Back to Basics

In an effort to improve my somewhat inefficient freestyle technique, I'm taking the chance to go back to the beginning with my stroke and trying to rebuild it with a strong foundation.
I've got a functioning stroke, in that it will get me round a reasonable distance well clear of cut off times, but its far from efficient, and with Roth beginning with a 3.8km swim, I don't want to gas before I even make it onto the bike!
Last night was the first lesson on learning to swim freestyle, so there was lots of body position work and lots and lots and lots of kick. I hate kick drills. They frustrate me no end, because I never seem to go anywhere; I listen to what I'm told to do, think I'm doing it, but just lie there, facedown in the water, drifting. After one length of that, when my legs are gassed & I've been passed 4 time by a school of bricks, I want to throw a hissy fit and have a sulk, which makes me tenser & so kick even worse.
But Alex diagnosed a couple of major flaws for me to work on, so I just gotta learn to chill a bit more in the pool & get on with it.
It has helped that I'm mates with the teacher mind. To go back to join a beginners class would have been a hard pill to swallow had I not had several chances to talk over what the class would be like, what my issues with swimming are and how she could help in the lessons. I also trust her completely, which is important when you can get as flustered and frustrated in the water as I can still, and am fully prepared to put myself under the watchful eye of a swim teacher for a while.
There is a roster of brilliant coaches in the club, and I'm learning more from them every time I make it out. So find yourself a teacher/trainer/coach (or group of!) that you can develop an open dialogue with & trust to nurture your skills, and you'll go a long way.

Goto youtube time:
Therapy? - Screamager
VNV Nation - Illusion