We are competitive swimmers. We are athletes.
We are a rare breed of people who set 4:30AM alarms, who sweat while most people are asleep, who push our bodies to keep going even when our arms and legs are screaming for us to stop. How? What gives us the self-discipline to wake up once again the next day and attack it with as much vigour and intensity as the last?
Easy – mentality.
Being a swimmer, or any athlete really, requires mental preparedness more than anything. We need to be our own cheerleader, our own coach, and our own biggest fan because the second we dive into that water the rest of the world goes quiet and we are alone with just our thoughts.
Sometimes being mentally strong comes naturally. When things are going well, and we feel good in the water, it is easy to reflect this positivity. But what about when this isn’t the case? How can we stay enthusiastic when the water is not agreeing with us so well? When we have bad swims, or after practices that we know should have gone better?
Possibly the most important factor to keeping a good outlook despite personal shortcomings at meets or during workouts is creating a positive training environment
Surround yourself with teammates that you know will lift you up, encourage you, and who…
