However, there is a new Master's class coach.
This new coach is not a bad Master's class coach at all, so I am not complaining about the level of coach or anything, but...
We are doing things in there that I am not sure I want to do. For example, we usually start off the class with some 100's on 2 minutes. I am usually the second to finish in the class and have plenty of time to prepare for the next set. Then we move on to kick sets, which is not my strong point, but I try. Last class, we then went into a backstroke drill called the L drill, where I almost drowned! Again, let me say, I do not backstroke. I train swimming freestyle because that's what I swim when I race. I understand that learning different strokes will help me be a better swimmer, but we all know a race is not won in the swim right? In the video below, the L drill is demonstrated at the 1:12 mark or so. The only difference is we did not switch hands, we went the length of the pool with the same hand pointing to the sky and then went back with the other hand pointed up! Two things I learned, 1. I hate this drill and 2. When I did get close to doing it right, I can not swim it in a straight line!
It was hard. I thought I was going to drowned, but I tried my best. It was tiring, so I took a break at one point when the coach came over and said she "noticed I only breathed on my left side". I also breath every stroke, it works for me. Well she said she is going to get me breathing bilaterally!
I DO NOT WANT TO LEARN TO BREATH BILATERALLY!
So our next drill, it was a bilateral breathing drill! DOH!! We were suppose to do a 3 count breath for a length and a 5 count breath back for 400 yards using the pull buoy and paddles. Remember, I breath to my left every stroke, so I knew it was going to be tough, but I also know that this will be good for the lungs somehow (not exactly sure how?) so I tried. For me to go from breathing every stroke (or every time my right hand goes into the water) to a 3 or 5 stroke slowed me way down. It really made me feel awkward in the pool and yeah, I did manage to get some breaths on my non breathing side, but I was also took in a lot of water. I basically was holding my breath until I could get to breath on my left like normal.
I guess what I really want is to go back to the days where we swam 3000 yards fast, furious and freestyle. I heard that the others in the class complained that freestyle was boring and that they wanted to learn other strokes. Which is cool, I mean it is a free class for members. I love the workout I can get, but I hate the other strokes, so I must decide what to do. I am only swimming twice a week because I am good with my boring unilateral breathing freestyle swimming. I guess my options are to dump the Masters class and do my own drills one day and endurance swims the other or to learn these other strokes.
