Hi everyone! I am planning to go to my very first (all of my life, I was never a swimmer) meet this month...and am freaking out already!!!!! Maybe I should back out before it's too late? See, I am not all that fast and have never performed a start dive from a block.:shakeshead: Our Master's coach is not all that great, he is a nice man just as a coach I don't think I benefit all that much. To my question of how to make my breaststroke faster his response was "Drink more coffee"!!!:frustrated: I did get a private coach to help me but not sure if that's enough..... What should I do? Are all the odds against me? I was looking forward to this meet when it was 2-3 months away, but now......The meet is in 3 weeks..... Help!!!!!:notworthy:
Parents
Former Member
Visualize your swims for several minutes before the race Go through the whole thing in your mind including stepping up to the block. then swim.
When I read Allen's recommendation to visualize, I was reminded of the visualization exercises my AAU (showing my age) coach had us doing. I could do them really well once I got past the start. Usually I visualized myself falling off the blocks or tripping on the way up there. None of these things had ever actually happened, and I had done hundreds of starts in practice and races. I only relay this so that you understand that many of us are very nervous about the starts, no matter how many we have done. Try at least one start off the blocks. If it doesn't go well, go from the side or the push from the wall. No one will care at all.
Relax and have fun at the meet, that is really what masters is all about.
Visualize your swims for several minutes before the race Go through the whole thing in your mind including stepping up to the block. then swim.
When I read Allen's recommendation to visualize, I was reminded of the visualization exercises my AAU (showing my age) coach had us doing. I could do them really well once I got past the start. Usually I visualized myself falling off the blocks or tripping on the way up there. None of these things had ever actually happened, and I had done hundreds of starts in practice and races. I only relay this so that you understand that many of us are very nervous about the starts, no matter how many we have done. Try at least one start off the blocks. If it doesn't go well, go from the side or the push from the wall. No one will care at all.
Relax and have fun at the meet, that is really what masters is all about.
