|
It is the beginning of the competitive swim season and all
across the country, indeed the world, swimmers and their coaches
are hitting the first couple of meets to see what is going on.
So, what do we see? What exactly is going on?
Coaches see swimmers doing the following:
1 - Attempting new techniques
2 - Struggling with new techniques
3 - Doing the same old routines
4 - Being dissatisfied with results
5 - Wondering if they are in shape
6 - Wondering if they are out of shape
7 - Asking familiar questions
8 - Asking new questions
9 - Eagerly trying new racing strategies
10 - Frustrated by results when using new racing strategies
You can see this list is nearly endless, or so it seems.
What is very clear however is that to improve upon previous
performances, swimmers must look to gain new insights to swim more
effectively. If you want to swim faster you must embrace
change...and know what to change and what to keep the same but do
more efficiently or effectively. The difference between these two
is a subject for another time.
Today I want to reinforce the need to look at the difference
between times achieved when racing and the effort or improvement
achieved when racing. Our sport is wonderful in that we require
zero subjective input – namely, no judge determines the
outcome of a race based upon how we look while we swim. The clock
tells the story, period. And this is often the bane of our
existence. Extended improvement occurs when new skills are learned.
For the sake of simplicity we will say today that those skills fall
into two categories: technique and pacing.
When you race using a different technique you are challenging your
brain enormously. Old habits are tough to overcome. When you race
using a different pacing strategy you are challenging your brain
enormously. Old habits are tough to overcome.
No, you didn’t read that incorrectly. The brain and its
wiring are extremely powerful in regards to how we swim and how we
race. The same old strategies and techniques that yielded the same
old results make it challenging to make change.
This is the same for all swimmers, from the slowest to the fastest.
When you think of the fastest swimmers in the world they too must
continually challenge their preciously held beliefs about what
works and what doesn’t.
The message today is that while you are working, change focus on
your effort. Time improvements occur when more effective technique
blends with more efficient pacing strategies. Those two items
require time for the brain to make the change and for you to become
comfortable with that change.
For now, focus on improvement and let the time take care of itself.
When we were in sophomore history looking at the clock, waiting for
the period to end, the teacher remarked, “Time will pass,
will you?”
Enough said. Enjoy your week at the pool!
|
