by Paul Barry
I began swimming at the pool down the road in February of this year. Very quickly I hit 100 X 25m laps per visit, 5-6 times a week.
Within no time I noticed a big difference in my fitness, but I also steadily began discovering that swimming was teaching me more than physical fitness, breath control and stamina. It was also subtly teaching me a great deal about life and (as a result) acting…
Here are 15 things swimming has taught me. What lessons do you see for yourself?
1) The first ten laps are the hardest and every day I say to myself: “Look. If you only do 50 laps, that’s totally fine”. Then I do 100 X 25m laps, regardless
2) I waste more energy complaining about slow swimmers than I do just swimming around them
3) When I swim with weaker swimmers I feel great. But when I swim with stronger swimmers I actually improve
4) If it’s ever easy, I know I’m not getting any stronger
5) The pool is emptiest when the weather sucks. I try to make hay while the sun doesn’t shine. Fair weather fitness is a risky business. Besides, during Winter, it’s warmer in the pool than out
6) The swimmer who tries to out-testosterone me when they dive in the pool is in their car after 30 laps and heading home around the time I hit my 100th lap
7) After 50 laps I need to pee
8) After 100 laps I get out and pee
9) My shoulder is only a small part of my whole body and yet if it goes, I can’t finish, because a chain is only as strong as its weakest link. Technique makes sure my shoulder doesn’t go. And close to 7,000 laps since I started at this pool, it hasn’t gone yet…
10) If I take the occasional break for a day or two I am better off for it. Any longer, things become difficult again
11) I never forget technique if I ever actually had it. I just need to spend extra time and energy to get back up to speed
12) Whenever I try a new technique, I get worse at one of my other skills, temporarily. ‘Two steps forward, one step back’ is still forward progress, as long as you keep up that pattern…
13) Ritual is essential to consistent improvement. The time of day, what I wear, what I take in my bag, the lane I choose, my drills etc.
14) If I see the end of the pool as a lap, it is difficult. If I aim for the other side of the road beyond the pool wall, a lap is easy. If I aim for 10 laps I’ll be lucky to make it to 8, but if I aim for 100 laps I’d be very happy on a ‘bad day’ to do 80. (But I still always do 100…)
15) Finally, there is no point pushing beyond 100 laps when my technique and breathing and strength isn’t perfect. A hundred great laps are better than a thousand where I almost drown on each inefficient stroke…
It is clear to me now that every single point on here relates to my acting. It’s up to you to decide how they relate to your acting….
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