THE GHOST SWIMMER

 

WIN YOUR WALLS AND SHORTEN THAT NEXT 25

EFFORT

 

“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”

Success and a great swim is never an accident.  Your success is a direct affect of the process and your day to day attitude and effort in the pool and away from the pool.

If your attitude is positive and you’re giving your very best eventually your immediate problems will begin to disappear and you will be ready to face new challenges.

When you commit to focusing on the little things during workout souring each set it will eventually lead to long term success.  Keep taking positive steps,  no matter how big or small.  Each step you choose will lead you to your goals.  No matter who your coach is on deck, attitude and effort are on you.  No one should have to coach you in those areas.  Those two ingredients of your swimming require no special talent only a choice that only you can make.  Take ownership of your swimming and don’t make excuses, because an excuse only gives you an out and a reason to fail.  No matter how you feel, always show up and put in a honest effort. "

After a race I like to focus on these 2 questions; Did you give your best effort?  Do you really believe you tried your hardest?  Those are the things that you the swimmer can control every race.  The little things we can work on during workouts and everything else’s will take care of itself.

No one gets great by doing “just enough.”  Doing just enough might make you good but it’s not enough to become the best version of yourself.  Remember talk is cheap.  Effort isn’t in the words you speak, it is found in your behaviors and the actions you take.

In closing stop spending your time on outcomes and instead shift your focus on the things that you can control during workouts and in competitions.  Life and swimming are parallel; you will get out of it what you put into it.  Why would you expect anything else?

When you fall asleep at night, know that you put in an honest day’s work.

This week our focus for our senior prep and junior gold groups was on our IM with the emphasis on our breakouts and setting up our transitions to the next stroke.

 

Our next meet is right around the corner and you need to plan your list of races.  Let’s be smart and remember we are still early in the season.  Don’t panic.  The swim and rock meet is coming up in about 6 weeks when we will get suited up and go after our big events.   

Coach Mike

YOUR SNORKEL

 

Do you have a love/hate relationship with your snorkel?  Make excuses for not using it?  

Everyone should have a snorkel by know.  Start working on a positive relationship with it.  The benefits to your swimming are huge.

Coach Mike

 

Remember all three of our groups started a new warmup on October 1. We will stay on this cycle all the way into mid season meets in December.  Knowing what is expected when you walk onto the deck for workout gets you off to an awesome start and helps with any anxiety you may have.  

Walk onto the deck with a positive attitude and leave better than you were.

Have a great week at school and in the pool.

A SWIMMERS TOOLBOX

 What’s in your tool box?  Every swimmer has a tool box that accompanies them to workouts and swim

meets.   Your tool box has all the essentials that a swimmer relies on for workouts and races, tools that that you can rely on in times of stress, anxiety and fatigue.  There may also be those specialty tools that you relay on and fit your unique personality and talents.

Great swimmers don’t just build stronger bodies during workouts.  They also build stronger tool boxes out of the water.  Every practice, race, challenge, and setback gives you a chance to add a new tool and the more tools in the box the more prepared you’ll be in any situation you face.

PRACTICE TOOLS

When workouts get hard….

_x_positive self talk

_x_ focus on the next repeat

_x_strong body language 

_x _consistent effort 

_x_trust the process

My best practice tool is_________________________

RACE DAY TOOLS…..

 

When it’s time to perform

__x_race plan

__x_visualization

__x_pre race routine 

__x_ controlled breathing

__x_focus word

My focus word is________________

CONFIDENCE TOOLS

Confidence is built one day at a time.

__x_track progress

_x__celebrate small victories 

_x__remember past success 

__x_stay coachable

_x__believe in work preparation 

I’m proud of__________

RESILIENCE TOOLS

Every swimmer faces challenges 

_x__learn from mistakes

X__bounce back after tough races

_x__keep a growth mindset

_x__ask questions 

_x__never give up

A challenge I overcame________

WHATS IN YOUR TOOLBOX

___POSITIVE SELF-talk

___GOAL SETTING 

___VISUALIZATION

___FOCUS WORD

___ RACE STRATEGY 

___HEALTHY RECOVERY HABITS 

___STRONG WORK ETHIC 

___CONFIDENCE

___RESILIENCE

___GROWTH MINDSET

Remember:  Talent may help you start.  Your toolbox helps you succeed.  You will have set backs and at times anxiety during workouts and races but always remember this, “ A good swimmer will always know which tool to reach for when challenges appear.

    

SWIM MEET WRAP UP

 

What were the take always from the meet this past weekend?  Did you meet your expectations?  Did you set those expectations too high?  Too low?  Maybe you did not have any?  

Setting expectations centered based solely on the time is not always the best way to go.  Why, because you are basing everything on an arbitrary result that in reality you cannot control.

Your time does not paint a full picture on your canvas….it will only tells you what happened but not why it happened or whether you’re really improving in the ways it truly matters. If your mechanics (little things) are not sound it only gives you a false signal.  Best times with negative attitudes weak starts, sloppy turns, weak underwater’s, no pacing is not the same as best times when those mechanics are working.

If you judge your performance based solely on the time you may miss the parts of your race that will help you in your future development as you chase those goals and dreams.