to the end of the lap and NOT be winded. Not being winded has everything to do with how you are breathing and blowing — do both calmly and get enough air. Then your next goal would be to do two laps and not be winded. And then three laps and not be winded.

Getting good at swimming laps is a slow-building process. I took to heart what my lifeguard instructor said and had two weeks to prove him different. Everyday I showed up at the pool and practiced. I built up my ability slowly and conditioned myself through proper breathing. Now I tell others what they need to do to be able to swim.

You have to start somewhere. Start with one good breath at a time. Speed and ability comes later.