Swimming

What are your mental strategies for coping with pain during tough workouts and competitions?

Unlocking Mental Strategies: Overcoming Pain in Workouts and Competitions

Hi Lane. I really like that question. I think this definitely varies from Individual to individual but in the sport of swimming a lot of what you do competing racing on a day-to-day but like, just in general basis it's you and your mind a lot of the time because when you're training yeah at the wall you can speak to your teammates and your coaches. But when you're training or racing it's really you and your and your So, I think it's really important to find ways that help you work through pain. I think actually quite enjoy getting to the point in a practice or in a race where it's painful because I know I'm doing the work and I'm getting better, but it doesn't make it easier to work through that sometimes and it can be muscularly fatigued from being sore, or a hard week of training, or it can just be, you know, the practice is doing what it's supposed to be. Doing but I think the way that I typically find a process to work through that pain is usually with Focus points. For example you know we do a lot of color work in my training and we'll go from white pink red, blue white being about 70 pink being about 80 red being about 90 and blue being about 100. That's already Relative to the distance, you're swimming. But for doing to hundreds, for example, I would say, on the white ones I want to do for kicks off every wall and not breathe off my turn on the pink. I want to add one or two kicks to that and I want to make sure I'm really Excel. You accelerating my kick and entering my hand correctly out in front of my catch in the red ones. I want to add a couple more kicks to what I was doing in the pink and I want to get my head down. My breath. And then on the blue one, I want to put all those pieces together. Add more cakes and focusing on those things at each wall and while you're swimming will actually distract you from the pain, you're feeling and the less you're thinking about the man you're feeling, the more effective. I think you'll be in a workout or even in a Race. So picking things to focus on in training and then applying those to racing when you get tired, you will have practiced. What to think about to work through that pain? Just one tip that I feel like really helped me. So I hope that hope that's helpful for you.

To work through pain in swimming, focus on setting goals for each wall, such as adding a certain number of kicks or improving your technique. This will distract you from the pain and help you be more effective in workouts and races.

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In swimming, coping with pain during tough workouts and competitions is a personal and individual process. When training or racing, it often comes down to you and your mind. To work through the pain, I find it helpful to focus on specific points.

For example, in my training, we use color-coded sets. Each color represents a different level of effort. I set specific goals for each color, such as adding kicks off every wall or improving my stroke technique. By focusing on these goals at each wall and while swimming, it helps distract from the pain and keeps me more engaged in the workout or race.

The key is to pick specific things to focus on during training and then apply them during races when fatigue sets in. By practicing what to think about and shifting attention away from the pain, it can make the workout or race more effective.

Ultimately, finding mental strategies to cope with pain during tough workouts and competitions is a personal journey. Experiment with different techniques and find what works best for you.

Race with a Smile: How a Positive Mindset Boosts Performance

Okay, I know this is super cliche and everybody says this, but I am an absolute supporter. That a happy swimmer is a fast swimmer. So I just think when you're loose relaxed and not worrying so much about the swimming but just enjoying the moment better. You perform that's always been the case for me whenever I'm dancing and joking with my teammates or listening to good music and just have a smile on my face. I tend to perform well, and I think that the better you get at becoming relaxed and just enjoying the moments as they happen. The easier it will be to stay positive for your race or while you're racing or at a meet. I think one Mantra that I always stick to when I'm racing is control the controllables control, what you can control, you have to landlines beside you. All you can focus on is what you can do and that's what is between your two lane lines. So I usually take a lot of deep breaths. I focus in on something and I repeat those things to myself control what you can control Give it your best have fun. Yeah, just enjoy the moments as they happen.

Being relaxed and focusing on the controllable aspects of a race is key for having a successful experience. Taking deep breaths, staying positive, and enjoying the moments as they happen can help with this.

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To think positively before a race, I believe in the power of being relaxed and enjoying the moment. When you're loose, relaxed, and not overly focused on the outcome, you tend to perform better. For me, dancing and joking with teammates, listening to good music, and having a smile on my face helps me perform well.

One mantra I follow is to control the controllables. I remind myself to focus only on what I can control, which is what happens between my two lane lines. Taking deep breaths and repeating positive affirmations like control what you can control and give it your best helps me stay focused and positive.

