Finishing Your Season Like a Champion
Even as we navigate these uncertain and rather tricky times, there is still something to be said for how to end your season. For most collegiate athletes, February and March feature a great deal of fast swimming and postseason competition. For club swimmers, this time of theyear typically involves a few championship short-course meets before swimmers transition into long course. Whatever your path may be, it’s important to slow down and reflect on all the time and effort you put into this season. Try these methods when it comes time for your break.
Treat Yourself
You just spent months doing the same routine over and over. Most likely, you had to sacrifice something in order to manage your time. Take your after-season time to do something that you enjoy or missed out on because of swim season. Re-introduce that dessert you gave up or splurge on a huge, heavy meal at your favorite eatery. Catch up with friends or family members you may have not been able to see as much during the season. Now is the time to re-charge your mind and rekindle your relationships and experiences with things outside of the sport.
Meet With Your Coaches
Given that you may have some time off, this window is a great opportunity to informally discuss your season with your coaches. The important part is to be open and honest about your true feelings about your season. Most likely, there were ups and downs that both you and your coaches noticed that need to be addressed. Not only that, you can discuss other facets, such as goals for next season or where you see yourself heading. This is a time to get your juices flowing and begin your excitement for whatever is in store for you in the near future.
Pick Up a New Habit
Making it through another season can be both rewarding and grueling. Therefore, it’s best practice to introduce something into your training that is going to enhance your experience. Play around with something new at practice or other workouts. The worst thing that can happen is that you decide it’s not for you and you try something else. Ideas include, but are not limited to, increasing dolphin kicks off the wall, picking up a new breathing pattern, eating a healthy snack before workouts, trying out new recovery methods, drinking more water, being more vocal in workouts, and much more. As always, make sure to have fun with it and don’t take yourself too seriously.
Most Importantly: Take. A. Break.
This tip cannot be stressed enough. When there comes a time for transition between seasons, it’s important that you legitimately take a break for the appropriate amount of time you need. Most people average a week or two, but what really matters is YOU. Do not allow yourself to jump straight into another season without some rest or you risk burnout. There are too many athletes that tend to neglect this seemingly simple task because it’s not actually that easy. As athletes, we dedicate and sacrifice so much for our success that we get caught up in our own heads. No, taking the break is not going to set you back. If anything, you will come back with a renowned sense of encouragement and determination. Do not allow yourself to run the risk of damaging your future self because you couldn’t put on the brakes for a tad. All of the items listed above are extremely helpful, but none can come as full circle as this one.
Whether or not your team came in first or last, or you had a perfect season or failed to swim one good race, these steps are important for all of us to take care of ourselves. These tips are also universal and don’t apply to any one age or speed of swimmer. But, by taking these steps and being purposeful in taking a pause, you are cultivating yourself for an epic season to come.
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.