June discovers a new approach to front crawl and takes it into open water.
I came to stay at Croft Farm 2 years ago wanting to be able to swim freestyle – and to actually enjoy swimming!
I’m a runner who was going through a period of not being able to run and wanted to use swimming for cross-training purposes. But I didn’t know how to swim front crawl, and breaststroke didn’t feel right with my knee injury. So I came to Ian and Cheryl looking to learn how to swim for fitness… but discovered there is another way!
When I arrived I could already happily put my face in the water etc – but swimming made me breathe hard and I was ‘end-gaining’ – it was all a bit physical!!
The enjoyment benefits were immediate and enduring.
Now, two years later, I very much enjoy swimming, so much so that I wanted to be confident enough to swim outdoors…
And that is coming into place this year – I swam in Anglesey on a yoga and wild swimming weekend. And this video was me today in a tidal pool in Cliftonville, near Margate in Kent…
Thank you for helping me to get to this place!
September 2019, Update 2 years on
I may not be fast, or technically very good, but I am a swimmer. I used to be too scared to enjoy being in the water.
Lessons with Ian and Cheryl at Croft Farm changed how I feel about floating, getting a breath, allowed me to experience that sensation which now feels like flying! I thank them both sincerely for the gift which keeps on giving 🙂
And so I have evolved into an outdoor swimmer. It makes me feel intensely alive and ready to cope with anything.
I started in earnest last summer. Went through my first winter, ’skins’ swimming in the sea – well, dipping rather than swimming really! And I have found a lake not too far from home for lovely fresh water swims. Nowadays I choose holiday destinations which give me chances to try new rivers, lakes, beaches.
I used to think outdoor swimmers were a bit mad, or built of sterner stuff than me. I am happy to have found I am just like them!
