Rhythm

Many times I catch myself counting while I am walking.  Counting my steps helps me get into a rhythm that makes my tasks easier.

I love dancing.  In dancing the instructor teaches you to count the beat up to eight,  then start again at one.

When I did ballroom dancing in Pretoria, this counting was already fixed in my mind, so doing the dances was easy.  While I was still involved with ballroom dancing, I started to go to gym. Here,  I taught myself to count to twenty while doing the exercises.  Even when I walk in a mall, I catch myself counting. 

Then I started cycling, and I used the dance rhythm to pedal.  By counting every movement I determine how easy or difficult the route is.  When I find myself counting slower than normal, I know that the route is going uphill.
When I started with running, I preferred to use the same rhythm I use in the gym.  Counting helps me decide whether I should push myself further, or take it easier.

But when it comes to swimming … Ai!  I needed to learn a new rhythm.  We are taught to count till six!  You can imagine how confusing it is with all these different sets of counting in my mind.  I thought that I would rather use my set of eight counts in swimming, but then there’s no time to breathe.  Counting to six makes the stroke much easier.  So, on my way to the pool, I start practising counting to six to get the right rhythm, so that it can become part of laying the foundation for swimming.  With each lesson and practice, it becomes easier.

Once I get my rhythms in the right order, I know that doing a triathlon will be easy because all I need to do is catch the beat and keep the rhythm.

By Deon Labuschagne