Ultimately, it's about enjoying the moments as they happen and having fun. Being in a positive mindset before and during the race can make a significant difference in performance.

Do you have any tips to de-stress or relax before meets? I get really anxious during meets and even at practice when we do races for time.

Conquer meet anxiety: Tips from a former athlete

Hey, Josiah, this is totally normal. I dealt with this a lot as an age group athlete. I still get anxious sometimes for big events even now. So I would say some good tips are. You know, mentally preparing yourself before you get to the competition. So thinking through your race, you can visualize your race, pick some mantras or some positive affirmations that you can repeat to yourself. When you start to feel that anxiety creeping in breathwork can be really calming find something to focus on in the pool. If it's, while you're sitting In practice before you raise or you're out of competition behind the blocks, find something that you can look at take some deep breaths. And then in your head repeat those mantras are positive affirmations that you've decided will help you calm those nerves and just remember to have fun. And all you can do is the best effort you have that day. Yeah, enjoy it. Try and channel that anxiety into a little bit of excitement and said of fear, I think that that can actually help you. In some ways. It shows that you have passion and you care a lot about the sport. So those are just a few tips that I've used.

To help manage pre-race anxiety, mentally prepare before competition, use mantras or positive affirmations, practice breathwork, focus on something in the pool, and remember to have fun and do your best.

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Hey Josiah, it's completely normal to feel anxious before meets or races. I've experienced it myself as an age group athlete and even now during big events. Here are some tips to help you de-stress and relax:

1. Mentally prepare yourself before the competition. Visualize your race and think through your strategy. You can also choose some positive affirmations or mantras to repeat to yourself when anxiety creeps in.

2. Practice breathwork. Take deep breaths and focus on your breathing. This can be calming and help center your mind.

3. Find something to focus on in the pool or at the competition venue. It could be a spot on the wall or a specific object. Use this as a point of focus to help redirect your thoughts and calm your nerves.

4. Repeat your chosen mantras or positive affirmations in your head. Remind yourself of your capabilities and stay positive.

5. Remember to have fun. Swimming is a sport you love, so try to enjoy the experience. Channel your anxiety into excitement rather than fear. It shows your passion and dedication to the sport.

6. Give your best effort on that particular day. That's all you can control. Embrace the challenge and give it your all.

I hope these tips help you manage your anxiety and find more relaxation before meets. Remember, you're not alone in feeling this way, and with practice, it can become easier to handle. Good luck!

What’s your favorite mental and physical recovery method between sessions of a big meet?

Olympic Athlete Shares Top Recovery Methods for Peak Performance

I'm ready coming to you from the Olympic Training Center, in Colorado, Springs. I have a lot of down time, bomb here, training is definitely the primary focus. And Recovery is a big deal, especially at altitude. So physical and mental recovery are extremely important. Both equally as important in training. So the things I like to do the most in general would have to be Cold tubs Norma Tech foam. Roll. Those are my favorite. Physical recovery methods. Also have a hyper V, which I use not as much as my Norm attacks, but I also love that as well. My favorite mental recovery method would have to be just lying down listening to a podcast, whether that's informative entertaining. It really could be anything. I think podcasts are so easy and fun to listen to because you can just come and turn everything off and just listen, same as an audiobook. I don't do those as much, but yeah, that would have to be my favorite way to recover. My Noggin, but both very important physical and mental recovery.

I like to do physical recovery methods such as cold tubs and foam rolling, while my mental recovery method of choice is listening to podcasts or audiobooks. Both physical and mental recovery are very important.

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My favorite mental and physical recovery methods between sessions of a big meet are cold tubs, NormaTech foam rolling, and using a hyper V for physical recovery. These methods are especially important when training at altitude. For mental recovery, I enjoy lying down and listening to podcasts. Whether they are informative or entertaining, podcasts allow me to switch off and focus on listening. While I don't use audiobooks as much, they can also be a great way to recover mentally. Both physical and mental recovery are equally important in my training routine.

How do you make long aerobic swimming (generally long monotonous swims) engaging and interesting?

