Zen Swimming with Roger Golten

Many years ago I followed a course of Alexander Technique lessons and loved the way my body felt afterwards. At a basic level, relearning how to sit and stand may seem a little silly (it's what we do all the time) but it's amazing how much less strain there is on the back when letting your thighs do the work when rising from a chair!

Some time later I heard about the Alexander Technique being applied to swimming and was really interested but unable to find a local class. As someone who swims keeping my head out of the water, I know what a strain this produces on the neck, shoulders and lower back.

Then I met Roger Golten, known as Dr Posture, who has devised Zen Swimming. Six to eight lessons should have you performing a perfect stroke of your choice. I had one lesson. The first thing Roger advised was to get a good pair of goggles – he recommends Aqua Sphere Vista goggles and had a pair with him for me to wear. And, after a brief talk about his technique we were in the water.

For the first time in I don't know how long I had my face in the water! Roger explained how to stand up in the water by unrolling from your swimming position, head last. We also glided through the water, floated and gradually introduced the arms and legs into the crawl.

Zen swimming is conscious swimming that is actually good for you, your neck, back and shoulders. Most recreational swimmers hunch shoulders, strain knees and exacerbate back and neck pain. They don't know when to apply the effort and when to be relaxed, and haven't understood that it is the timing of the arms/legs that makes breathing easy.

Roger Golten is a kind and inspiring teacher and currently conducts lessons in central London.

I came away from my lesson determined to put in practise what I had learned – and to buy a pair of goggles!
 
Zen swimming is a combination of the Shaw Method and the principles of Hellerwork – adapted specifically for the water, to learn more or to book lessons visit www.zenswimming.co.uk

Roger Golten's book The Owners Guide to the Bodyis available from Amazon.