I signed up for an intermediate swim class at Cal a while ago, and I had my first class tonight! The class description said that you would learn to improve your freestyle and backstroke, and learn breaststroke. If there is enough time, you might learn the start of butterfly and/or flip turns. I already know how to do flip turns, and my freestyle is pretty good, but I was interested in improving my backstroke and breaststroke so that I can get a better workout in the pool. If I like the classes, I can take further skill levels and get even better, and learn butterfly, too! There are six classes over a three week period, so it will be interesting!
The class was held at the Strawberry Canyon pool, which is Cal's pool that they use for classes so there are always a lot of little children running around. When I got there, I wasn't really sure where the class was, or who the teacher was, so I ended up sitting and observing until people were practicing their strokes and I figured out who the teacher was. He was a little shocked at first that I was deaf, and asked if he could just speak really loudly. When I said that I couldn't really hear at all and I would just lipread, he was really nervous at first but calmed down fast when he realized that I didn't really have a problem keeping up. He was really observant about making sure he was looking at me so that I could lipread him, and he was also extremely calm and patient. I liked him a lot, and if I take more advanced classes I will probably try to see which classes he is teaching.
He started out with freestyle and had us all kick while floating on our sides. Our head position was really important, because your eyes should always be facing the bottom of the pool, but the top of your head and your neck need to be in line or your body will either float weird, or sink. After a while, he started us stroking and kicking and paying a lot of attention to our rotation. He helped me perfect the stroke a little bit, so I think I have an even nicer stroke now! In the next class, we will start the backstroke.
The class was held at the Strawberry Canyon pool, which is Cal's pool that they use for classes so there are always a lot of little children running around. When I got there, I wasn't really sure where the class was, or who the teacher was, so I ended up sitting and observing until people were practicing their strokes and I figured out who the teacher was. He was a little shocked at first that I was deaf, and asked if he could just speak really loudly. When I said that I couldn't really hear at all and I would just lipread, he was really nervous at first but calmed down fast when he realized that I didn't really have a problem keeping up. He was really observant about making sure he was looking at me so that I could lipread him, and he was also extremely calm and patient. I liked him a lot, and if I take more advanced classes I will probably try to see which classes he is teaching.
He started out with freestyle and had us all kick while floating on our sides. Our head position was really important, because your eyes should always be facing the bottom of the pool, but the top of your head and your neck need to be in line or your body will either float weird, or sink. After a while, he started us stroking and kicking and paying a lot of attention to our rotation. He helped me perfect the stroke a little bit, so I think I have an even nicer stroke now! In the next class, we will start the backstroke.
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