Previously I introduced you to the concept of BAM which are the 4 things you need to learn to swim. In case you missed it the four things are:
- Buoyancy
- Air
- Movement
- On the Foundation of the presence of mind
When you have a problem learning to swim it comes from one of two things:
- Not starting with the foundation or
- Skipping to a more complex step in one of the BAM areas
Today we will look at problem number two: skipping ahead.
First, when you are learning you can only focus one thing at a time. So if you are in the water and saying to yourself, “On this next lap I will do this with my foot and breath every 3rd stroke if I want to or not and make sure to be swimming downhill” then you are setting yourself up to lose all three of these things.
Choose one to pay attention to and discover with.
Second when you have a big goal and picture in your head what it looks like this is great to set the direction but it will not tell you what you need to do. Many people think the goal is treading water. So we set off trying to copy someone who has been treading water for years with a high level of proficiency. Using the steps of BAM what we really want to do is find one to focus on and keep breaking it down into it’s the smallest part that you can remain calmly curious about.
For treading water, you could break down buoyancy. Do I know what my buoyancy is in a vertical position? What would I need to give myself to be completely calm experimenting with being vertical? Do I have expectations that need to be tested?
You will know if you skipped ahead too far in one of the areas. The feelings that come with skipping ahead are frustration, judgment, lack of forwarding progress, not gaining new information, or not starting at all.
Watch the Video Below:
Healing Fear in Warm Water
If you’re like many adults, you’ve been frustrated or embarrassed that you weren’t free to swim “like everybody else.” Half of adults can’t swim, like you! We meet them all the time. They’ve tried every system, including the traditional programs, with no success.
Since 1999, we’ve helped hundreds of adults overcome their fear and discomfort in water with our proven system built on the Foundations of Change. Our Foundations of Change program uses the nuts and bolts of mindfulness to address the root of the problem and will transform the way you feel and think about water for the rest of your life.
