GUE Fundamentals, Day 2

We met at an indoor pool to do our swim tests and to work on propulsion techniques. The swim tests went fine, even though the 300yards that we were training for somehow became 400. After we finished, Beto admitted that the requirement was only 300 yards, and as long as we finished the first 300 yards in the required time, we would pass. Would have been nice to know that beforehand (not that 400 yards in 14 minutes is a problem, but I felt mentally unprepared for it :P). After catching our breath, we used some toy fins (they weren't even black!) and our backplates for ballast and did some breath-hold practice with the various kicks. While this might sound weird and awkward, it was actually really useful to get the strokes and motions worked out before adding the drag and bulk of drysuits and full SCUBA. We worked on the kicks for about an hour or two and, before the end of the night, I was kicking backwards!

Rob already knew the backwards kick (and apparently his backwards kicks is really good, Beto thought it was impressively powerful), but I decided to wait and learn it in the class, instead of possibly learning it incorrectly. I think this was the right decision, because after watching it demonstrated, etc., I just couldn't get it until Beto went behind me and moved my fins so I started to move backwards. Once you feel what it's supposed to feel like, it's not hard. But watching it and having it explained to me, I never would have gotten it on my own.