Bought goggles and went swimming...

... and isn't that enough of an accomplishment? Swimming sucked; I think learning to breathe is a good thing. On the plus side, I learned one trick that I don't think anyone taught me specifically... if you breathe *out* while breaking water, you're less likely to have water around your mouth when you breathe back in.

Any swimmers out there want to tell me if I'm getting the right idea? :-)

After realizing that I no longer have any swimming form I used to have, I just did some basic exercises that might have lasted 20 minutes or longer, and I've got that pleasant ache that says I worked out good and proper.

Really.

Okay, okay, I have that harbinger of the "you worked out too hard, you dolt!" feeling that I'm probably going to face tomorrow.

But two things about that feeling.

First, it's my limbs, not my heart. Work your heart out too hard, and you're asking to feel *really* lousy the next day or two, and you might not even understand why. You might feel tired and like you're moving through molasses, and the point is, your heart is too tired to pump as effectively. Your entire body is prisoner to its blood supply, don'tchaknow.

Second, *since* it's my limbs, and since it's only exhaustion, not pain, they'll be fine with another, much gentler, workout tomorrow. In fact, they'll probably appreciate that. If you overwork a muscle group today, work it gently tomorrow, and you'll probably not feel quite as achy as you would the day after tomorrow.

And more good news, my goggles don't feel like they're giant suction cups trying to suck... okay, I'm going to stop *right there*, because going any further is likely to gross folks out. Needless to say, if you ever get swim goggles that just cover the eyes, *make sure the strap isn't too tight*.

And, by the way, if anyone with a smaller head than I needs a pair of swim goggles, I have a spare :-).

Bought goggles and went swimming...

... and isn't that enough of an accomplishment? Swimming sucked; I think learning to breathe is a good thing. On the plus side, I learned one trick that I don't think anyone taught me specifically... if you breathe *out* while breaking water, you're less likely to have water around your mouth when you breathe back in.

Any swimmers out there want to tell me if I'm getting the right idea? :-)

After realizing that I no longer have any swimming form I used to have, I just did some basic exercises that might have lasted 20 minutes or longer, and I've got that pleasant ache that says I worked out good and proper.

Really.

Okay, okay, I have that harbinger of the "you worked out too hard, you dolt!" feeling that I'm probably going to face tomorrow.

But two things about that feeling.

First, it's my limbs, not my heart. Work your heart out too hard, and you're asking to feel *really* lousy the next day or two, and you might not even understand why. You might feel tired and like you're moving through molasses, and the point is, your heart is too tired to pump as effectively. Your entire body is prisoner to its blood supply, don'tchaknow.

Second, *since* it's my limbs, and since it's only exhaustion, not pain, they'll be fine with another, much gentler, workout tomorrow. In fact, they'll probably appreciate that. If you overwork a muscle group today, work it gently tomorrow, and you'll probably not feel quite as achy as you would the day after tomorrow.

And more good news, my goggles don't feel like they're giant suction cups trying to suck... okay, I'm going to stop *right there*, because going any further is likely to gross folks out. Needless to say, if you ever get swim goggles that just cover the eyes, *make sure the strap isn't too tight*.

And, by the way, if anyone with a smaller head than I needs a pair of swim goggles, I have a spare :-).