Flailing legs, gasping for air and, upside down. It’s a sink or swim situation. Tensing every muscle in your body, and pushing your chest out for balance. All at the same time striving to be graceful, flexible and harmonious.

All that’s going through your mind, well my mind was, “ Please, don’t let me die upside down and floundering.” All to get water in my chest, through off my balance, try to surface for some air and lose a little of my dignity.

Although I wish it was, no, it’s not a Harlequin romance. This week I attempted to bring out my feminine side and try Synchronized Swimming.

The first thing that came to mind when I thought of synchronized swimming was: yellow flowered swim caps, and old people in a pool with flabby arms waving in the air. I was very wrong, and If I was to get one more drop of water up my nose, I might have thrown my nose squeeze.

Leaping in the pool, we started with a half hour warm up; front stroke, and eggbeater. The warm ups are usually 45 minutes for the older class; my class was seven year old girls.

Eggbeater, treading water and riding a bicycle at the same time, is personal misery, but very important for synchronized swimming. It allows for stability and height above the water, and it leaves your arms free.

Feeling like a wet donkey about to die, with lungs full of water, and not being advanced enough to learn skills from a routine. I was introduced to figures.

Figures are a series of highly technical body positions and transitions that are very direct.

I flipped my self up side down, to attempt my figure the Vertical. Which is achieved by holding your body completely upside down, with both legs completely straight up above the surface. In my mind as I attempted this I had the heart of a performer, but my grace was that of Fat Albert, “Hey, Hey, Hey.”

Synchronized swimming is a water form of gymnastics, swimming, and dance. It can consist of solos, duets or teams. It demands advanced water skills, and requires great strength, flexibility, endurance, grace, artistry and precise timing, as well as exceptional breath control when upside down underwater.

Southern Syncro was the club that I went they are great for young children. If you are looking to try, The Syncrobells offer beginner classes for 18 and older.

Swimming, period, gets you in shape, but putting synchronized moves with it and ads difficulty. If you are looking for an artistic challenge, both mentally and physically; like to swim and socialize would recommend Synchronized Swimming.