THE PRESENT WILL SOON BE PAST

 “Dear past, I survived you. Dear present, I’m ready for you.  Dear future, I’m coming for you.”

Sometimes it’s hard to let go of the past and in swimming the same can be true from competitions, a bad race, a mistake on the start, a missed turn or a bad finish.  The best thing you the swimmer can do in this situation is to accept it, learn from it, let it go and move on.

The past is the past and all you can do is learn from it.  The present is where you need to focus and be channeling your energy as that will become your past quickly and now we are into the future.  

So how can we move forward in a positive way.  The 4 areas I have observed through the season by all of you at some point in one way or the other are: Confidence, Focus, Resilience, and Emotional Control.

We are going to make this simple and straightforward.

Confidence: Get to the point where you believe in your training and ability to execute.  No matter what.

Focus: Do not let your head go wandering.  Stay present during workouts, warm ups, while racing and during the recovery.

Resilience:  Let’s figure out how to handle your nerves, bad races, mistakes and that unexpected challenge when life throws you a curve.

Emotional Control:   Get off that roller coaster and let’s figure out how to handle your anxiety, excitement, frustrations

To summarize, race with courage not fear.  You don’t have to be perfect (that’s hard to do every time out), you just have to be ready and let the race happen.

SET OF THE WEEK (OUR JUNIOR BLUE GROUP)

WARM UP

• 300 swim free (no rushing or sprinting.  Feel the stroke. Slow down)
• 4x50 free to back (fast feet over the top)
• 8x25 kick boards (odds breast with a glide.  Hold end of board face in. Breath +strong kick and ride the wave

MAIN SET (focus middle of IM)

2 rounds

• 4x25 breast kick 00-40-20-00 ( get to full extension after breath and deliver strong kick)
• 4x50back to breast with glide swim  ( work that turn)

1 round

• 4x25 breast kick (same as above) 00-40-20-00
• 4x50 breast to free swim

POST SET WITH FINS working on our fly

 

2rounds

• 4x25 fly drill (2r 1 cycle 2l 1 cycle)
• 4x50 fly to back swim

NUTRITION CORNER 

Workouts are done for the week and you find yourself away from the pool and are looking for a snack, what’s a swimmer to do without jeopardizing all their hard work.

First off always hydrate and do it early before your body starts feeling the effects of dehydration. 

Apple slices, watermelon wedges and orange wedges are a good source of nutrients and they help to keep you hydrated.

Trail mixes and whole grain crackers are easy to keep on hand so that you don’t have to grab surgery junk food.   Smoothie pops are excellent on those hot days after workouts.  Here is one that will try, frozen grapes or bananas dipped in yogurt.

TRIVIA MAILBOX 

Last week answer:  proteins will repair your damaged muscle tissue after workouts and competition.

Next question: What’s the term for bouncing back after a tough race?