Late in the evening when the lights softly shine and the stars twinkle their hello, I step into the pool and hit play. The sound is very bland above water. I duck my head under, and there all around me is a glorious orchestra.

Slow strokes to match the beauty of the Swan, a deep breath then on to the Aquarium. My playlist is filled with some of the most beautiful, soothing music to swim to–and my lungs are feeling it. I work on breathing and phrasing under water, surfacing for precious air when necessary (ideally between phrases.) And this is my summer practice.

While others fret over the approaching swimsuit season and diet fads fill our conversations, (don’t fret folks–you’re awesome with or without the winter pot roast bellies) I’m sitting at my computer staring at thousands of tracks trying to construct a playlist. I hear fragments of each one as they scroll by. Time passes as I’m trying to weave together genres, locate appropriate tempos, consider the time of day the playlist is for, and place music in the order of what will be physically demanding. It takes what feels like forever…but then…voila! I’m off to the pool!

This swim season may be a great time to consider enhancing your musical practice by investing in some tech! Waterproof shuffles, cases, and headphones are readily available in the market for H2O enthusiasts. Check out Amazon! A few years ago I purchased all sorts of waterproof gear, and finally settled on X-1’s waterproof iPod shuffle with a little case that fits on the back of your goggles, and waterproof earbuds. It’s a tight fit, but an amazing experience! Give it a try!