Superstitions

When I was swimming competitvely I would always splash myself with the water right before I got on the blocks. I said I did it to get accustomed to the temp, but in all honesty I just thought it looked cool ( I was 8 ). Then it just stuck with me because if I didn't do it, it didn't feel right.

Originally posted by bda721 When I was swimming competitvely I would always splash myself with the water right before I got on the blocks. I said I did it to get accustomed to the temp, but in all honesty I just thought it looked cool ( I was 8 ). Then it just stuck with me because if I didn't do it, it didn't feel right. I think Brendan Hansen does that. I seem to remeber him putting a handful in his mouth and then spitting it back in the pool. I have not attended any meets but I always swim better when I put my suit on at home and then drive to the pool. Everytime I have changed at the pool I have a lousy swim. Cause and effect? Probably not but I still consider it to be worthy of consideration.

Indeed, Brendan does splash himself, then do the water-in-the-mouth-spit-back-into-the-pool thing. Personally, I've noticed (thanks to other people watching me) that I do a lot of little superstitious things, mostly out of habit now than when I was younger and did them because I either thought it made me look cool, or because I am, in fact, superstitious. When I get up towards the blocks right before a race, I turn into the superstition/have to do this a certain way champion. I always do certain stretches in a certain order, and once the goggles go on, superstitionally charged, my hands go at my sides and I shake them. I shake them until we're on the blocks, and then when I'm waiting for "take your marks" I hold them above the block and wiggle my fingers. I've done the hand shaking/finger wiggling for as long as I've been swimming competitively, and my mom thinks it's the funniest thing in the world. I never even noticed I did it after all these years, until one of my new Masters teammates said something about it (although he has this horrible habit of being completely still in the same position on the blocks, and it drives me crazy!). Next!

I HAVE to wear my silver chain with my silver unicorn pendant...... but sometimes, it gets in the way :( ...... NEXT

I'm pretty sure Amanda Beard splashes water into her mouth too. I've seen a lot of people do that. I have to get behind the blocks on the first heat and sit and zone out (I'm in trouble if I am in the first heat ever). And I wiggle and move around alot. Then I jump up and down a few times and swing my arms around. Then I have to lick my googles, gross I know, and then put them on and smash them onto my face. Then I jump around and what not again. I have little mantras before my races too. IMs I have to repeat the distance and stroke order over and over. And on sprints I remind myself to feel the water and quick turns. On distance anything I tell myself to just relax. On fly, keep the rhythm. I have premeet things too. I do better when I drive by myself. I do better when I put my suit on at meets. I have to get there wicked early.

I have a necklace that I wear all the time. I don't wear it when I swim, it's dangly, but I wear it up to the last minute. It has a pendant on it that means "sucess in everything you do" and I rub it right before. I also have a rock that my friend gave me years ago, that I recently found again. It's my rock of power (we were little, it's cool!). She painted it gold and wrote everything that I can do when I have the rock with me on the back, and one of the things is that it allows me to swim really fast, so I pack it along with me in my swim bag and play with it(throw it around and stuff) when I get nervous. I also like to listen to my favorite song and just zone out and think about how awesome I'm going to swim my race. ~Kyra

What I usually do is offer a sacrafice of Crispy Cream Doughnuts to the Great and Terrible Goddess of the 1650; then I circle the alter three times while chanting Kum By Yah backwards. Works every time! ;)

oh yah.... i have this REALLY bad habit / good luck thing where i pull my swim cap down my head.... then i push it up.....then i pull it over my ears... then i pull it up my ears.... then i pull it down again..... then i ( yah you get the point) until i HAVE to stop and stand on the blocks. i also ALWAYS feel the water even if it is'nt a race.. probably just for the temperature

I didn't feel the water once before a race (I had already raced in that pool that day) and my first thought when I dove in was HOLY CRAP (might not have been crap) this water is COLD! I always feel the water now. Things I noticed the "elite" do ... Peirsol jumps out on his back races jumps up in the water twice swims fast into the wall then gets into the starting position. Phelps does the double arm swing thing. Steph, I totally wiggle my fingers until I hear take your mark. How can anyone stand there totally still?!

Originally posted by craiglll@yahoo.com I crack my knucles in a certain order. I do that too. After cracking my knuckles and finger joints, I close my hands into fists and then suddenly open and straighten out my fingers - Wolverine style! I just picture myself as Wolverine from X-men slashing out his claws. I do that a couple of times.:D