GOLDMINDS

from Swimming World August 2021 Issue

SWIMMING TECHNIQUE CONCEPTS: MAXIMIZING

BY WAYNE GOLDSMITH

10 GREAT REASONS TO GET BACK IN THE POOL

So...let’s say you’ve been out of the water for a while. In the meantime, you’ve suddenly discovered the joys of sleeping in. You’ve experienced what life is like without the stress of constantly chasing qualifying times for your next big meet.

You’ve found out what it’s like to be “normal”...and you love it!

Maybe you’re even starting to think, “Mmm...I might just keep on feeling ‘normal’ again!”

Well, before you decide to take a very long—or even “permanent”—break from swimming, here are 10 great reasons to get back in the pool. (Even if you’re not thinking of taking a break from swimming, these 10 reasons also serve as positive reinforcement to stay right where you are—in the pool!)

1. FITNESS

There’s nothing like feeling fit! You feel unbeatable. You stay healthier. Little challenges in life seem insignificant because you’re stronger, you have more endurance, and you can bounce through the day with unlimited energy and enthusiasm.

2. FRIENDS

Swimming friends are friends for life.

Ask a former swimmer about what they miss the most about the sport, and without hesitation, they will say, “My swimming friends.” The most enduring friendships often come when people have trained together, faced challenges together and have overcome those trials...together.

3. YOUR COACH

Remember that crazy person who really cares about you who stands at the end of the pool yelling stuff about streamlining, not breathing on your last stroke and other stuff like that?

Well, they’re still there yelling the same crazy stuff—and they can’t wait to see you and help you be all you can be. If there’s one person who can inspire you to love swimming again, it’s your coach. special. There’s nothing like it. You feel like your flying through the water! That feeling is waiting there at your local pool for you to rediscover.

5. SETTING GOALS AND ACHIEVING THEM

Goal setting is an essential element of success in all areas of life. School success, work success, financial success—all depend on setting goals and working hard to achieve them. Swimming is one place where you learn all about setting goals, reaching goals and how to overcome setbacks and challenges in the pursuit of your goals.

6. LEARNING ABOUT YOURSELF

One wonderful thing about swimming is that it provides opportunities for you to learn about YOU!

Sometimes it takes a few setbacks to learn how good you are at overcoming adversity. To learn how well you perform when you’re tired, you need to go through some times when you’re fatigued and when that proverbial “gas tank” is on empty.

Swimming provides you with moments when you feel like you can’t keep going, when you’re tired, when you’re under pressure... and yet, you and your coach and your teammates somehow find ways to get through it and still perform to your potential.

7. BUILDING PERSONAL QUALITIES AND VALUES

Swimming at the Olympic Games won’t necessarily give you wonderful personal qualities and values such as commitment, integrity, honesty, respect and courage. However, having those personal qualities and living a life based on those values—combined with a little talent and some hard work—will get you to the Olympics and will support and sustain you in every area of your life.

Who you are determines what you achieve—not the other way around! Training consistently in a good swimming program and learning to compete to the best of your ability helps you to learn what it takes to bring out your best when and where it matters.

4. “THAT” FEELING

Retired swimmers often talk about how sad it is to lose “that” feeling: the feeling of flowing easily and effortlessly in water. It is 8. LEARNING NEW THINGS

Life is learning.

Former Australian Olympic head coach, the late Don Talbot,

once said, “The greatest talent any swimmer can have is the ability to learn new things fast. The faster they can learn, the more they can learn in a shorter time, and the quicker they can improve.”

To swim faster, you have to swim laps. But to swim faster “faster”...turn every lap into an opportunity to learn something new.

9. STRESS MANAGEMENT AND MENTAL HEALTH

Many psychologists recommend that a great way to minimize and manage your stress and keep you mentally healthy is to do regular, enjoyable, strenuous exercise. Swimming is one of the best, safest and least physically demanding of all forms of exercise...and it’s a wonderful way to keep your body and your mind feeling great!

10. LEARNING TO DEAL WITH DIFFICULTY—AND HOW TO OVERCOME IT

Life is not easy. You will face challenges and difficulties throughout your life, and at times, you will be tested to your limits.

Most people love to sleep in every morning and snuggle up under a nice, warm blanket. Nearly everyone enjoys sitting around on the couch watching their favorite movies and TV shows. The majority of the world looks for opportunities to be comfortable.

But what do YOU do?

You get up early—often in the dark—and you work hard with your coach and your teammates...facing fatigue, dealing with tired, sore muscles and swimming lap after lap of training to challenge yourself and to find out just how far you can go. You willingly face obstacles and difficulties and challenges that the majority of the nearly 8 billion people on this planet try to avoid!

You are remarkable! And there’s nothing that you will face in your life that you cannot overcome—all because of the lessons you learned from swimming. v

Wayne Goldsmith is one of the world’s leading experts in elitelevel swimming and high-performance sport. Be sure to check out Goldsmith’s websites at www.wgaquatics.com and www. wgcoaching.com.

SUMMARY

1. Sure—there are easier ways to live your life than swimming up and down a pool early in the morning. But wow—think of the benefits: physically and mentally healthy...exercising with your friends...learning new stuff every workout. Why wouldn’t you want to get back to it?

2. Don’t expect miracles. Just get back to the pool. Have fun. Reconnect with your friends, your coaches, your teammates. Take it easy, and relax as you gradually get back into your swimming groove.

3. The No. 1 reason most swimmers give up the sport isn’t because training is too hard. It’s not that they stopped wanting to swim fast either. And it’s not that they really hated the early mornings. The No. 1 reason swimmers walk away from the pool is that they no longer enjoy swimming. People who love what they do...do what they love. Reconnect with the water, rebuild your relationships with your friends...and “fall in love” again with the sport of swimming. The rest is easy.