A Good Swim

Energized by the morning run&walk, I became restless in the
house. Reading Steven Pinker over coffee was fun
but I needed action. At around 4:00PM, I headed to the
swimming pool to see how I'd fare in water.

My torso including the lats, the abs, the butts, and the hips felt
like one piece. My limbs felt like the extension of this
central piece, or the "core." The core muscles held the hips
and the upper body tightly together to move as a whole.
This was a relatively new feeling as I used to think the
waist divides the body into upper and lower parts and each
functions on its own. After 15 years, the two parts started to
join together.

Engaging the glutes in freestyle and flutter kicking has
become fun as it made the strokes powerful and moves much
less tiring. Each stroke started from the toes and extended
all the way to the fingertips. Connecting them and
delivering the force was the core. I only wish I were longer
as each stroke felt exactly like whipping (as in punching in
boxing). The glutes seemed tireless and I could easily kick
100 yards. The 2000-yard workout was an absolute treat.

As much as I enjoyed my new-found strength, the girl next
lane beat me hands down. She was taller and looked
professional. She used hand paddles, zommer fins, and a pull
bouy. I already have zoomers and will try the other two next.