Just Keep Swimming

Swimming. It’s fun. And, really good exercise. I kinda like it. It energizes me even though it wears me out.

Swim lessons started on Tuesdays and Thursdays, so now it’s only on Tuesdays because it was too much—it can be tiring. One day is more manageable.

When I get there each Tuesday, I sit down and wait for my time. I have to make sure to wear the proper clothes in the pool and my swim shoes. Then I do my lesson. And after I swim, I leave my drink (water—I have to keep hydrated and drink a lot while doing my exercises). Then I hit the jacuzzi to relax. It’s so nice and warm after being in the pool. I like to relax my muscles after I swim. When they turn the water on—the bubbles—the jets help my back. Then I head to shower off and change back to my regular clothes.

I do the same routine: jumping jacks, up and down on the board in the water, pushing back and forth with my arms; sometimes we use a heavy red ball for resistance and other times we use a green ball that is lighter. Sometimes I do my relapse exercises, bicycle legs in the water to a count of 6 reps, swimming from one side of the pool to the other, breast-stroke swimming sets. The Superman exercise is my favorite, but it is VERY hard to do—you can do your arms and legs at the same time, but with this one, you go and fold yourself up and then put your arms out like you’re flying! The most that I’ve ever done of these would probably be about 12 times. I have to count while I’m doing it—sometimes I lose track—it's hard but I try to keep count.

I had two teachers tell me different things to do, different exercises. Before I had Amy, but now I have Jesse. Jesse has added a lot of different exercises and when she’s not there someone fills in; she has a substitute. I swim in Mt. Pleasant at the Franke Retirement Home at Seaside. I always love to have quiet times and learn how to do things. So, I used to be at the Rec Center and it was really loud and it was hard to pay attention and hear the instructions for the exercises, but at Franke, they offer a more relaxing area and it helps me.

I remember in 1983-1984 I had my first swimming lessons at the Davey Jones Center in North Charleston. This is when I did the frog exercise and the butterfly stroke. The frog exercise is where you push up with your legs.

My earliest memories of swimming—earliest memory of being in the water—would be the beach. I like going to the beach cause it’s fun and very salty. It feels different. Very different on your skin. Beach water is very salty but pool water has a lot of chlorine. I like the beach better, but I do love the water—any water.

Why did I go back to swimming? I wanted a new way to exercise. You should get someone to teach you. It’s good and relaxing to exercise in the pool. It’s low impact with good results and it’s lots of fun!

Also, make sure you drink a lot of water, fruit water or fruit juice because there’s gonna be a lot of different kinds of exercises for you to do.

And, that’s all I can give you.