The old discussion format left dangling an interesting topic suggested by Paul Smith in the rather excellent Distance vs Sprint thread started by Jim Thornton. The topic being that of the mental side of training/competition.
My own selfish interest in this area would be on the mental preparation for 50yds/m competition. Obviously there is not much time to do a great amount of thinking during this event (one of the benefits of 50's) but you need to go into the race with some limited number of important thoughts to concentrate on while swimming. Kind of like 'swing thoughts' in golf (my cross over training sport). As in golf, muscle memory will play a large part in not having to think about everything involved.
I wonder if Paul or any others would care to share what those few key race thoughts might be, from the start, swim and turn through to the finish? And would there be any mental aspects to training for a 50 that might be different from distance training?
Parents
Former Member
I would like to add the importance of practicing your races. I am sprinter. I like the metronome example and I wish I could swim an hour long postal and keep the same pace over and over for each hundred, but I am not built that way. I train with people who are, and to me it is crazy. When we sprint in practice, it is a different story. It is as though they have no acceleration, or cannot swim faster than the metronome pace.
To me, the importance of practing your races is so you develop the muscle memory and you learn to swim your races. In a sprint, I cannot remember what I think about. In practice, I try to think about that, to work on things I normally wouldn't in a race when on auto pilot, like SDK, breathing, kicking, ect. I suggest sprinting from the blocks too, wearing a swim cap if you do in races, like a true dress rehearsal.
Before the race, get your warmups in, get ready, however you do it. Stay warm, stay hydrated and fueled. Swimming is a mental game for sure, but really all sports are. Whether you are in a three-point stance ready to fire off the line to block an inside linebacker, or standing behind the blocks staring down the pool for a 50m free, you need to be mentally prepared to execute the actions and fundamentals you have been committing to memory for some time. Think about your starts, your turns, you competition, and moving those arms. Once you hit the water, I can't recall anything I think about at that time. It's instinct. One can only hope they have prepared the right things.
Hope that helps.
I would like to add the importance of practicing your races. I am sprinter. I like the metronome example and I wish I could swim an hour long postal and keep the same pace over and over for each hundred, but I am not built that way. I train with people who are, and to me it is crazy. When we sprint in practice, it is a different story. It is as though they have no acceleration, or cannot swim faster than the metronome pace.
To me, the importance of practing your races is so you develop the muscle memory and you learn to swim your races. In a sprint, I cannot remember what I think about. In practice, I try to think about that, to work on things I normally wouldn't in a race when on auto pilot, like SDK, breathing, kicking, ect. I suggest sprinting from the blocks too, wearing a swim cap if you do in races, like a true dress rehearsal.
Before the race, get your warmups in, get ready, however you do it. Stay warm, stay hydrated and fueled. Swimming is a mental game for sure, but really all sports are. Whether you are in a three-point stance ready to fire off the line to block an inside linebacker, or standing behind the blocks staring down the pool for a 50m free, you need to be mentally prepared to execute the actions and fundamentals you have been committing to memory for some time. Think about your starts, your turns, you competition, and moving those arms. Once you hit the water, I can't recall anything I think about at that time. It's instinct. One can only hope they have prepared the right things.
Hope that helps.
