Mindfulness in Swimming

Mens sana in corpore sano….. A healthy mind in a healthy body. As a whole, both physical and mental exercise are essential.  Mindfulness meditation helps me create a peaceful and calm space in my busy life.  But, mindfulness doesn’t have to be just sitting still.  We can find various forms of mindfulness in life.  Recently, while I was at the gym, I noticed a moment of mindfulness when I thought, “What’s going on at the moment?”

            If you are a swimmer and swim regularly, forget about your lap times for a while.  Instead, pay attention to your body.  How do your arms feel?  When your right elbow leaves the water, which part feels the air first?  Does the temperature change?  How do your fingertips feel when they touch the new water?   How do you feel when your straightened arm and hand are about to grab the water to push towards your belly?  Do you feel the water’s weight?  Observe your left arm just as you did on the right side.  Is the sensation in each side different to each other or is it the same?  

            In the meantime, extend your curiosity to your belly and bottom.  Is your belly tighten or relaxed?  Is your bottom under the water or above the water?  What happens when you shift your torso to slightly different positions?  Does your tummy feel the wave or not?  

            Remember to observe your legs.  They kick like the motor in a boat.  Are your legs straight or bent?  When your legs are straight, do they feel heavier?  Do your big toes touch each other every kick?  And notice the rhythm of your arm strokes and kicks.  It is as if you were practicing to fit a triplet into a two-beat piano piece.  What a unique and satisfying experience!  

            At the other side of the pool side, you touch the wall, curl your body, kick the wall, and glide your body freely in the opposite direction you came from.  This is when you will feel great appreciation for your healthy body and mind, no matter how hard the week has been.  Time and space are daily gifts for our mind and body.  It doesn’t matter if you sit or not.  It does matter that you feel the connection between your body and your mind.           

Mens sana in corpore sano….. A healthy mind in a healthy body. As a whole, both physical and mental exercise are essential.  Mindfulness meditation helps me create a peaceful and calm space in my busy life.  But, mindfulness doesn’t have to be just sitting still.  We can find various forms of mindfulness in life.  Recently, while I was at the gym, I noticed a moment of mindfulness when I thought, “What’s going on at the moment?”

            If you are a swimmer and swim regularly, forget about your lap times for a while.  Instead, pay attention to your body.  How do your arms feel?  When your right elbow leaves the water, which part feels the air first?  Does the temperature change?  How do your fingertips feel when they touch the new water?   How do you feel when your straightened arm and hand are about to grab the water to push towards your belly?  Do you feel the water’s weight?  Observe your left arm just as you did on the right side.  Is the sensation in each side different to each other or is it the same?  

            In the meantime, extend your curiosity to your belly and bottom.  Is your belly tighten or relaxed?  Is your bottom under the water or above the water?  What happens when you shift your torso to slightly different positions?  Does your tummy feel the wave or not?  

            Remember to observe your legs.  They kick like the motor in a boat.  Are your legs straight or bent?  When your legs are straight, do they feel heavier?  Do your big toes touch each other every kick?  And notice the rhythm of your arm strokes and kicks.  It is as if you were practicing to fit a triplet into a two-beat piano piece.  What a unique and satisfying experience!  

            At the other side of the pool side, you touch the wall, curl your body, kick the wall, and glide your body freely in the opposite direction you came from.  This is when you will feel great appreciation for your healthy body and mind, no matter how hard the week has been.  Time and space are daily gifts for our mind and body.  It doesn’t matter if you sit or not.  It does matter that you feel the connection between your body and your mind.