Some people are afraid of the dark...some are afraid to go outside....
I'm afraid of the starting blocks!
Yes, sad and pathetic but true - the blocks scare the beejeezus outa me. Why, I don't know. When I swam in high school I had no fear (and no cap and goggles either - we're talkin' WAY back in the day...)
Well...flash forward several years to my now Masters career and my coach talks me in to competing. So we have a start clinic. From then on (and it's gotten worse) I developed a really strange phobia of actually getting on the blocks and jumping off.
Part of it has to do with the fact that my starts are terrible. I have practiced and I cannot seem to get my brain to wrap around the information of what I'm suppose to do, and to get my body to follow.
Lately it just so happens that I've been competing in really long races (i.e., 1650, 1000, etc.) and I start from the wall. But when I compete in the shorter distances I know I cannot get away with that. And, I'd really like to get over the irrational fear of diving into the water...AND I'd really like to have a decent, competitive start.
Suggestions? Thoughts? Therapy of any kind...?
PS: we do have a diving pool where we work out, so I have no excuse!
:(
Parents
Former Member
I think you may be best with not going straight to the diving pool. Work from an in-water start (pushing off the wall) to a sitting start, to a starting dive from the deck, to a small block, up to a higher block until you can start from the competition block.
Have you identified what exactly you are scared of? Is it the height of the block or the (lack of) depth of the pool? I was going to put an anecdotal starting-related "horror story" here, but then deleted it, because I don't want to contribute to your fear.
Once you've identified what makes you afraid, then try to address that. Hopefully, you can overcome it. Good luck.
Kae (who hasn't dived off a starting block in years, so don't feel obligated to take this advice)
I think you may be best with not going straight to the diving pool. Work from an in-water start (pushing off the wall) to a sitting start, to a starting dive from the deck, to a small block, up to a higher block until you can start from the competition block.
Have you identified what exactly you are scared of? Is it the height of the block or the (lack of) depth of the pool? I was going to put an anecdotal starting-related "horror story" here, but then deleted it, because I don't want to contribute to your fear.
Once you've identified what makes you afraid, then try to address that. Hopefully, you can overcome it. Good luck.
Kae (who hasn't dived off a starting block in years, so don't feel obligated to take this advice)
