Just a quick update today. Work to do! Phelps beats Olympic record but suffers from poor execution Ok, let’s first congratulate Michael Phelps for becoming the most decorated Olympian of all time. But I don’t think Phelps felt that great after his 200 ‘fly last night. Not only did he drift in to his finish, [...]
Olympics Day 2: Expectations, choking and Weapons of Mass Destruction
July 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Two days in to the London Olympics swimming and again expectations are on the agenda. While I ate my breakfast they were talking about the risk of raising expectations in the media and creating pressure, rather than support, for home athletes. Yesterday, the Australians were expected to win and win well. Their own media (not [...]
Day 1: TeamGB Carrying the Weight of Expectation?
July 29, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Case Study: Race Preparation, Control and Confidence
July 6, 2012 by 2 Comments
I was recently approached by a male senior swimmer ‘G’ who wanted help preparing for competition, because he was experiencing issues with anxiety and confidence, and losing time from starting the race feeling tense. The senior Nationals were around 6 weeks away and he wanted some help preparing for the event and races beyond. Presenting [...]
Developing a Healthy Competitive Mindset
June 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment
What does it mean to be competitive? We tend to think of people for whom winning is everything, perhaps will do anything to get one up on someone else, or gain at the expense of others. I don’t know many people in swimming that are competitive to the point of being destructive to others. I [...]
Planning and Preparation for Swim Meets
April 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment
When it comes to preparing for swimming competition, most swimmers put more into the physical than the mental aspects of preparation. Indeed, there is an awful lot more to preparation than packing your bag and getting physically ready. Taking Responsibility and Feeling Confident It’s important for swimmers to take responsibility for those aspects of their [...]
Goal Setting for Competitive Swimming
April 5, 2012 by 3 Comments
Why use Goal Setting? People tend to equate goal setting with motivation, and tougher goals with higher levels of motivation, but that’s a simplistic view that can lead to ineffective goal setting, anxiety and problems with confidence. On the other hand, effective goal setting can help swimmers: Focus on the right things at the right [...]
Challenges Faced by Masters Swimmers
March 29, 2012 by 2 Comments
Although we swim the same strokes and distances as ‘normal’ swimmers, masters swimming is very different in many ways to the Olympic sport. The differences are not technical (apart from one or two slight differences in the rules), but relate to the challenges that masters swimmers face in terms of lifestyle, ability to train and, [...]
Build Confidence Day-by-Day
March 16, 2012 by 3 Comments
If I had to name the single most important psychological factor in swimming performance, it would have to be confidence. Confidence is a motivator, but it is also a protector. It acts like a shield and helps you to overcome setbacks, doubt and anxiety. The good news is that confidence isn’t magical or elusive. It [...]
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