6 Simple Ways for Swimmers to Improve That Don’t Require Any Talent
As swimmers, we are always finding ways to improve not only as athletes, but as people, too. Changing your habits or focusing on the areas that you are weak in are both fundamental ways to improve. Change can go a long way because you aren’t going to get better by doing the same things all the time. Obviously, some things work really well, but other times, you might need to do things differently in order to see an improvement in your results. Read along to see the different ways that you can improve that don’t require any talent.
Showing Up Early
What’s better than being on time? That’s right, being early. Showing up to practice early is an easy way to improve. Being early allows swimmers to prepare for practice both mentally and physically. It also gives swimmers plenty of time to do whatever they need to do before beginning their workout, such as, filling up their water bottle, doing a dry warmup, or securing the lane that they want to swim in. Not only is showing up early beneficial for preparing to practice, but it also shows a sense of commitment and determination.
Positive Attitude
Showing up to practice with a positive attitude is one of the simplest things a swimmer can do. We all have moments where we dread our alarms for an early morning practice, or we see a set that we really don’t want to do. Sometimes it is hard to stay positive all the time, but just remind yourself of your goals and why you are training so hard day in and day out. Maintaining a positive attitude will not only help yourself stay motivated, but you will help lift your teammates up when they are feeling down or unmotivated.
Preparing for Practice
Loosening your body and focusing your mind are the recipe to a successful practice. It is important to get to practice early so that you have enough time to get your body moving and ready to swim. Many swimmers find it beneficial when they do a dynamic dry warmup, foam roll, or perform band exercises before getting in the water. This approach gets the muscles warm and ready to go. Being at the pool early and warming up your body before practice officially begins also helps swimmers mentally prepare for practice. Focusing on your needs and being in the pool environment will help swimmers get in the right mindset to swim.
Practicing with Purpose/Strong Work Ethic
It is easy to show up to practice and just go through the motions. Unfortunately, going through the motions isn’t going to cut it if you are looking to achieve big goals. Having a strong work ethic is a huge asset to swimmer’s success. Being able to push your body to its limits and give a practice all that you’ve got will go a long way. Thinking about why a set is beneficial, and what you can do to get better from it is a great mindset to have.
Recovery
Recovering properly will help swimmers improve immensely. Resting and recuperating your body will allow you to prepare for the next swim, lift, dryland or meet. It is important to warm down enough after a practice or race so that you feel better going into the next workout. Fueling your body and getting enough sleep are a couple other important recovery tactics for swimmers to focus on.
Goal Setting
Setting goals is a great way to hold yourself and teammates accountable, as well as to stay motivated. Writing your goals down and putting them in a place where you can see them every day helps serve as a reminder of why you and your team train so hard every day. It is important to set goals for yourself and as a team. Goals help swimmers stay focused on their training and the great things that they desire to accomplish.
As you can see, there are simple ways that swimmers can improve. Preparing for practice, having a strong work ethic, staying positive, recovering and goal setting are all vital to a swimmer’s success in and out of the water. It just takes dedication.