SwimPsych | Swimming Psychology
Sport Psychology for Swimmers, Swim Coaches and Swimming Parents
I was given a stark reminder recently that for any competitive swimmer, at any level, setbacks are a reality. Injury, illness and other uncontrollable factors mean that all of a sudden the event that you’ve been preparing for – the goals that you’ve set yourself, perhaps the opportunity to gain international honours or a National [...]
What is the 10000 Hour Rule? According to Anders Ericsson, it takes a minimum of 10,000 hours of deliberate practice to become a genuine expert or, in the case of swimming, to become a world class swimmer. Can you break this rule? Performers are made, not born What the 10000 hour rule is really saying [...]
My first attempt at an infographic. It’s not a thing of beauty (just as well I’m a psychologist and not a graphic designer!) but hopefully gets the idea across. Performance mindset is a choice The performance mindset is a choice. Specifically, it is about choosing to focus on your own performance, valuing effort and determination, [...]
If you believe the multitude of success gurus that have sprung up on the web you might believe that setting goals is absolutely essential for performance and happiness. Don’t get me wrong. Goal setting is a very useful skill. Used well it helps focus your energy, think more clearly and build confidence. But goal setting [...]
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 [...]
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 [...]
OK, so the title of this post suggests that training is actually boring. That doesn’t mean that it is for me or it should be for you, but training can get to be repetitive and we’ve all probably found it hard to get excited about 8x400s at some point in our lives. There are two basic [...]
Reviewing your performance is one of the key skills that a young swimmer can learn. After all, how else do you know what to work on to improve? That’s what matters – continual improvement – whether you’re an agre grouper or an Olympian. I used to envy the guys that could throw away a bad [...]
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