Hi,
We are planning an article on the "winter blues" for the Nov. / Dec. issue of SWIMMER. I've got some ideas for a way to take a fresh look at the subject, but I'd love to hear from our member swimmers who may have issues with the low light and cold temperatures of winter.
Does it affect your training? Have you found a way to beat it? (Florida and So.Cal folks, I realize this is less than applicable to you, but friends in Nebraska and New York and Alaska, or any other state with seasons, please weigh in!)
Thanks for your time and insights. Please feel free to message me privately.
Sincerely,
Laura
I actually find that exercising makes me feel better (not surprising, as exercise is usually recommended as a natural cure for depression and has been proven to increase hippocampal neurogensis which has been correlated to a having better mood). For many however, this creates an obvious problem. If you're suffering depression you won't necessarily have the motivation to start swimming.
Having people to swim with helps motivate me and the social interaction is always good. In general, sticking with swimming ultimately makes my mood better than winters when I do not swim.
This is a great subject for coaches. A coach can often see the symptoms in their athlete. And they can influence the motivation in a very positive way.
Everyone needs to chart some kind of a goal. Some people need a little more help to make it happen. Support to see it through can be as valuable coming from a lane-mate as it is from a coach. A coach can rally the group to help each individual accomplish their goals in a million ways.
The trick is to consistently come up with new and annual ideas to keep the group inspired to sometimes just get to the pool.
One of the masters of this is Coach Susan Ingraham in Texas.
Then there is always the "invite a friend or family member in need of swimming" week! One day might not be enough!
I actually find that exercising makes me feel better (not surprising, as exercise is usually recommended as a natural cure for depression and has been proven to increase hippocampal neurogensis which has been correlated to a having better mood). For many however, this creates an obvious problem. If you're suffering depression you won't necessarily have the motivation to start swimming.
Having people to swim with helps motivate me and the social interaction is always good. In general, sticking with swimming ultimately makes my mood better than winters when I do not swim.
This is a great subject for coaches. A coach can often see the symptoms in their athlete. And they can influence the motivation in a very positive way.
Everyone needs to chart some kind of a goal. Some people need a little more help to make it happen. Support to see it through can be as valuable coming from a lane-mate as it is from a coach. A coach can rally the group to help each individual accomplish their goals in a million ways.
The trick is to consistently come up with new and annual ideas to keep the group inspired to sometimes just get to the pool.
One of the masters of this is Coach Susan Ingraham in Texas.
Then there is always the "invite a friend or family member in need of swimming" week! One day might not be enough!
