When was the last time you jumped into the sea and let it wash away "dear employer", "favorite mother-in-law" or "chatty friend"? Don’t get me wrong, I'm not suggesting you throw them overboard, but don’t tell me you you’ve never experienced that feeling of refreshment and satisfaction as you jumped into the big blue?
On a beach in Ireland 2505 women ran naked into the sea. According to the Guinness World Record, on the 9th of June 2018 they smashed the old record in skinny dipping.
DOG PADDLE VS BUTTERFLY
I still remember a scene my mum often reminds me of when she secretly watched me while I was still in elementary school. I was swimming the dog paddle technique in the sea passing by a quay where two guys were standing.
When I looked at them they were laughing at me and imitating my movements with their hands in the water like a dog with its tongue sticking out. After that I started swimming butterfly and left them to keep mocking me.
FINDING NEMO
Great swimmers, sea lovers and sea-activities enthusiasts, my parents taught me
how to swim long before I started going to school. When they enrolled me in first grade elementary school, they also enrolled me in a swimming school.
They wanted me to learn all the strokes properly. Today, I can say it was one of the best decisions they ever made, excluding the one when they decided to have my sister and me.
That feeling of slippery pool tiles underneath my feet, the smell of chlorine in the air and rough water are lasting memories of my first day at the pool. I was waiting for my turn to be tested as a swimmer.
We were supposed to swim a 25 meter lap and get from one end to the other in anyway we could so they could sort us into groups based on age and swimming skills.
We were swimming next to the edge of the pool. The trainer was walking just outside the pool, along the lane as we swam. He had with him a long stick which had some kind of linen fabric tightened to the end of it. It was for extra insurance in case somebody found it too difficult to swim across the entire length. It looked as though he was fishing and we were the fish.
I was so excited I could hardly wait for my turn.
Before I jumped into the pool I had bragged about being a really good swimmer, so they let me jump in head-first. Next day I saw my name on a list that was on the pool’s notice board. Words can’t capture a seven year old’s euphoria while enthusiastically waited for her first swimming lesson.
The trainings taught me discipline. Before each training I packed my own backpack.
The basics were a swim suite, goggles and swim cap. At first the rubber swim cap gave me problems because while I was putting it on it pulled my hair out.
The problem was solved by my mum. She suggested I put baby powder on the inside of the cap, the same kind she was using for my baby sister.
Before going into the pool it was obligatory to take a shower, otherwise we weren't allowed to enter. It created a healthy hygienic habit which should be rooted in each visitor's head, regardless whether they are recreational or professional swimmers.
I made new friends at my swimming lessons. Back in the days when we didn’t have mobile phones, or social media the only way to stay in touch was by going to the lessons regularly three times a week. Boys and girls, we were all in the same group and were able to, more or less, successfully manage the infinite number of exercises that our trainers made us do.
For instance, there were breathing exercises, special exercises for the arms and different ones for the legs with the help of a buoy and other swimming props.
I was especially thrilled when we were practicing the jumps head-first, spinning and diving in the water, which made the lessons more interesting.
Besides the Olympic pool - 50 meters long and 25 meters wide, we also used a "small pool" that is usually used to train non-swimmers.
It is a lot smaller than the Olympic pool, it's shallow and the temperature is a few degrees higher so we used it for warming up. In the small pool the trainer showed each one of us the proper swimming moves for the hands and legs and corrected our mistakes.
In the five years I spent training, followed by occasional shouts of the trainer during intense exercises, such as: "don't pull the swimming lane!", I learned 4 basic swimming strokes: freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly.
Swimming became my way of life. It has given me the opportunity to use it as a recreational activity throughout the year and with it to maintain my health and stay in shape.
I've passed my knowledge and skills to my sister. By slowly applying all the strokes I picked up in swimming school I taught her how to breath properly, stay on the surface, dive and the right way to swim all the strokes, including the hardest one - butterfly.
Like me, she also fell in love with swimming, with the sea and later with a plush fish toy called Nemo just like the one from the movie "Finding Nemo", that until this day is still on her bed.
SATISFACTION, HEALTH AND SAFTY
When I'm on the beach I often watch people swimming. I've noticed that if they enter the sea knee deep they usually swim breaststroke while talking to their friends, or after a few strokes of freestyle they stop because they get tired.
It’s possible at any age to overcome your fear of water and to learn how to swim or to perfect your swimming skills in a way so you can get across 150 meters without stopping, even though it's best to do it in your youth so you can enjoy the many benefits this sport gives you as soon as possible.
Swimming is a sport which will give you a sense of safety while you're in the water or walking besides it and it will raise the quality of your life in multiple ways:
- since swimming is the base for many other water sports and activities, it will give you the opportunity to enjoy the fun and recreation;
On a hot summer's day you could swing on a liana and let go when you're above the water or stand under a small waterfall in a river and feel the power of the water that falls on your shoulders and gives you a lovely massage.
If you are more into adrenaline sports you could try water skiing, jet-skiing or surfing.
You could dive into the underwater world and if you like it take scuba-diving lessons.
If you are a more laid-back type of person who likes to idly lay on an inflatable beach mattress, than you're safe. Just be careful not to let the waves spill your favorite drink.
Forget about the straw.
- it will affect your social life;
You don't have to astonish the world like the American born Florence May Chadwick, the first woman who swam across La Manche both ways. If you want to draw attention on the beach and fascinate someone you could just swim the butterfly while they are watching.
Swimming will help you make your heart muscle stronger and stabilise your blood pressure, unless a person you fascinated on the beach starts approaching you and starts chatting with you.
Since you are in the water, they won't notice if you broke a sweat. And if in that moment of pure joy you want to scream out of happiness you can do it under water and they won't hear you.
Your mind will be completely occupied. Everyday worries and stress will be gone with the wind.
- it will affect your health;
Swimming regularly will help you strengthen your muscular system. It'll tighten your arms, legs, back, chest and buttocks.
You'll lose those few extra kilos and finally manage to get into those old jeans you so yearningly watched in your closet for years. When you put them on, you'll admire yourself. It'll be your success and a reason for happiness.
With swimming you'll get rid of your back pain. It'll be easier to bend over and pick up the children's toys.
You'll be in great shape, your joints will be more movable and elastic, making it easier to run after your granddaughter in the park.
You could go rafting with your friends from work. Find time for yourself.
- at the end the most important thing. It's a precious skill that can help you to save your and other people’s lives.
Did you know that according to the World Health Organisation drowning is one of the leading causes of unintentional injury and death worldwide.
The especially endangered groups are children and people who are often near water or whose lives are oriented on water.
Given the fact that 70% of Earth is water, it is undoubtedly clear that you should know how to swim. Is it not?
SEA OR SOMEWHERE ELSE
For me, there is no better feeling than to sail out on a hot summer's day and dive into the big blue sea. To swim butterfly with flippers or freestyle which is my favorite style because it's rhythmical and fast.
I grew up by the sea, and my parents passed their love for the sea to me and it has always been my first choice.
And what about you, my dear readers, where do you like to go skinny dipping?
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