All Strokes - Hotel Pool Sculling

Every once in a while I get a question about what to do when swimmers travel and end up at a hotel that has an "Olympic-size pool"... like the one shown here.

Why Do It:
You're always free to do laps, but be careful getting dizzy.  You can also work on your breaststroke and butterfly turns.  However, overloading the arms is always a good idea and this quick idea can certainly help.

How to Do It:
1.  Lie flat on the surface of the water, allowing your toes to lie over the edge of the pool.
2.  Start sculling with your arms, and you'll quickly discover you don't need much resistance to hold you back.
3.  Scull for about 10 sweeps of the hands... then allow your feet to let go of the wall.
4.  Move forward to the other side and start again.  Repeat as necessary.

How to Do It Really Well (the Fine Points):
To increase your workload, don't breathe until you reach the other side.  To work your arms more, put on a Finis Swimmers Snorkel and stay at the wall longer.  To really work your arms AND feet, put on paddles and scull harder.  You can also vary your sculling to keep things interesting.  Remember, when you're traveling, maintaining a FEEL for the water is as important as your fitness.  If you can't get one, make sure you get the other.

Thanks to my buddy Carlos for helping this morning.