Hi everyone,
Well the title above is kind of the gist of what this post will be about. I am starting my fourth season as master swimmer and am a bit sad about my attitude and feelings towards swimming competitions. I get very nervous before competitions. Vomiting or gagging frequently accompany me on days where I have competitions. I have been doing competitions now for the past two years and unfortunatly I don't feel as if it is getting any better. I understand that some nervouseness is normal, and in fact functional, but my anxiety feels like it is far from it. It is struggle to actually go to the competition and by the time I get there, I already feel mentally tired. I swim, but I don't feel like I can really give my all.
I have tried getting myself to enjoy competitions but lately I have started playing with the idea that maybe these competitions are simply not worth it for me. And that is fine.
Can anyone relate?
QuitarQueen
I have tried getting myself to enjoy competitions but lately I have started playing with the idea that maybe these competitions are simply not worth it for me. And that is fine.
Yes, it is fine.
But, given that you have tried for a number of years and your questions here, it appears you do want to figure out a way to make them less anxiety producing.
What issues drive your anxiety? For example:
For many athletes (of any age), anxiety around a competition is driven by performance concerns - will I achieve my goal? will I get beaten and feel embarassed or like I didn't measure up? ... and more
For people who have not swum and competed for a long time, I have heard there's a lot of anxiety just getting up on the blocks. It's a very self-conscious place to be, relatively alone in only a swimsuit ... will I fall? will people stare at me?
No doubt, there are probably other fears
Some of the many things I love about Masters swimming and competitions ... this may or may not help, if I'm on the right track or not ...
I believe that everyone gets some level of nerves ... I've been racing since I was 5 years old, am now 52, and I still get some 'edginess' before I race ... but I choose to look at that as excitement, not anxiety ... I know reframing doesn't work for all people, but this helps. What also helps is just joking around, idle chit chat with my fellow swimmers behind the blocks. Even if I don't know them, I can usually find someone to take my mind off the race while waiting for the race!
The vast majority of people (like nearing 100%) of the people at a competition don't pay any attention to how the vast majority of other swimmers perform. Yes, there are those who, over the years have developed friendly rivalries with certain other swimmers and they do watch and care ... but almost no one is paying attention to what you do in the pool
If others do pay attention, odds are, they are supporting you (friends, family, teammates) or trying to help you get better (coaches, teammates, even your fellow competitors)
... but, again, if competition is not for you, that is fine.
Patrick
I have tried getting myself to enjoy competitions but lately I have started playing with the idea that maybe these competitions are simply not worth it for me. And that is fine.
Yes, it is fine.
But, given that you have tried for a number of years and your questions here, it appears you do want to figure out a way to make them less anxiety producing.
What issues drive your anxiety? For example:
For many athletes (of any age), anxiety around a competition is driven by performance concerns - will I achieve my goal? will I get beaten and feel embarassed or like I didn't measure up? ... and more
For people who have not swum and competed for a long time, I have heard there's a lot of anxiety just getting up on the blocks. It's a very self-conscious place to be, relatively alone in only a swimsuit ... will I fall? will people stare at me?
No doubt, there are probably other fears
Some of the many things I love about Masters swimming and competitions ... this may or may not help, if I'm on the right track or not ...
I believe that everyone gets some level of nerves ... I've been racing since I was 5 years old, am now 52, and I still get some 'edginess' before I race ... but I choose to look at that as excitement, not anxiety ... I know reframing doesn't work for all people, but this helps. What also helps is just joking around, idle chit chat with my fellow swimmers behind the blocks. Even if I don't know them, I can usually find someone to take my mind off the race while waiting for the race!
The vast majority of people (like nearing 100%) of the people at a competition don't pay any attention to how the vast majority of other swimmers perform. Yes, there are those who, over the years have developed friendly rivalries with certain other swimmers and they do watch and care ... but almost no one is paying attention to what you do in the pool
If others do pay attention, odds are, they are supporting you (friends, family, teammates) or trying to help you get better (coaches, teammates, even your fellow competitors)
... but, again, if competition is not for you, that is fine.
Patrick
