Psychology of Masters Swimming - Your Input Please
Former Member
I trained and worked as a sport psychologist before I took up masters swimming (and about the same time stopped private practice due to my boring corporate job), and for the first time really I'm looking to put both together with some articles for the web.
There's no lack of material on swimming performance but there's not much out there, for physical or mental aspects of swimming, that really acknowledges the specific challenges that masters swimmers face.
I'd really like to hear your own views on what you have to manage as a masters swimmer. This doesn't have to relate to racing specifically.
For example, I have to plan around my family, never manage to do as much training as I'd like, so I have to manage my own expectations, yet bring what I have in my locker on race day and make the most of it. I also have my 'former' life as a swimmer and the negative experiences that led to me quitting at 18 that shape my motivations now.
Thanks,
Rob
P.S. I've yet to start my own site, but I do have a swimming psychology page on facebook and I'm on twitter. I'd really appreciate a boost with likes/shares as I build a readership.
Interesting thread...
Back story: I started swimming because a friend invited me to join her in age group around age 12 (a little late by some standards). I swam in HS but was fairly mediocre and probably would not have continued into college except that by a mere fluke my coach discovered my breaststroke was actually pretty good and began encouraging me. My relative success in that stroke motivated me to continue through my NCAA Div III college years.
After college, life overtook swimming interest. I didn't log a single lap for 20+ years. The last couple of years were spent trying to motivate myself to get to the gym and lose weight.... and failing miserably.
Present day: Last fall, I joined a local Masters team and found much to my extreme pleasure that I am completely hooked! I have (re?)discovered my joy of swimming, workouts are fun and painful in a good way, I've dropped weight without feeling like I'm trying, and I am setting my sites on re-attaining my college times (or maybe even better :D?). I use competitions to set personal goals and to assess my progress.
Motivation: Granted, not being a morning person it's tough to get out of bed in the wee hours, especially when it's cold and dark and my husband is cozily snoring away next to me, but I know I will regret it later in the day if I don't go.
Juggling life: Hubby is supportive, but work can sometimes get in the way. But working out in the early morning means I have time for home and hubby in the evening, and I don't run the risk of a work crisis keeping me too late to make it to the pool. As for the weekends... would I rather catch up on laundry or go to a swim meet? Mmmmmm....
Interesting thread...
Back story: I started swimming because a friend invited me to join her in age group around age 12 (a little late by some standards). I swam in HS but was fairly mediocre and probably would not have continued into college except that by a mere fluke my coach discovered my breaststroke was actually pretty good and began encouraging me. My relative success in that stroke motivated me to continue through my NCAA Div III college years.
After college, life overtook swimming interest. I didn't log a single lap for 20+ years. The last couple of years were spent trying to motivate myself to get to the gym and lose weight.... and failing miserably.
Present day: Last fall, I joined a local Masters team and found much to my extreme pleasure that I am completely hooked! I have (re?)discovered my joy of swimming, workouts are fun and painful in a good way, I've dropped weight without feeling like I'm trying, and I am setting my sites on re-attaining my college times (or maybe even better :D?). I use competitions to set personal goals and to assess my progress.
Motivation: Granted, not being a morning person it's tough to get out of bed in the wee hours, especially when it's cold and dark and my husband is cozily snoring away next to me, but I know I will regret it later in the day if I don't go.
Juggling life: Hubby is supportive, but work can sometimes get in the way. But working out in the early morning means I have time for home and hubby in the evening, and I don't run the risk of a work crisis keeping me too late to make it to the pool. As for the weekends... would I rather catch up on laundry or go to a swim meet? Mmmmmm....
