Everything needs training and when we talk about sport, it is not only the physical skills, but also the mental ones that can and should be trained.
In swimming, the swimmer's attitude towards daily training is crucial to its success. Discipline, focus and determination are essential to face the challenges of constant practice, aiming at technical and physical improvements.
Consistency and commitment contribute significantly to the development of swimming performance. Mental training is not only aimed at improving sports performance, it can be at the service of the development of the swimmer's mental and emotional health.
The best attitude for a swimmer during training includes commitment, focus on technique, consistency, and a positive mindset. In addition, it is important to follow the coach's guidelines and maintain good training and recovery discipline.
The moment of training in the pool is fundamental for the swimmer. Tenacity is something that has proven decisive for their success. As a rule, athletes have the advantage of putting this concept into practice throughout their personal and sporting lives. When training, it is essential to be tenacious!
The human being, more specifically our mind, is trained to put us in a comfort zone, however, it is the adversities, the goals (real and ambitious) that lead the athlete to develop resilience.
Resilience is the ability of each person to return to their physical and mental state in a normal way after a challenge or adversity.
Resilience is key for swimmers to face challenges in training and competitions. Dealing with defeats, overcoming injuries, and maintaining motivation in the face of obstacles are all key aspects of resilience. Developing mental skills, such as the ability to adapt to adverse situations and maintain a positive mindset, contributes to a swimmer's resilience. In addition, the constant search for improvement and the ability to learn from difficult experiences are important elements of this characteristic.
The swimmer can be more resilient in training. How?
1. Set realistic goals- Setting achievable goals helps you stay focused and reduces pressure.
2. Seeing challenges as opportunities – seeing obstacles as a learning hypothesis promotes positive thinking.
3. Maintain discipline- consistency in training creates the solid foundation and strengthens resilience over time.
4. Cultivate positive thinking- focusing on the positives and progress, even if small, can boost motivation.
5. Adapt to adversity – accepting that unforeseen events occur and learning to adapt in the face of them is key.
6. Ask for help - share experiences and challenges with teammates, coaches and other coaching staff.
7. Take care of mental and physical well-being – prioritizing rest, recovery, and mental health contributes to more lasting resilience.
Everything is training, and in the case of resilience it is no different!
When the swimmer is not mentally well during training, it is important to listen to their body and mind.
Communicating with the coach about what is happening can also provide appropriate support and guidance.
Overcoming adversity in training is a challenge, but it's totally possible.
As a former high-level athlete, there were many moments I spent in areas of discomfort. I lost count of the number of hours of training, but I always concluded that it was the decision I made in the challenge and the resilient being that made me grow and change!
Trained body, trained mind.
Happy training!
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This Opinion received no external funding.
Regarding the publication of this article, the author declares that he has no conflicts of interest.
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