I started swimming competitively at age 8, and for nearly that long have had the same issue: I swim pretty fast in practice, but when it comes to meets, my results are not so spectacular. I find that the people who swim in my lane during swim workouts all get times 5-10 seconds faster (on sprints to mid-distance), than I do. I kind of avoided pool swimming and did open water for a while, but recently swam and the same issue is still there.
I don't feel like I get overly anxious about my swim events. At least not enough to hurt performance, and I usually have enough rest and food, etc. beforehand. It's less of an issue with distance swims - which makes me think that there's a switch turned off my brain that would make me really 'work it' when in a competition.
Any suggestions? :confused:
Parents
Former Member
I am one of those people who comparitively race better than I practice. But I am more of a sprinter (though I wasn't when I was young). There are people who do 100s 5-10 secs faster than me in practice but I beat them everytime in races.
It sounds like the OP is more naturally a distance swimmer. I see the practice vs. race speed gap as smaller for distance swimmers than with sprinters. I think many distance swimmers have "a gear" they get in - and can swim all day at that fast speed. But they don't really have a faster gear.
Some of this could be the fast twitch vs. slow twitch muscle fiber issue. But I have to believe you can make a change to improve your race speed.
I suggest:
- vary your speed in workout more often. Swim slower than you normally do at least occasionally. And then swim faster than you do normally. But not for long distance or time. Swim very fast, then slow (active rest). Repeat.
- develop more power - maybe with some dryland work.
- Some of that very fast practice swimming should be very short distance. As short as 15 yards. Best effort for short distances to develop faster turnover.
- Find something you can do to inspire you to explode when get on the block. Watch Dara or Nathan Adrian swim sprints.
I am one of those people who comparitively race better than I practice. But I am more of a sprinter (though I wasn't when I was young). There are people who do 100s 5-10 secs faster than me in practice but I beat them everytime in races.
It sounds like the OP is more naturally a distance swimmer. I see the practice vs. race speed gap as smaller for distance swimmers than with sprinters. I think many distance swimmers have "a gear" they get in - and can swim all day at that fast speed. But they don't really have a faster gear.
Some of this could be the fast twitch vs. slow twitch muscle fiber issue. But I have to believe you can make a change to improve your race speed.
I suggest:
- vary your speed in workout more often. Swim slower than you normally do at least occasionally. And then swim faster than you do normally. But not for long distance or time. Swim very fast, then slow (active rest). Repeat.
- develop more power - maybe with some dryland work.
- Some of that very fast practice swimming should be very short distance. As short as 15 yards. Best effort for short distances to develop faster turnover.
- Find something you can do to inspire you to explode when get on the block. Watch Dara or Nathan Adrian swim sprints.
