By Jacob Riley, Swimming World College Intern.
While everyone else collectively lets out a shout of joy for winter break, swimmers let out a shout of terror most of the time due to the lurking threat of winter training. Winter training is something that swimmers hate, but it’s absolutely necessary in order to have a successful latter part of the season. As you go into winter break, here are six things to remember in order to get the most out of your “break”.
1. Get some sleep.
Photo Courtesy: Laura Bittner
I know it’s your break and you want to hang out with your friends and stay up late, but sleep is absolutely crucial in order to get ready for that 6 A.M. that you’re pretending doesn’t exist. Going to sleep early isn’t glamorous, and I understand that sometimes the later hours of the nights are where the best memories come from, but as my old government teacher said, “Nothing good happens after 9:30.” Get some sleep and train well in the morning.
2. Eat healthy.
I’s break and it may feel like a time to pig out, but eating healthy is a major key to training well. If you eat well, you’ll feel well. If you feel well, you’ll train well. It’s that simple.
3. Have some fun.
Photo Courtesy: CNN Money
While some of these recommendations could be considered “anti-fun”, it is important to have some fun during winter break. It’s can be hard to have a ton of fun when you’re grinding through two-a-days, but it is important to give it your best effort when you’re not swimming to enjoy your break. Make sure to take a load off and enjoy your days away from school.
4. When you’re not at the pool, don’t think about swimming.
My assistant swim coach gave me this gem last year during one of the harder winter breaks I’ve had. He told me to get my work done when I was at the pool, and make sure I was accurately prepared to train hard, but make sure to take my mind out of the pool when I’m not there. This was super important during break to keep my mind in the game.
5. Keep your goals in mind.
Photo Courtesy: Annie Grevers
Remind yourself why you’re there. Remind yourself why you need to train hard in order to go the time you want to go. Winter training is the pinnacle point for physical fitness for swimmers, and it is crucial to remember why you are working so hard through every second of training. Envision yourself at your championship meet, and push through. If you do this, your training will help you get there.
6. Stay hydrated.
This is one of the most important things that a swimmer can do. Keeping hydrated enables your body to be in its best state, and you need this state in order to train your best. Keep chugging those water bottles, and train hard.
If you keep these points in mind, you will have a successful winter training break. Just keep pushing through, and remember why you’re putting the work in. Happy holidays and happy training!
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.