🙋‍♀️ Breath, Tumble Turns, and Small Wins in the Pool 💪

Today’s swim was about going slow and steady. My intention was to complete 20 easy lengths, and that’s exactly what I did - finishing them in about 13 minutes with a mix of freestyle, backstroke, and a couple of breaststroke lengths. Nothing rushed, just moving with the water and giving my body space to breathe.

But of course, I couldn’t resist testing myself a little afterwards. After the spa, I set a 50m time trial and came in at 53 seconds! The past two days were 58, 57, and 56 seconds, so I’m definitely making progress. These little shifts, even a few seconds faster, feel like a quiet celebration of consistency and curiosity.

🌊 Reflections from the Water

On my drive home, I thought about what helped me shave off those seconds. One thing stood out - my tumble turn felt different.

Normally, I take a deep breath, hold momentarily, then exhale through the turn and push-off so water doesn’t rush up my nose.

Today though, I noticed I turned and kicked faster, and I think I may have actually held my breath instead of exhaling through the turn.

This has me curious. Breath makes such a difference, and it’s fascinating to see how different strategies show up in long-distance vs. sprint efforts. I’d love to know what works for other swimmers, do you exhale through the turn, or hold until the push-off?

🌊 Moments of Discomfort

I also noticed something else today: a flicker of panic when I tumble turned into backstroke. My out-breath was too short, so I surfaced quickly, which left me feeling unsettled. It was a good reminder that breath, calmness, and awareness are all linked and the more conscious I become, the more room there is to grow.

🌊 New Aims Moving Forward

* Work on lengthening my dolphin kicks off the wall
* Stay calm and keep awareness on my breath during both slow and fast swims
* Slowly build lung capacity
* Keep exploring how breath flow shapes both comfort and performance

For me, swimming has always been about more than just laps. It’s about listening, experimenting, and adjusting. This is also how I love to teach, leading from my own practice, noticing what works (and what doesn’t), and then blending research with lived experience. Stroke by stroke, breath by breath, I’m learning.

The journey continues. 🚤❤️