Question: Does appearance, demeanor, or reputation of fellow competitors effect your performance in your races?
Intimidation could be of any type really. Whether you're next to someone who looks like a real mean SOB, acts like a mean SOB, or has a reputation of being fast as hell and never losing, etc. Does it effect your performance in any way. Do you swim slower in the presence of such a person, or do they drive you to new bests? Or the converse, if someone looks weak, out of shape, or in some way inferior in skill to your perception of yourself, does it make you swim down to perceived level, or make you want to cause a crushing defeat?
Some of this may not be in the main spirit of masters swimming of course. We probably shouldn't go around with the goal and hopes of crushing everyone else in the pool, but I was always curious what other people thought about it.
If I'm eyeing up the competition and they look more in shape than I, its hard not to feel like i'm going to take a hard loss in my race. Of course I'd like to think I always push 101% on every race, but its hard to say whether or not I subconsciously hold back or push harder than I would've depending what the field looks like.
Part of it probably comes back to the type of swimmer you are too. Do you thrive on competition and winning the race, or is it just 8 people swimming alone against the clock at the same time for convenience?
No right or wrong answer, just thought i'd throw it out there.
Parents
Former Member
When I've coached age groupers I've always warned them about looking at other swimmers who are lined up for the race. More often than not, every swimmer you look at appears to be better than you! Of course that aren't, but they look good anyway. Remember, the swimmers who glance at you probably think the same, and feel a little intimidated. Such is swimming.
During the short period before a race it helps to look super-confident. We all know that the mind should be firmly directed to think positively about the approaching race. The conscious mind will always try to challenge the swimmer before a race, it will throw doubts, fears, worries and anxieties at them to test their mettle, but it’s their response to these thoughts which decides just how well they’ll go in that particular race.
Negative thoughts hit everyone to a greater or lesser extent. Again, we all know they must be erased and replaced with something more positive. Age-groupers and masters alike have the same doubts from time to time.
When I've coached age groupers I've always warned them about looking at other swimmers who are lined up for the race. More often than not, every swimmer you look at appears to be better than you! Of course that aren't, but they look good anyway. Remember, the swimmers who glance at you probably think the same, and feel a little intimidated. Such is swimming.
During the short period before a race it helps to look super-confident. We all know that the mind should be firmly directed to think positively about the approaching race. The conscious mind will always try to challenge the swimmer before a race, it will throw doubts, fears, worries and anxieties at them to test their mettle, but it’s their response to these thoughts which decides just how well they’ll go in that particular race.
Negative thoughts hit everyone to a greater or lesser extent. Again, we all know they must be erased and replaced with something more positive. Age-groupers and masters alike have the same doubts from time to time.