Revive your long swims with upbeat music and engaging conversations

Hey, Henry, I would say that a good way to make a long aerobic. Practice fun is a great playlist. You know, maybe a topic of conversation that gets everybody excited. Just motivation and positive attitude during the workout, but I would say there's a whole lot of lot of time for talking on the wall. When you're doing long aerobic practices, because I usually isn't a whole lot of rest. So I would say, number one, key to an engaging and fun. Long aerobic, practice would be some good music.

A good way to make a long aerobic practice fun is to have good music and a positive attitude. Conversation can be encouraged, but there isn't a lot of room for it during the workout as it is often limited on rest.

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To make long aerobic swimming sessions more engaging and interesting, there are a few strategies you can try. Firstly, creating a great playlist can help keep you motivated and entertained throughout the swim. You can also consider having a topic of conversation that excites you or swimming with a group of people who share your enthusiasm. Maintaining a positive attitude and staying motivated during the workout is crucial. However, it's important to note that during long aerobic practices, there may not be much time for talking as there is usually limited rest. So, in summary, a key aspect of making long aerobic swimming sessions engaging and enjoyable is having some good music to accompany your swim.

What daily reminders or affirmations do you use to stay focused on your goals and how do you use them?

Harness the Power: Daily reminders and affirmations to stay focused on goals

I for sure, use daily reminders and words of affirmation almost every single day, to continue to stay focused on my goals and just to have a positive attitude and outlook on life. I for a period of months would write Post-it notes with like affirmations or things that I dealt with us in Securities or the goals. I wanted to reach and I would put them on my mirror. That was goodness. I think during the pandemic when it first began, like during first season of ISL. I did that religiously and I loved it. I think that you know, you go through phases in and out of life, where certain tactics really work for you and then sometimes they really don't. So I have definitely gotten into the habit of journaling these days. I use more self talk and words of affirmation more, not written. Necessarily but daily reminders in the sense of something that I told myself, even when things get challenging. I think they're super useful and they're so simple and you can Implement them into your life in so many ways. You can literally just repeat them to yourself in your head. If you don't have the time to like write it on a Post-It note or write it in a journal. But yeah, I think that they can be used. So uniquely, and every single person's life and every single person's individual. All Journey, so I definitely would Implement them as best you can.

I use daily reminders and words of affirmation almost every day to stay focused on my goals and have a positive outlook on life. I also journal and use self-talk as forms of affirmations. These tactics can be used uniquely in every person's individual journey.

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I use daily reminders and affirmations to stay focused on my goals and maintain a positive attitude. For a while, I would write affirmations or reminders on Post-it notes and place them on my mirror. This practice was especially helpful during the early days of the pandemic. However, I find that different tactics work for me at different times in life.

Currently, I have developed a habit of journaling, where I incorporate self-talk and affirmations. These reminders are not necessarily written down, but I repeat them to myself daily, especially during challenging times. They are simple yet powerful tools that can be implemented in various ways. If time is limited, you can simply repeat them in your mind.

The beauty of reminders and affirmations is that they can be personalized to each individual's life and journey. I encourage everyone to find the approach that works best for them and incorporate these practices into their daily routine.

Beata Nelson answers your Swimming questions. See all the advice Beata Nelson has and get answers to your own Swimming questions.

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Beata Nelson is a competitive swimmer who represents the US. She broke the national high school record in the 100 fly and finished her career with 12 Wisconsin state titles. At the 2017 NCAA Championships, she earned an All-American honorable mention through the 200 medley relay. In 2018, she earned B1G swimmer of the meet honors for 1st place finishes in the 100 back and 200 back, and 2nd in the 200 IM. At the NCAA Champs, she earned 3 All-American honors, finishing 2nd in the 100 back, 3rd in the 200 back, and 6th in the 200 IM. In 2019, she repeated as B1G swimmer of the meet, defending her titles in the 100 and 200 back and adding a title in the 200 IM. At the NCAA Champs, she swept her 3 individual events, breaking every record in the books in the 100 back and setting the NCAA and meet record in the 200 back. She was awarded swimmer of the meet and earned the NCAA Female of the Year Swammy Award.