By Norah Hunt, Swimming World College Intern.
For most teams, the short course season has winded down, with meets being set to conclude over the next two weeks. With the end of the season comes a break from the pool, but this break is often not nearly as long as the break that accompanies the end of the long course season. Plus, many swimmers still have schoolwork to complete, so the “vacation” can feel incredibly inadequate after 30+ weeks of training.
Nevertheless, the season must start. Long course training is a beast, and while it is tough to go virtually straight from one season to another, it is not impossible. Here are some tips to use to gain the most from the beginning of the long course season:
Photo Courtesy: Rob Schumacher-USA TODAY Sports
Do not put pressure on yourself.
The end of the short course seasonis a very stressful period, and chances are almost every swimmer was hyper aware of their times at practice leading into their taper meet. Add to that a constant fear of getting sick or injured, and a lot of stress naturally accumulated while around the pool. This stress can be good, because it prepares bodies to perform at their highest level.
However, at the beginning of a season things like times or intervals hit during practice matter a little less. They are certainly important, but one is not likely to get stressed out if they go a slow time or miss an interval or catch a cold. It is the beginning of the season; there is less pressure and some small mistakes can be made. As swimmers, it can be incredibly relaxing to go into a practice without the stress of hitting a certain time.
Photo Courtesy: FINA Doha 2014
Focus on the skills.
The beginning of the season can be the perfect time to incorporate new technique changes into the stroke. The important meets are months away, and the process of getting back into shape provides a fresh start, as well as a fresh perspective on the sport. Talking to the coaches about new skills to develop or new technique changes to be made can be a great way to become a better swimmer in the early weeks of the season.
Photo Courtesy: Erich Schlegel/USA TODAY Sports
Set some goals.
Regardless of how the short course season went, it is finished. It is done; it is in the books. A new season provides so many opportunities to set new goals, both in and out of the pool. The start of the season is the best time to break in a new habit, such as stretching and foam rolling after every practice or going to bed earlier. If a swimmer wanted to make a nutrition change to help performance or implement a new type of dryland program, the beginning of the season is the best time to do it.
Photo Courtesy: Annie Grevers
Take a breath.
It can no doubt be rough to bounce from one season to another, especially on little rest. During this time it is important to take a breath, and maybe reflect on your love of the sport. Yes, having a couple days off was not quite enough time to recover from the season, but wasn’t it weird to not smell like chlorine all the time? Wasn’t it odd to come home from school and just having to sit there? Didn’t you miss your friends from your team? Sometimes taking a few days away can be the perfect reminder that this sport is so interwoven into your life, and that the free time you have from not practicing does not necessarily equate to better time.
In short, remember to take your break between short course and long course, even if it is not too long. The start of a season is exciting and incredibly fun, and allows for all sorts of progress to be made in the pool. However, remember to take everything in stride and not get too caught up in the results, especially early on. Just have fun swimming!
All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.
Having a 50m pool would be great as well.