5 Reasons to Love Spring Training
By Kennedy Cutler, Swimming World College Intern
There is a six-week period between returning from spring break and the end of the school year that many refer to as spring training. It’s the time of year where most swimmers don’t have a big meet coming up and you can put all your focus into the finer details of swimming. As we linger somewhere in this part of the year-round cycle (approaching the end for many collegiate swimmers while just beginning for most club teams), here are some reasons why spring training is a favorite:
1. Weekends Off
Everyone loves swim meets. But something everyone loves just as much? Having a weekend off. In season, swimmers typically have a meet every weekend, whether it be a one-day deal or a three-day invitational. During spring training, most swimmers don’t have a meet, and therefore have a chance to relax for a day or two.
2. Less Stress
Besides having less concern about an upcoming meet, practice schedules tend to be a little more flexible. This allows the ability to catch up on sleep, homework, and hanging out with friends not only on weekends, but during the week when necessary.
3. Warmer Weather
This one could be the winner for why spring training is the best. As the sun starts to warm everything up with the approach of summer, everyone finds themselves in a better mood, and quite often more motivated to get through a tough practice. Oh, and don’t forget – this means dryland sessions can move back outside.
4. Technique Work
This could be one of the part of spring practices. Spring is the time for learning new drills or improving upon old ones, meaning there is always something to work on. And with less time prepping for a meet, there is more time to focus on perfecting the little things.
5. Creating a Foundation
The most important part about the spring season is that it’s the foundation for not only the upcoming summer meets, but the entire year to follow. Whatever work you do during these weeks is the starting place that you will only build on in the months to come.