Swimming is not natural for humans.
When we dive into a pool we lose all sense of coordination and balance.
Then we are asked “not to breathe,” which goes against everything we have done since we came out of the womb.
The more time you spend in the water the more your body will adjust to it and, more importantly, the more you become aware of your body and what its doing in the water.
Proprioceptive awareness or “body awareness” is critical.
You have to know where your hand enters; it crossing over or too deep a catch? What about your lower body?
Is it fish tailing as you twist your hips? Are your toes kissing each other or do you scissor kick each stroke?
All these questions are important to ask and know as you swim. When you can not only answer them but also feel the answers then swimming is becoming more natural.
Even if it is only for 500 meters, it is better than nothing.
Even floating on your stomach to get used to the feeling of not breathing helps.
Approach swimming like you would a new language.
If you practice everyday and eventually it will become ingrained. As you become more fluent (or “fluid” in this case) you can decrease your days to 3.
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