1 Up! (Pool Party Edition)

[ValdisMori]

So I recently respawned and have taken up swimming! And I have to say it surprised me how good an experience it's been.

 

You see normally I'd go to the gym and lift weights or do cardio, the usual stuff really. But after getting injured the last time I was there I kind of fell off the wagon for a bit. I tried really hard to get back into it but it was rough because things kept coming up (my grandpa passed away so we had to miss the gym for a while in order to arrange that) and before I knew it my month's membership was up and my financial incentive wasn't there anymore. This made forking up another monthly membership fee a difficult decision for me, especially since recently I haven't had a trainer to work with and all of my personal attempts at exercise felt either unsatisfactory or left me in pain. Then the idea of swimming came up.

 

Now I'd normally turn down something as far out of my normal routine as swimming, but given that I'd seemed to have run out of options I tried it out for the heck of it, and I was not disappointed. I ended up getting the same type of muscle burn I would feel from lifting weights at the gym without the strain that would come from lifting. In addition to that it was almost always a total body workout so I did not feel like I was missing out on anything I could have done at the gym. Plus, my new swim coach is great and he immediately picks up on my strengths and weaknesses and has really helped me to improve my swimming. And...it's fun! And not at all as burdensome as the Saturday morning boot camps I used to do or as lame as though dance aerobics classes gym trainers seem to ALWAYS encourage women in the gym to do.

 

I'm mainly writing this article though, to send a message. Don't be afraid to try new things, or even pick back up some old ones. I haven't swum this hard since the 6th grade and I had no idea how much my body missed it. So who knows? Step outside your comfort zone or respark an old flame. You'd be surprised at what you might discover.

[Tanktimus the Encourager]

Good for you, you adapted and found something you like. As we always say around here, the best workout is the one you actually do. Swimming is great exercise, and if that is what is going to keep you active it's perfect for you.