I have seen a lot of posts on this board about technique and training, all in the effort to swim faster. There’s a lot of good stuff out there in my opinion. However, one area which I always found beneficial to swimming faster was my pre-race ritual (for lack of a better term). I’m not talking about getting the proper amount of sleep the night before or eating the right kinds of food. I’m talking about the specific routines I would follow immediately before the race. For instance, I liked to have my goggles on my face and ready to go well before the start of the race. I also liked to splash some water on my body to get it adjusted to pool temperature. I don’t like talking to anyone immediately before the swim and would usually lightly shake my arms (in an effort stay loose and focused). When on the blocks, I also stood very hunched over--ready to grab and go--and only focused on the next x amount of yards/meters before me. Sometimes I would reiterate my race strategy in my mind when the official would call for quiet before sending us to the blocks. All of these things served to get me ready to swim fast. It didn’t matter where I was or how old I was (started doing it as an age grouper), the routines helped my body understand that I was preparing for maximum effort. I think routines like this shouldn’t be overlooked. You can do all the right training, but if you’re not ready mentally come race day, you probably won’t go as fast as you could have. What are some of your routines to prepare for a personal best?
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I get to the pool early and usually swim 1500-2000 very easy with NEVER a sprint in the warm up (sorry Paul Smith). Then, I'm done warming up in the water for that day. I do a lot of EZ walking and pacing the rest of the day to keep the leg muscles loose. Before the race I make sure I'm zipped, the goggles are on and the cap covers them and my bald head (sorry John Smith).
I like talking to people to keep my mind off the race. I find that too much concentration usually results in swimming the wrong race strategy which, for me, is what I've practiced for months. My body clock is infallible except when my brain re-sets it!
Best race I've ever swum I was talking to my blockmates right up to the horn and not even looking at the water.
I usually don't warm down, much to the dismay of any coach I've ever had - just back to the pacing...
I get to the pool early and usually swim 1500-2000 very easy with NEVER a sprint in the warm up (sorry Paul Smith). Then, I'm done warming up in the water for that day. I do a lot of EZ walking and pacing the rest of the day to keep the leg muscles loose. Before the race I make sure I'm zipped, the goggles are on and the cap covers them and my bald head (sorry John Smith).
I like talking to people to keep my mind off the race. I find that too much concentration usually results in swimming the wrong race strategy which, for me, is what I've practiced for months. My body clock is infallible except when my brain re-sets it!
Best race I've ever swum I was talking to my blockmates right up to the horn and not even looking at the water.
I usually don't warm down, much to the dismay of any coach I've ever had - just back to the pacing...
