I realised that there's actually a lot of things to blog about. I don't really have to give a detailed account of what I did for the particular day because that would be a very boring read. But then again, it's also good to keep track of my daily thoughts.
Today's topic shall be on swimming. :)
I went to HomeTeamNS JOM Clubhouse @ Balestier for a swim. Just thought I should get back on my 3 exercises per week regime to get my fat body into shape. Well, I swam for barely 30 minutes and I enjoyed the jacuzzi for a short while.
Looking back, I first learnt how to swim when I was Pri 4. There was this swimming lesson at Farrer Park and I enrolled for it. They taught us the "blow bubble" and leg kicking at the side of the pool. Somehow after all, I just stopped going or did the lessons stop? I'm not quite sure. I didn't really learn how to swim from there.
Back when I was Sec 1 or 2, there was compulsory swimming PE at Katong Swimming Complex. We had to walk there before flag raising and walk back in twos haha. There, I learnt how to float and I could actually swim a few strokes with the instructor guiding my palms. He's a really nice and patient person. I felt so accomplished when I could float that I actually went to try it a few times during the weekends. But still, I never could swim more than half the breadth of the pool. I had the problem of sinking after taking my breath.
When I was in JC, there was swimming PE too. I only went for the categorisation test where they made everyone swim the breadth. Well, not surprisingly, I was categorised as the "Beginners". I hated the toilet anyway. It was old and the showers had no cubicles or walls or whatsoever. It's just one wall with many showerheads. Weird if you ask me. No privacy at all. Okay that's not the point. For JC1, I managed to avoid swimming because I was initially in CG 09/05 for the first 3 months and it wasn't our turn to swim. After the first 3 months, I changed class to CG 03/05 who already swam during the first 3 months. Even if I did not change class, CG 09/05 had no swimming PE either for JC1. During my JC2 days, when everyone else went for swimming PE, Kaimin and I were doing bowling PE. Busy throwing medicine balls, doing crunches, lunges and whatever not. Kaimin was quite passionate about the runs, more so than throwing medicine balls.
During my JC days, I got a letter from the Naval Diving Unit (NDU). HORRORS. Well, I did not know what I was in for. I just went there and tried my best, which was really nothing actually. I couldn't pass standing board jump. I couldn't do a single pull up (yes, I was hanging there like those roast chicken at the chicken rice stall). I couldn't swim so I just walked the breadth of the pool. Actually, I tried to swim la. Ironically, I passed all the medical tests, such as the lung capacity, ear test, pressure test and whatever test. When we met the NSF who were in NDU during our meals, they told us that we were in quite some deep shit if we were to pass those medical tests and if we expressed interest. I was pretty worried after that so I went on my runs and my swims every weekend. Saturday was a running day and Sunday was a swimming day. Can you believe it? I was actually so enthusiastic and determined. From half a breadth to a few breadths and eventually to 20 lengths. I felt so proud of myself. It was such an achievement. Even though I swam so slowly, to accomplish such a feat meant so much to me. I actually could swim without sinking. Even if my legs were all wobbly after the 20 lengths, I felt so good.
Till this day, I'm still swimming although not regularly. But I still enjoy just chilling inside the pool, enjoying the sun on your back and giving you a tan. I still can't believe I spent hours swimming and I didn't spend a minute a day on pull ups. Sheesh.
That's the story of how mS learns to swim. :)
Labels: swimming
