Swim Lessons

They don't! I emailed the coordinator last year about it when I was thinking of taking them (yes, I am a wicked procrastinator) and this is what she wrote:

"In regards to which level you should be swimming in I cannot say for sure, but I can share what I have learned. We have had several people come and start in our Level 3 program but switched to Level 2 once they are in the water. Generally, these people learned to swim as kids but never swam formally and have developed poor habits in the meantime. In my class there is a guy who actually completed an Ironman! What I have learned, and heard other people say, is that there is a lot more to swimming well than we ever imagined. So, that being said, it may not be bad to start at Level 2 in order to get the basics in place. But, please do not feel that you must start there. You are welcome to try Level 3 and if that is the right place then all is good, or if you need to be in Level 2 we can sort that out as well. We have several Level 3 classes in July that you could join. However, we do require that you first go through Level 3 before Level 3+."

So... I was thinking I might need to be in Level 2 but I want/need to get humbled by my own bad technique first.  

They haven't posted the August schedule yet... I'm thinking a Monday or Tuesday class at around 6-7pm if they have that available (since y'all swim on Thurs at Butcher Jones).

A co-worker told me that if i do it, I need to go to the SRC as the hotties are at that one and not at Mona Plummer. 

That being said - it is just one hour per week for four weeks, correct?  What if you are between level 1 and 2 (as in comfortable in the water, but unable to do a basic freestyle.  I would think signing for 2 would be better and being demoted thatn signing for 1 and not getting to advance as the class is full.  thoughts?

I don't know if any students will be around in August, so I don't know about that Mona Plummer vs SRC theory. Mona Plummer wins for me because I'm lazy, and I think parking around the SRC is kind of complicated too.

And yeah, one hour per week for four weeks, so about $25/class. I think the max class size is either 4 or 6 people, so it's still pretty personalized instruction. I think you are also waaay past level 1 since you can get in the water without freaking out. 

So true.

Mona Plummer is also right near Tempe Town Lake, so we could go run there afterwards and you could look for people playing beach volleyball. 

They posted the August schedule: here. Anyone up for the Tue or Wed 6pm Level 3 class?

 Jerry im a mere three years removed from my days at the SRC and I can attest to you colleagues sentiments. He is absolutely right...there are some amazing girls at the src. 

I might be up for waiting until September. My budget is hurting from my semi-impulse wetsuit purchase last month.

If anyone wants to go to Mona Plummer, I can get you free parking at my garage at 6th & Mill (two blocks away). It's a pay lot, but since I live there I have an electronic gate opener.

Your going up Kill-a-man-Jaro?

That is wild!  Especially since there is violence enherent in the name.

Not sure I'm doing the swimming lessons this month - I blew a bit too much money on food during my trip to Colorado. Tee-hee!

In a related note, I think having to regulate your breathing so much during swimming really helps with high altitude hiking/mountaineering... definitely helped me when I was climbing out in Peru last summer and in Colorado last week.

Totally worth it already! I've already learned my head was in the wrong place (thus making it harder than necessary to breathe and causing me to overrotate and then dunk my head back in the water causing drag), I don't completely finish my strokes (so I don't get as much distance per stroke), and my hand entry is in the wrong place. Lots of stuff to work on. My coach is great - she provides lots of good feedback and is patient (she's a first grade teacher).

There are two other people in my class. One guy is a triathlete too and has flailed his way through some sprints, and the other woman has been swimming for like 20+ years but apparently she needs stroke help.

If you're thinking about taking this, I'd say most of you would be completely fine in level 3, especially if you're familiar with swimming drills. If you know/think your body position is really terrible, then maybe level 2.

Oh, and there really weren't any hot chicks there... but the guy's water polo team was practicing. Who needs hot chicks?