{"id":2711,"date":"2026-03-27T08:19:00","date_gmt":"2026-03-27T08:19:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clube-swim4fun.pt\/?p=2711"},"modified":"2026-03-27T09:52:03","modified_gmt":"2026-03-27T09:52:03","slug":"nadar-muito-mais-que-nadar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clube-swim4fun.pt\/en\/nadar-muito-mais-que-nadar\/","title":{"rendered":"Swim\u2026 Much more than swimming!"},"content":{"rendered":"
\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My swimming story?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

More than a story, I\u2019ll share a brief description of what swimming has been and continues to be for me: a moment of happiness, self-discovery, and self-care!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I'm 47 years old, a person who embraces challenges and seeks to live simply and peacefully \u2014 to be happy in line with what I believe in, what stirs my emotions and feelings, and what makes sense to me. Though I\u2019ve always cared deeply about others, I\u2019ve now learned to keep that spirit while also taking more time to look after myself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

About SWIMMING: I remember as a child running happily to the bathtub! I\u2019ve always loved taking baths (fortunately \ud83d\ude0a)\u2026 it was a playful moment when I loved diving my head underwater, holding my breath, blowing bubbles, and staying in the water as long as I could, just playing around.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With my grandparents, I used to go to the beach on weekends: I loved watching the older men swimming along the coast, running toward the waves and then running back as my grandfather would say, \u201crun, run!\u201d I\u2019ll never forget how he taught me to fix my eyes on a point on land to stay balanced and how he would help me do nasal rinses in the sea \u2014 without any discomfort at all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I learned to swim as a child in clubs such as Sporting Club, Alg\u00e9s e Dafundo, and Belenenses. Encouraged by my beloved grandparents, my parents enrolled me, and it quickly became a source of happiness \u2014 I loved being in the pool, listening to the coach, and following their instructions. I never felt afraid; it was an environment where I felt calm and where I truly enjoyed being. I was also lucky to have my cousin with me \u2014 I always loved spending time and playing with him. He didn\u2019t enjoy swimming lessons as much as I did, but that didn\u2019t bother me \u2014 I kept jumping enthusiastically into the water every time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I remember liking to swim, not for the competition, but because it made me feel good.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I swam until I was about 12 or 13 years old. I remember loving to swim underwater \u2014 seeing how far I could go, always trying to do a little more. I used to throw objects and dive to retrieve them, testing how long I could hold my breath, whether in the bathtub, holding on to the pool ladder, or in the sea. I also practiced bodyboarding and loved it \u2014 never scared, though I always had a deep respect for the ocean.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, I stopped taking swimming lessons \u2014 I don\u2019t remember why \u2014 and today I regret it, because I was happy and could have continued to improve my swimming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once working at the beach and sea, we remained a team \u2014 even those of us stationed in different places. The ocean and the beach gave me a deep sense of peace, calm, and well-being. Many times, after a night shift, I actually felt less tired than on plenty of other days. It was wonderful to arrive at the beach, feel that scent of the sea, hear the waves, walk across the sand, and dive into the water. By the end of the day, I felt renewed and happy. And that\u2019s how three years passed. For professional reasons, I eventually had to stop being a lifeguard \u2014 something I truly regret.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

