You CAN Teach An Old Dog New Tricks!

[MrPlum]

Don't know about you but I have always wished I could tumble turn when swimming and envied the human dolphins who could do it every time, smooth as silk.

Each time I tried, I smacked my head on the side, swallowed half the pool or didn't rotate enough and turned myself into a gasping pretzel. Had absolutely given up on the idea for 30 years or more but recently decided to have a crack at it. No witnesses!

It took 3 sessions, about 40 minutes apiece. The first session, hopeless. The second, still poor technique but started to come. The third session, cracked it in the last 5 minutes. Smoooooooooth.

Wow! I couldn't believe it. After all those years.

It reminded me of another satisfying achievement when I used to play cricket... Yanks won't understand, so skip this section... In my youth I was a demon bowler. Deadly accurate but couldn't bat worth a damn. Highest ever score was 3. usually out flailing helplessly, first ball.

A career in the Navy ended the cricket, (wasn't the required rank) . A few years after leaving, I joined a Village Cricket team and the bowling was still pretty good. Started to suffer from 'wide-itis', though, so picked up the bat. Eventually - highest score 54 having earned the nickname 'Zorro' because of my flashing blade. I would put the bowler to the sword, scoring quickly and out quickly.

54. Great stuff!

A nice memory from those days? A big cheer from the spectators and friends, as I played my first ever forward defensive. (Cricketers will understand). After 25 years of cricket. Wow!

The point of this post?

It's never too late to learn.

Any other 'Old Dogs' learning new tricks out there?

[MrPlum]

No holes-in-one? No-one learned the Tango? Cleared the pool table in one visit? Climbed mountains? Arm-wrestled elephants?

Can't believe my inspirational post bit the dust so quickly.

Maybe the Frisbee chuckers can produce something at the weekend.

[T.I.G.R.]

You need to take up golf. You can play nearly until you die and your life will be filled with the moments you have told us about......really.

You don't have to be a good golfer, just one who wants to be better. If that turns out to be true, you will have given yourself the gift of a lifetime; all the pain and pleasure there is to have in the world.....dressed in the wrapper of a small white ball.

You don't have to be big, athletic, smart, coordinated or rich. If you can pick up a stick and walk twenty feet you're good to go......give it a try.

[malcolminthemiddle]

Quit smoking after 20 years, that's a major life changing achievement.

[MrPlum]

Thought I would resurrect this topic since, this morning, I cracked another 'I'll never be able to do it' challenge in the pool. The 'Butterfly' stroke.

Technique here is vital and I have not previously gone beyond the classic mistake of 'swimming up hill', (thrashing a lot but getting nowhere due to the torso being too upright). It's exhausting, not to mention hilarious for witnesses.

I like this particular stroke since it requires a lot of strength and endurance and works every muscle. At least it feels like it! My Yoga sessions tend to be focussed on flexibility and relaxation (with a lot of breathing exercises) and while I already swim 2x daily, I now have a very dynamic way to end a session.

Anyone who wishes to see this stroke done beautifully can look here...

[migrant]

I took up cooking aftermany years of staying out of the kitchen other than for munchies. Eventually ended up cooking for the family, then the kids after divorce.

I get lots of compliments from guests now so that has made me feel good.

Even at 52 I'm always trying something new, learning Thai is one tough project!

As you mention, never too old. I'm doing some masonry this weekend for the first time.

[richard]

I'm struggling hard to learn how to be diplomatic

[Arcadian]

Sorry Richard but Yorkshire folk have an inbred resistance to diplomacy!!