Tuesday 22 July 2008

उत्प्लावन का सिद्धांत

I have come US to spend 3 months for some work. I've bought few things for my friends and family members as 'America ki Nishaani'. I decided to take back India kind of memories which would never fade with time. इसे अभौतिक होना चाहिए.. So I decided to learn something. I chose Swimming. It is said that bicycle and swimming, once learnt can never be forgotten in your entire lifetime even if you don't practice.There is a big swimming pool here in our apartment complex.I had only weekends to learn this. So the time and effort to do swimming has to be more compare to if I'd have been practicing on daily basis. It is really a tiring job initially. I started work out in Gym during weekends and soon after used to go to swim. That was a decision to leave weekend comfort zone.Initially, I found it very very hard to learn swimming. My trainer got tired of me. this made me a frustrated learner. Then I found that I was practicing in the side waters holding the platform of Swimming Pool. Everytime I get tired I used to get hold of the platform and take rest. So the luxury, the comfort zone was the biggest obstacles. If I had to learn swimming, if I had to take something unforgettable unfading immaterial thing with me I had to get rid of comfort zone again. I had previous experiences of leaving comfort zones and that recalling helped a lot.Afterall confident steps taken once, make you more confident next time. I left the sidewaters and even though the water was as deep as in sides (5 feet), I found that I was learning quickly. so all obstacle was in mind.Again it was proved in the pool.There was no holding platform nearby when I get tired so I had to be in water trying to take rest. This constraint helped me making water my friend. So now if I'm tired of swimming I lay flat in water and take rest. It looks like a log floating effortlessly on water.The trainer was none other than my colleague Angom. He speaks in formula and avoids explaining everything. The learner has to understand and work according to his commitment. I started with swimming only with legs. After it was through, came hand movement. Leg had to be like back fin of fish and hands had to move like side rowing of boats or side fins; cutting waters as well as rowing it behind. In the combined movement of legs and hands you start feeling two forces. One upward and another forward. I'm still poor in combining both movement at a time. Sometimes I concentrate on legs and sometimes on hands. Third stage requires you to learn breathing. This is an important thing because 'if you do not breath you can not live and living is first condition to swim :) When you are rowing with both hands your body tilts ninty degrees everytime you stretch a hand forward. And during this time you have to take a quick stock of oxygen via mouth. Exhale can be done anytime you're done with the consumption of inhaled oxygen like you do while standing on ground..........keep on doing like this and sing "मछली जल की रानी है, मैं भी जल का राजा हूँ "After 8 swimming sessions I can proudly tell that I CAN SWIM। I've learnt 'free style front stroke'।Also started learning 'backstroke' as well as 'breast stroke'...but only started ok? no more expectations। Alongwith this I'm working on my legs to be able to improve my stamina for doing more chap-chap in water.Can any reward compare the satisfaction achieved after this confidence building? In future every time I feel low, I'll recall this learning and will be able to regain my confidence. No need to go out for confidence building workshops.It is exciting to imagine that everytime I would swim in India, I'll recall two A's: Angom & America. In this way I'm taking the most precious gift from here that can never be separated from me....Confidence brings best out of you. When you acheive something out of your will, the self-patting received from within is more than any reward from the world.

2 comments:

Vyom said...

To learn swimming is a desire, which has a place in my mind from a very long time. But to the my dismay, never have I got a chance to do the same.
The way you explained your practice sessions made me feel like I, myself was in the water, trying to reach the other side, and grasping my breath, each time, I get a chance.

Truly, a wonderful gift you had bought yourself, which nobody can separate from you.

डॉ॰ कुणाल कात्यायन said...

All d feelings n reactions r universal truth... Well, the idea of immortal gift is really perpetual... Its gonna stay with me forever... Now onwards wherever I go, I'll try ds funda for sure...:)
Thanks for sharing.