swim to be able to row (TW?)

let me just give you a little update on what has happened with my physical activities. im still going on adapted cycling induction on the 6th of may however the person organising wheelchair bowling got back to me and said that theyre not hosting the sessions anymore. so therefore im stuck on what i need to pick for my second physical activity. and by the way i need to try out two physical activities because camhs recommended me to and i even gave my care coordinator a handshake as a promise that i would try it out. as a back-up ive been thinking of doing walking but then i thought "well hang on, if the first steps walks are about 20-30 minutes long how am i supposed to do that with my cerebral palsy?". so i absolutely do not want to do walking as a second physical activity unless if i have absolutely nothing left to do because of my lack of endurance. as a kid i found cycling to be way more easier than walking so thats probably why i preferred cycling in the past. so therefore ive looked into clubs in my area and found a rowing club. i really want to join the learn how to row course that the club does but the problem is i need to be a confident swimmer. according to the guidelines heres what i must do in order to sign up to the learn how to row course:
1) tread water for a minimum of two minutes
2) swim at least 50 metres in light clothing (rowing kit)
3) float for five minutes whilst being unaided
4) swim for at least five metres whilst being underwater
that sounds like a lot to deal with, right? well it is to me because ive tried to learn how to swim several times in my childhood but i ended up failing miserably because of my aquaphobia. in short i had a very bad experience with water once that lead me to develop an irrational fear of swimming. im not sure if i should add a trigger warning here so ill just put a question mark next to it in the title. this post probably doesnt need a trigger warning but i just want to be safe rather than sorry. i even had 1-2-1 lessons with my own swimming teacher when i was 11 but i never fully learnt how to swim. i can say that i only learnt to swim with floating aids and obviously you cant have floating aids when youre in the learn how to row course. but i want to try and tackle this phobia by signing up for adult swimming lessons. now i know since im 16 im kind of in the middle of being a child and an adult so a lot of leisure centres wont accept me into their adult swimming lessons but i feel like if i went into a junior/children's swimming lesson id feel out of place because the other students would be way younger than me. even if i was in an older beginner's course (8+) id feel out of place because id potentially be double their age. so at this point id much prefer being with the adults. hell, i can even wait until im 18 to sign up to the adult swimming lessons if thats what it takes just to learn how to row because i want to get involved in water sports. its strange though because when i went kayaking in the past there wasnt a swimming requirement, you just had to be able to float. at least thats what says on their website.
so in conclusion, am i going to learn how to swim just to learn how to row? maybe. though i doubt ill succeed. if it takes almost exactly 15 months for me to turn 18 just to turn up to these adult swimming classes then ill gladly wait that long. time goes fast anyways so im sure ill reach the age of 18 within a blink of an eye.

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Comments

Leyla

Hi Toffuna!

It is very understandable why you want to find this second thing and I know you were hoping for the wheelchair bowling so it is a shame they have got back and said they aren't running them anymore, and perhaps a little disheartening for you? If learning to swim more confidently is for rowing, then I wonder if perhaps doing swimming for the sake of swimming might be something you are interested in, as it would technically count as your second activity regardless, and might be a bit less intense than rowing. I hear that you would still have the struggles of which age group to be featured in, I wonder if speaking to your local swimming centre would be helpful if they could point you in the direction of which group they might think would be best suited for you?

It is very admirable that you want to face this fear of water, and it is a very valid fear to have but working to overcome it is super impressive, even the willingness to try it says a lot!

toffuna101

it is a bit disheartening because now i have to either do swimming or walking as my second activity. ill probably do swimming as like i said walking is more intense for me. i decided that instead of doing swimming lessons ill probably just go to the swimming pool casually. thank you @Leyla

shannon_164

hey @toffuna101 🙂

honestly, i am so proud of how much thought, effort, and honesty you’ve put into this whole journey! it really shows how committed you are, not just to following through on your promise, but also to pushing your limits in a way that’s meaningful to you.

it is frustrating that wheelchair bowling fell through, especially when you were already set on trying it, but the fact that you’re looking into other options and not giving up? that is seriously admirable. cycling sounds like a perfect fit considering your past experience and comfort with it, and i am glad you’ve got that lined up.

as for walking, your concerns are completely valid. if it pushes your endurance beyond a safe or manageable point, then it’s not the right second activity unless, like you said, there’s really nothing else. you deserve something that challenges you in a good way, not something that exhausts or discourages you.

i can really feel how much you want that to do rowing! i totally get why the swimming requirements feel overwhelming, especially with your past experience and aqua phobia. i think it’s amazing that you’re even considering taking swimming lessons again, it’s not weak to admit fear, it’s strong to face it and make a plan around it.

you are not “failing” at anything here. you are being realistic, intentional, and thoughtful. if waiting until you’re 18 means you’ll be more comfortable in an adult class and it helps you reach your rowing goal, then that’s a totally valid path. you have already shown so much determination, and i believe that if rowing is something you truly want, you will find a way there, even if it takes time.

you’ve got this! one step at a time, and we are ALL cheering you on for every single one

toffuna101

thanks @shannon_164 for now ill probably try to swim casually to see how that goes. that can be my second activity. then when im 18 i can maybe sign up for swimming lessons in my area. i gotta recover physically first though before doing any swimming for obvious reasons.