Swimming and Body Issues

mackie_pants

I never learned how to swim and I would like really like to. My issue is that I have really bad keratosis pilaris that covers my legs in dark rough bumps. It's all over my arms as well, but I don't really care about that. I never wear anything that shows my legs, but unless I wear a wetsuit, it seems like there's no getting around it if I want to learn how to swim.

I keep telling myself that I'll be in the water most of the time and that it's only a few feet from the locker room to the pool, but I still can't hit the submit button to request lessons.

Any words of encouragement? People with similar stories that were able to just do it?

tulips_and_tea

No personal experience with that exactly, but I can say almost certainly that every single person in the pool on any given day has SOMETHING about themselves that they are stressed about. And, they are focused on themselves; not you. I can also almost guarantee that anyone you take swimming lessons from has seen it all and then some.

Go jump in that pool and learn how to swim! Who cares if your skin isn't all perfectly the same tone? Same thing as someone with odd tan lines who then puts on a swim suit, right? I'm NOT minimizing your issue, though, so please don't take it that way!

DarbiB

Cosign the above! I swim a lot, and basically everyone feels awkward in the pool. But we all still go, because swimming is HELLA FUN.

Seriously, its the best. Plus it's super useful in just a basic skill sense. Everyone should know how to swim.

Seriously, you got this. Just think how much fun you're going to have, and how awesome you're going to be at swimming, and how you're doing something positive for yourself.

keykey48

i agree, go for it. you can wrap a towel around yourself if you are feeling self conscious as you walk to and from the locker room.

mackie_pants

I signed up for lessons!

I like the towel idea for at least the first lesson. I'm hoping that after the first I'll feel much better about the whole thing.

tulips_and_tea

Good for you!

sheepotato

I can't speak for everyone but once I'm in the water I'm only thinking about swimming, trying to remember which lap I'm on or thinking about if I want to keep doing the same stroke next or change it up. I have a lot of body issues (I have an allergy related rash on my elbows, I'm over weight and 6 months pregnant) never once worry about how I look to other people while I'm swimming.

I only notice other people at the pool when I am checking if a lane is empty, and then I'm only looking at their head.


Just get in there and enjoy yourself! You can try a towel, sarong or some sort of cover up if you are self-conscious while walking out but once you get used to it you won't really think about it anymore.

jlahorn

I have vitiligo, which causes major full-body skin discoloration for me. When it first started getting bad, I wore long sleeves and yoga pants to the gym to avoid grossing other people out. After a couple of years, my attitude is now, "screw em, it's too hot for that", and I now wear shorts and short sleeves without thinking about it (most of the time). I've seen people looking a few times, but nobody's ever said boo to me about it.

I still wear rashguards and board shorts when swimming, but that's because I need the SPF.