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?
Former Member
Odds to the Past.
Think too much mentally, prepare mentally, hate the other swimmers, stretch too much, lose the race.
Someone please interrupt my "mantra and mirror staring" session at zones and tell me I am the greatest swimmer ever to not compete as a kid...I might break the minute on 100 FR!
I dunno, Iwannafly could take that honor away from you if you're not careful.
Paul
The past it is 6 years to the day that this thread was brought up.
I used to go to a swim meet. There I would be greeted by all kinds of swimmers. Looking in mirrors hypnotizing themselves, others no eye contact they were told by their coaches to think you hate your competition. Some strange goings on.
Whenever I saw this I would try to distract them from whatever they were doing.
Rejean Lacoursiere used to hypnotize him self before he raced. One time he was at the side of Lake Ontario in a hypnotic trace saying to him self - The Water Is 70 degrees over and over again. I walked up to him took the temperature of the lake it was 52 degrees. I showed him the themometer and said no its 52 degrees. He swam 5 miles of the fifteen mile race and got out.
Hey, This guy is really, um, I don't know.
BLATANT NECRO...oops I used the N word!
You're not related to Swim Spud, or Fontress by any chance are you?
Sometimes I wonder if all this (odd/comedic usernames) is not just one person creating mulitple toons just to entertain themself!
George...so you thinkshowing the temperature to be 52 degrees was what caused himto drop out.. or just that the water was 52 degrees and too cold for him. We all have limitations.
Someone please interrupt my "mantra and mirror staring" session at zones and tell me I am the greatest swimmer ever to not compete as a kid...I might break the minute on 100 FR!
BLATANT NECRO...oops I used the N word!
George...so you thinkshowing the temperature to be 52 degrees was what caused himto drop out.. or just that the water was 52 degrees and too cold for him. We all have limitations.
Someone please interrupt my "mantra and mirror staring" session at zones and tell me I am the greatest swimmer ever to not compete as a kid...I might break the minute on 100 FR!
Well if you think it is warm it must be warm.
I know you are the expert mirror watcher. Once you believe you are the greatest swimmer in the world it has to be true. Or would that be true lies???
I dunno, Iwannafly could take that honor away from you if you're not careful.
Paul
Yo, Bavaro, when you getting 89 stenciled on your speedos?
If TJ is man enough, he's man enough...
:weightlifter:
I had a spirite that is all I can say. This is how I felt, I was just a happy guy. Here I am in 1966 I used my Mental aspects of training/competition. Sorry the paper is all in French.
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.
An update on Lacoursiere a very good Marathon swimmer. He is now 76 and has had a heart bypass. By all reports he is feeling good.
The past it is 6 years to the day that this thread was brought up.
I used to go to a swim meet. There I would be greeted by all kinds of swimmers. Looking in mirrors hypnotizing themselves, others no eye contact they were told by their coaches to think you hate your competition. Some strange goings on.
Whenever I saw this I would try to distract them from whatever they were doing.
Rejean Lacoursiere used to hypnotize him self before he raced. One time he was at the side of Lake Ontario in a hypnotic trace saying to him self - The Water Is 70 degrees over and over again. I walked up to him took the temperature of the lake it was 52 degrees. I showed him the themometer and said no its 52 degrees. He swam 5 miles of the fifteen mile race and got out.
