Have you ever wonder where those pre-race jitters or that knot in your stomach comes from as you are standing behind the blocks before your race. Sometimes all those pre race jitters can have a positive result on your race, however athletes can also turn those jitters into negative anxiety that can adversely affect your race.
I read an article from Peak Performance (Dr. Patrick Cohn) over the weekend where some of this information comes from along with some of my own thoughts.
Pre-race jitters will and always has been part of this sport as any swimmer knows as they stand behind the blocks alone in your thoughts, but in that moment if you allow those jitters to turn into performance anxiety your body begins to tense up and you will not be able to perform at your best.
Come on you all know what we are talking about here; the pit in your stomach, the fast breathing, the feeling of getting sick, all of this use to and still is referred to psyching yourself out before you even step onto the block.. All of this has nothing to do with you as a person or a swimmer because you have done this before, it all boils down to your mind and how you play the game between your ears. That game in your head takes as much time to train as the time you put into the water and you can do this every minute of the day during your time away from the pool.
PRERACE MISTAKE #1:
Having strict expectations on your performance
As a coach I understand and think it is important for swimmers to set high goals, but when you set those goals there has to be some wiggle room or they can actually limit your success. You may ask why and the answer is that you set yourself up for a success/faliure proposition. You either achieve your expectations or you fail (in your mind) to achieve them. I can't tell you how many times I had to talk a swimmer off the ledge after a race where they had just had a lifetime best but it simply did not meet their expectation. It happens. The game that you start p[laying in your head is that you begin to question whether your good enough or that it's been a waste of time. You question your ability for that day, your ability for the next race, or the rest of the meet., Essentially STRICT EXPECTATIONS set you up for failure before you step not the blocks. Strict expectations equal pressure and pressure can turn into preface anxiety.
PRERACE MISTAKE #2:
Leaving self-confidence to chance
Have you ever walked onto a pool deck on race day and your first thought or your first words sound like this;
- I'm tired!
- Can I scratch?
- How do I swim this?
- I don't feel good!
All statements or question from a swimmer looking for an excuse to fail, statements that show a lack of self confidence in yourself and set yourself up for failure. If your only confident when you have a good race your what I like to call "riding a roller coaster". with all the highs and the lows. We all know that there are going to be races that are not going to result in a best time, and it's at that moment that it's important as how you will respond. Don't let a bad result destroy your self-confidence. Have a proactive approach to confidence--not a reactive approach.
PREGAME MISTAKE #3
Getting distracted by the hoopla of the meet
Winter Classic, 14 and Under Champs, Age-Group Elite Classic. Do these names cause you to tense up or cause anxiety before you race. Do you feel extra pressure with the hype leading up to the big meet. I think this is why I down play it some because I know most of you are already in a highlighted state of anxiety. It's important that you try to treat these meets as just that a meet, with events and races that you have done over and over. If you let the distractions overwhelm you mentally you will not be fully prepared to race.
We will allow a couple of days for you to digest those and have a few more for you later.
ELITE CLASSIC MEET SWIMMERS
For those of you leaving for this meet in St. Pete and are unable to attend practice this week, here are a couple of practices for you top do. It is important that you get in at least a couple of times this week if not more. I know it is spring break but we are going down there to RACE!
PRACTICE # 1
WARM UP (blue is for 10 and under)
300/ 200 mixer (free/back by 25's) hold your UW off flips
6x50/4x50 stroke/free
200/100 kick (no boards)
4x50/2x50 Kick/swim
SET (prep 8 rounds. 11 and overs 6 rounds. 10 and under 4 rounds)
25kick+50 stroke+25 kick (10 seconds rest after each part for prep/ 15 for 11-12/20 seconds of 10 and under)
Set (2 rounds) rest 10 seconds after each 25. rest 1 minute after each round.
RD#1 RD#2
4x25 fly 4X25 FREE
3x25 back 3X25 BREAST
2x25 breast 2X25 BACK
1x25 free 1X25 FLY
Swim down usual 4x25 back (# 1 fast/#2 ease it down/ #3 ease it down some more/#4 double arm back with breast kick
PRACTICE #2
SAME WARMUP
SET (11 and overs 4 rounds/ 10 and under 2 rounds)
4x25 fast kick 10 seconds rest (no boards)
1x50 cruise free to back (15 seconds rest
4x25 fast kick 10 seconds rest
1x50 stroke build to fast (1:00 rest)
SET WITH FINS (IF YOU HAVE THEM
16 X 50 FOR THE 11 AND OVER'S. 16X25 FOR 10 AND UNDERS (YOU MAY MIX THEM AS STROKE/FREE OR ALL STROKE./ OR ALL FREE). STAY WITH THE SAME IN EACH SET OF 4
4 ROUNDS OF 4 REST 15 SECONDS BETWEEN EACH/ REST 1:00 BETWEEN EACH ROUND OF 4
1 FAST/3 CRUISE
2 FAST/2 CRUISE
3 FAST/ 1 CRUISE
4 FAST
SWIM DOWN THE USUAL 👍👍👍
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