Swimming Diary

Progress:
2008-12-02
OK. my swimming lesson this semester is over this week. I had a great time in the pool. I swam one hour every workday for the whole semester. This semester was stressful and I got some precious relief in the water.

I am preparing for the finals. Here is a link to swimming jargon: http://www.ccbswordfish.org/?p=swimming_vocab
A book on swimming training http://tiny.cc/Oq0t9


2008-11-17
Today I picked up sidestroke. I can do well on the left side, but usually leaped backward too much on the right side.

2008-11-14
I did not swim as much as before because the course work is heavy; Additionally, we switch to winter time now, as a result it is already dark when PED pool opens. I cannot see clearly.

I swam one hour this noon. I have mastered some basic skills; now I need to focus on balance and endurance.

2008-11-01

"Michael Phelps & me"



2008-10-29
Four full freestyle laps! Hurry!


2008-10-22
A remarkable progress: I somehow learned to breathe in freestyle, though it seemed awkward, un-orchestrated, and lack of rhythm. I was really excited when I suddenly found myself swimming across half lap.

Also I began to practice breaststroke.

Keep swimming! Floating Rock!

The amazing beauty of dolphin kicking: just like a fish

2008-10-15
"A rock got such a good score!"
Thank you, William!
I should be practitioner, but not be satisfied with being a theorist

2008-10-14
It was an busy and depressing week last week because of midterms and homeworks. I didn't swim as often as before.

Now I am preparing for the swimming course midterm. Here are some notes:
1. History of Swimming
Founder of Red Cross swimming program: Wilbert E. Longfellow
Dominant swimming stroke used in Europe in the 16th century: breaststroke

2. Survival Swimming

H.E.L.P
Short for Heat Escape Lessening Posture.

1. Keep your legs together
2. Press both arms against your upper body
3. Keep your head out of the water

This position protects core area of the body from rapid heat loss.

Disrobing

Disrobe yourself of your shoes, socks, pants, belt, shirt, hats, etc. Inflate trousers for shirts as a floating device.

Riptides
Riptides, or rip currents, are long, narrow bands of water that quickly pull any objects in them away from shore and out to sea. They are dangerous but are relatively easy to escape if you stay calm. Do not struggle against the current. Most riptide deaths are not caused by the tides themselves. People often become exhausted struggling against the current, and cannot make it back to shore. Do not swim toward shore. You will be fighting the current, and you will lose. Swim parallel to shore, across the current. Generally speaking, a riptide is less than 100 ft. wide, so swimming beyond it should not be too difficult.If you cannot swim out of the riptide, float on your back and allow the riptide to take you away from shore until you are beyond the pull of the current. Rip currents generally subside 50 to 100 yards from shore.Once the riptide subsides, swim parallel to shore and then back to shore.

Boating Safety&Equipment
emergency signal
navigation aids: compass, GPS,
life jacket
navigation lights
communication equipment: radio, cellphone, flares
first aid kit
alternative power: paddles, oares
protective clothing: enough warm clothing
Reference: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/equipment

Sculling
Sliding the hands back and forth through the water creates a force perpendicular to the direction of the movement. This action is know as sculling. In chest-deep water, put your hands out in front of you with your fingers straight and close together. Turn your palms out and sweep your hands and forearms out to the side beneath the surface, then turn your palms in and sweep back to the center. If you scull continuously, you'll be tracing an elongated figure eight. Sculling is used extensively in back float.

Alternate breathing
Breathing every third stroke, you alternate breathing on opposite sides

Hypoxic Breathing
Breath control swimming such as underwater swimming or breathing every fifth or seventh stroke in Front crawl.

negative split

Swimming a Negative Split means that the second half of the distance is swum at a faster pace than the first half. For example, the following set:

1x 600: Negative Split

asks you to swim the second 300 yards at a faster pace and time than the first 300 yards. The idea is to control your pace at the beginning of the swim so that you have the energy necessary to swim faster at the end of the swim.

flutter kick
In swimming (either front crawl or backstroke), the legs are extended straight out in line with the body and then moved up and down, the one leg kicking downwards as the other leg moves up again. The legs are separated to not enhance wingtip vortices. The toes point in the direction of motion to mimic a hydrofoil. The knees are slightly bent to adjust the angle of attack.
http://www.alexandriamasters.com/articles/flutter.htm


2008-10-02
Now I can finish a complete lap by backstroke, but made little progress in freestyle. The main obstacle is breathe. I gradually learn to lean my head to one side to take a breathe, but when my head gets into the water again, my nose feels very uncomfortable. So I have to grab the curb to take another breathe. This makes me a little bit of frustrated.

But I must say I really enjoy swimming. I go to the pool every workday. My muscle is becoming more powerful and I forget all worries and unhappiness in water. Sometimes I go to the deep water area, take a deep breathe and then immerse myself completely in the water. I hope to learn to how to thread the water soon.

2008-09-22
able to do 12-laps of kicking in the 25-yard pool without much difficulty.
able to swim freestyle across the lap with two or three stops
tried to do backstroke and can do few yards. The key point is to lean your head back and to straighten your body

But still don't learn how to breathe in freestyle. If you do, you can say you are able to swim now. Pay attention to the following points: 1) exhale all air out through the nose when you need to breathe . 2) rotate your head to the right side when right arm stroke back. 3) keep kicking and keep balance; 4) inhale quickly and deeply with the mouse

Also you need to learn to threading water so that you will be able to practice in deep water.

Keep the good work!


Learning Material:
1. Treading Water: Mastering Egg Beater


2. Total Immersion Swimming Lesson


Resources from mitbbs swimming board
http://www.mitbbs.com/article_t/Swimming/31163149.html

"Good Boy"

Here is my car, a Honda Accord of the year 2000. I bought this car about two months ago and gradually began to enjoy this big toy.

Many people are concerned my safety. Especially Laoyifu, who is an experienced driver, called me specially to teach me how to drive safely. His teachings includes: don't drive when you can't calm down; pay your full attention when driving; don't drive with a slippers on; and practice more before driving in freeway . I should feel guilty in regards to the last piece of advice because I mistakenly drove to the freeway on the very first day. I felt a little bit of scared at first; but fortunately there was a heavy traffic at that time as a result the speed was not that fast. I managed to leave the freeway few minutes later. Now I feel more comfortable when driving, both local and freeway, after two months' practice . I would like to thank all people who care about me. As far as now I am all right.

I have driven it to several places around Los Angeles, such as Santa Monica, Getty Center, Six Flags, Chinatown and Huntington Beach. It makes my world even bigger. I love it, good boy!