7 Ways to Salvage a Bad Practice
By Daniel Zeng, Swimming World Intern
Athletes, among other groups of people, are expected to be consistent in their performance, but as we all know, this is an unrealistic standard. We naturally have days where things seem off. If not for these days, we would lose guidance on what we’re doing, as well as a crucial part of the learning process.
In regards to swimmers, specifically, attending practices is quite crucial, as missing one requires at least double the practices missed to regain a feel for the water. However, swimming through a practice where nothing feels like it’s going right, surely can be difficult to accept.
During one of these off-practices, it is certainly a struggle to stay focused on the big picture of your swimming journey. You may feel that these few hours will be a waste of time. The following are some tips to not have it turn out this way.
Act Right There and Then
You can be proactive and use your resources to work on small things. If the practice isn’t too packed, your coach(es) will probably see you struggling, and advise you to change something. Whether telling you to put on paddles/fins to center in on one part of your stroke, or do a swim-set drill instead, they will have the best guidance on what to pinpoint since it is their job. A general tip would be to work on the basics. Slow down, and find one area of improvement, like sharper turns, longer underwaters, tighter streamlines, higher elbows, a forward-not-upward lunge, or engaging the core more. If you feel the issue is that you’re swimming too slow, and your technique isn’t very natural, or your confidence is low, increase your stroke rate. This might greatly reduce the overthinking in your movements, leading you to a mentally-lighter practice. Finally, do not forget to hydrate with your water bottle, in addition to the pool water.
Rant to Your Teammates
You and your team are family. Tell them how poor you feel. Groan about your troubles. This is not exactly encouraged since your teammates will likely feel irritated by your complaining, but hey, we all need to release steam sometimes. Getting it all out can be a worthwhile way to cope.
Embrace the Water
Let the water do its job. Let it flood your mind’s tense thoughts, ridding the stress the pool may be giving you. Realize your weightlessness in the pool, as you stare intensely at the bottom. Think about how you are moving through the water, and how much weight you’re pushing in this giant bathtub. Let your thoughts be empty, appreciating the water for what it is.
Humor Your Tension Away
Brainstorm humor only swimmers would understand. Why do I stare at a line for hours a day, just to maybe drop a few tenths of a second? I would be doing so much worse on land. I wonder how many random, nasty things I’m swimming through. Thoughts like these can brighten a sappy mood, promoting laughter and joy from a presently frustrating activity.
Distract Yourself with Other Parts of Your Day
If the previous tips don’t have much effect on your attitude, let your mind unleash its contents. Think about the food you ate that day, or are eager to wolf down when you get home. Think about life. Relive a funny video you watched. Since school/a job occupies a big portion of our time, perhaps ponder schoolwork, tests, how work was, etc. Anything to haul your mind out of the water.
Last Resorts
The real remaining choice is to get out of the pool. Stretch some of your achy muscles. Do some dryland exercises on an exercise mat, if available, or go for a run nearby if there are safe places to do so. Get some fresh air to clear your mind. Leaving the pool and going home is an option many cannot manage, as parents are busy with jobs or might have to commute a long distance for pickup.
Reflect
After practice, when your mind is clearer, and your frustration is in the past, ponder why today felt so off. Did you have a bad day? Not get enough sleep? Miss yesterday’s practice? Forget to bring water? Didn’t stretch? Think about what you can do for next time to rebound.
Life isn’t always perfect, it’s based on how you react. The most well-known people have experienced perhaps the biggest failures, and your “failure” is just a single practice. Just know you’ve had better practices before, and certainly will have better practices in the future. The bad practices don’t indefinitely define you as a swimmer, athlete, and person. Rather, it is how you utilize these experiences to grow as an individual, that illustrates your strength. It is this that sets you apart from the rest. Keep reminding yourself of why you’re swimming. It’s about the journey, not the destination.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.