Exactly like it says on the packet, Bonnie Tsui considers all of the reasons people swim in her part-memoir and part-science-sports-nature text, Why We Swim.
Tsui’s case studies were fascinating – from the physiology of Icelandic fisherman, Guðlaugur Friðþórsson, who survived six hours in five degree water, to what it takes psychologically to win an Olympic medal in the 50 metre freestyle.
But I’m making this review post about me… why do I swim? For me, swimming is meditative. The tiles passing below as I fall into the rhythm of laps; the smell of chlorine (yes, I love it); some time spent floating – all of these things bring an immense sense of calm. Salt water is an instant ‘reset’ (emotionally, mentally and physically) and I can’t think of any better way to spend a day than at the beach.
I’m usually the first one in and the last one out, and most of my happiest memories have a water element.
I can’t imagine my life without swimming.
4/5
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Fascinating Kate … I have absolutely zilch interest in or enjoyment of swimming. It’s a chore. But I think I’d like this book for that reason because I love reading about people’s different passions and why. I have many friends who love swimming … and they know me! It’s one of those in-jokes you have with good friends.
My friends make the same jokes about me in relation to interpretive dance and running (I will pretty much go along to ANY event that you invite me to – except interpretive dance! And with running – can’t do it. People say you ‘get in the zone’ which I understand because that happens for me in the pool, but it has never happened while running – all I think is ‘When is this over?’).
I swam from my childhood till I was 20 and then from my late 30s until I was 65. For most of that time I was in training, not seriously as a kid, but around 10 km a week as an adult, cruising up and down the pool, summer and winter, always outside. It’s a great feeling but the time taken just became too much.
I trained seriously as a kid but never have as an adult (and yes, always outside). I don’t consider swimming exercise, I consider it self-preservation (I loathe the term ‘self-care’ because it has become commercialized – self-preservation emphasizes its importance!) and because of that, I give it absolute priority in my week. And because it is such a high priority, the time element is less of a problem (I do sometimes think about cutting my hair very short because I spend a lot of time with wet hair!).
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