However, it\u2019s today that swimming takes on an even greater meaning for me. Beyond being a pleasure, a passion\u2026 it has become a tool for self-care.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Words can\u2019t describe what I feel\u2026 because a year ago I lived through the hardest year of my life \u2014 something I never thought I\u2019d experience\u2026 I still cry today. Two years ago, I had to undergo spinal surgery \u2014 nothing compared to what came after. Life tripped me up in the harshest way, hitting me straight in the heart and soul \u2014 the loss of my beloved sister to suicide, along with other painful losses. I\u2019ve been in survival mode ever since, moving forward despite the weight of the pain I carry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In that dreadful year, I finished the final year of my Nursing degree and decided, in December 2025, to start training again \u2014 something I had left behind many years ago. It was yet another challenge, as after just one meter I was already out of breath. My strength, flexibility, and mobility were almost zero. That\u2019s how I began Hyrox training, where I soon started feeling much better \u2014 both physically and mentally.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Out of nowhere, with no outside influence, I looked at the sea and decided to start swimming again. I began researching and came across open water events. I thought I\u2019d enjoy them \u2014 they resonated with me \u2014 so I decided to begin open water swimming. Aware that I needed to learn and train properly, I chose to embrace this new challenge. For that, I needed someone connected to the sea. I remembered a friend (a surf instructor in his free time) who gave me the contact of a friend of his who swam in open water \u2014 and she, in turn, shared the contact for Swim4Fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I contacted Swim4Fun\u2026 booked a trial lesson\u2026 and loved it! I immediately felt at home \u2014 from the very first contact to the coach, the class, and the atmosphere. That\u2019s how another challenge began, even though it\u2019s more than 50 km away. I started taking classes once a week! After just five lessons, I feel calm and happy, and when I look at the photos, I see that wide, natural, joyful smile again \u2014 thanks to the wonderful class environment (a group of extraordinary people who share a love for the sea, challenge one another, and look out for each other) and to our amazing coach, Anabela \u2014 more than just a coach! She trains us technically but in a holistic way, empowering each person through her smile and constant humility, addressing each one\u2019s needs, and showing us that progress is possible. All of this \u2014 and everything swimming is giving me \u2014 fills me with joy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"\"<\/figure>\n\n\n\n

As of today, I\u2019m signed up for 5 events \u2014 not because I\u2019m seeking results or competition (even though it gives me an adrenaline rush and that feeling is great), but for the challenge I set myself and to remind myself what I\u2019m capable of. It\u2019s about learning, resilience, and a mindset where what matters is to start, to finish, and to experience mental and physical fulfillment throughout the whole journey (training and races). In the sea I feel calm, even though I know I\u2019m not in top physical shape. I give voice to my mind, to that inner strength that wants to push through and reach my goals. I also understand that I can\u2019t control the sea; I learn to move with it, and there\u2019s no point in swimming against it because I\u2019ll only wear myself out \u2014 what matters is to make the most of the sea as it is, even though good technique is needed.\n\nBeyond that, I identify with the sea because, although you need strength, it teaches you to face your fears. When I swim, I catch myself talking to myself when the waves are stronger and breathing is harder, when I\u2019m exhausted and feel like stopping, when I can\u2019t see the bottom and I start thinking a larger sea creature might appear. And even when everything is calmer, I realize I need to stay focused on swimming in a relaxed way and not give in to thoughts that could throw me off.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I could go on writing about everything I feel, but this text is already getting long\u2026 so I\u2019ll finish with this: Swimming has done me good \u2014 so much good \u2014 because it challenges me and improves my physical and mental well-being.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

When I swim, I\u2019m happy \u2014 I\u2019ve started smiling again!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Thank you, Swim4Fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Set\u00fabal, 25 mar\u00e7o 2026<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ana Sampaio<\/strong><\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

A minha hist\u00f3ria de nata\u00e7\u00e3o? Mais que uma hist\u00f3ria apresento uma pequena descri\u00e7\u00e3o do que foi e tem sido para mim nadar: um momento de felicidade, autoconhecimento e autocuidado! Tenho 47 anos, sou uma pessoa de desafios em que procuro viver de uma forma simples, tranquila… ser feliz, de acordo com o que acredito, com … <\/p>\n

Read more “Nadar\u2026. Muito mais que nadar!”<\/span><\/a><\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":2714,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[55],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2711","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sem-categoria-en"],"featured_image_src":"https:\/\/clube-swim4fun.pt\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/image-4.png","author_info":{"display_name":"Clube Swim4fun","author_link":"https:\/\/clube-swim4fun.pt\/en\/author\/geralclube-swim4fun-pt\/"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/clube-swim4fun.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2711","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/clube-swim4fun.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/clube-swim4fun.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clube-swim4fun.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clube-swim4fun.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2711"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/clube-swim4fun.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2711\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clube-swim4fun.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/2714"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/clube-swim4fun.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2711"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clube-swim4fun.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2711"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clube-swim4fun.pt\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2711"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}