Has anyone else ever felt bummed out by a bad workout? By missing an interval you know you can make (that you've made before) ...by being unusually tired...by nearly puking and having to rest at the wall for part of a set...
Sometimes a bad time in the pool will just hang over my day like a cloud. I can't seem to shake the feelings that I should have done better...and I don't know why.
Anyone else gone through this...or have tips to cope with it?
Former Member
I felt a bit like that today. But I just took it easy and made it through my 3600 yards. I've been working on my stroke lately, so I haven't felt the need to go fast anyway. :)
Weird ... also had an off day today, only swimming 1000 yards (wimpy, I know). But the consolation is that any time spent in the pool is good time. At least you showed up.
Just like everything else in life...things go in cycles. An ebb in energy is just like a phase in the moon. Don't push too hard when you're feeling drained.
Try working on better streamlines off the walls...or on keeping a lower stroke count on the *off days*. Recognizing fatigue is important. That way you can get some rest for your next workout and feel more up to the challenge.
I have bad workouts a few times a month. Generally they follow a night of little sleep or a day with lots of stress and fatigue. I generally try to work through the issues but often times I wind up kicking nearly half of my workout.
If you feel drained before the practice, try taking it easy in the first 10 minutes or so, or do some drills working on your technique. When you're all "warmed up" slowly turn up the volume. I use this technique to kicks away that "blue feeling" and it works for me all the time.
I'm sure we've all gone through it. It's tough. About the only thing you can do is try to stay positive. Maybe you can work more on technique and just feel good about holding your stroke together through a tough set. If you look hard enough there's a positive in every practice.
Of course, the ultimate vindication is when you have a great practice. Yes, maybe it's going to take a while for you, being injured and all, but just stay positive that that day will come. Keep at it and do the things well that you're capable of doing well right now.
Guvnah,
You're making me feel guilty, almost like I should get to the pool before it closes tonight.
But then, I'm half-asleep as it is. The water will only make it worse. And the coffee is at least keeping me alert enough to drive home in a bit. Sometimes you do need a day off...
Sometimes after a weak workout I wonder if I should have just stayed in bed...
But the way I see it, a bad workout still keeps me from falling behind. Had I not gone in and done a lesser swim, I would have done nothing at all. Which is really better? (The answer is obvious to me.)
A coach once told me you accomplish the most working out on the days when you feel like doing it the least.
I try to concentrate on descending repeats within a set, so that even if I start off feeling poorly I can finish on a positive note. Of course some days, particularly after a layoff, I just suck and spend the rest of the day in a bad mood. The only "cure" is getting back in the pool the next day and having a better workout. Look, even the elite athletes have off days.
