MENTAL PREP
BEFORE THE BEEP WITH AMY BILQUIST BY SHOSHANNA RUTEMILLER PHOTOS BY PETER H. BICK
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my Bilquist is tough. She has had more than her fair share keeping her nerves at bay. of struggles throughout her swimming career. Bouncing back “I want to make sure I have a really good dinner—lots of protein from a single injury is enough to make an athlete question their and veggies,” says Bilquist. “I like to fuel my body, but also include resolve—Bilquist has had to bounce back from multiple injuries. something that makes me feel happy. If I’m not getting any joy out From three stress fractures to a broken hand to a broken foot to of my food, that’s not going to help.” knee and shoulder surgeries, Bilquist gained useful insight into the When she was younger, Bilquist would go straight for the red importance of staying both mentally healthy and mentally prepared. meat, but now she’s a big fan of chicken with a nice side salad and “There is fortunately more attention some rice or pasta...then a little bit of “joy” that to (mental health) now because it’s been comes from dessert. If there’s one message Amy overlooked for so long,” says Bilquist. “I Back in her room, Bilquist is staying off her Bilquist could leave young used to overlook it myself, but once I made feet, watching TV and loading up on stretches it a priority, it made me both a happier and swimmers trying to find their and water. While many athletes spend the night faster swimmer. Focusing on the mental own perfect pre-race model, it’s before a big race visualizing, Bilquist conducts aspect of swimming adds another layer of that a fast swimmer is having most of her visualization during weights and potential you’ll reach.” fun and is happy: “If something workouts. However, she does admit to having After her broken foot, Bilquist had her doesn’t go exactly according to some “super vivid” dreams the night before a most successful NCAA season as a senior at big race. plan from your pre-race routine, Cal. After recovering from her broken hand “My roommate at the 2016 Olympic Trials that won’t dictate if you have a in 2019, Bilquist went on to win her first told me I made the Olympic team in my dreams good or a bad race. Go with the national title in the 100 backstroke. Perhaps the night before,” says Bilquist. “Apparently, I flow, and have the confidence this time she’ll make the Olympic team. talk a lot in my sleep!” you can do your best.” “All of my injuries have made me a lot more intentional and grateful,” says Bilquist. “It takes a few weeks or months to grasp that I’m injured, but then I change my mental outlook to be: ‘How can I make this help me in the long run?’” As a high schooler, Bilquist held Indiana high school records in the 50 free, 100 free, 200 medley relay and 200 and 400 free relays. At the 2016 Olympic Trials, she barely missed representing the United States in the 100 backstroke with a third-place finish. Now, as one of the pioneers of professional swimming in the International Swimming League (ISL), she’s hoping that her tough mental attitude will enable her to represent the Red White and Blue in Tokyo. Bilquist took the time to talk to Swimming World Magazine about all of the preparation, both physical and mental, that leads up to a successful race.
HOTEL
The night before a big meet, Bilquist is all about fueling and
WARM-UP
Bilquist’s warm-up hasn’t varied since college. But you know what they say: “If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it!” “Before I get into the water, I am stretching and doing my dynamic movements like squats, squat jumps and abdominal exercises. I think it’s important to turn on my body before I get into the pool.” A typical pre-meet warm-up for Bilquist is a 400, 300, 200, 100 that is broken down as follows: • 400 swim broken into 200 freestyle, 100 25 double-arm backstroke, 100 freestyle. • 300 kick broken into 3x100s, 2 backstroke or freestyle kick depending on what she is racing that day, then a 100 building up her underwater kicks followed by a 100 freestyle kicking in various body positions. CONTINUED ON 36 >> JUNE 2021
SWIMMINGWORLD.COM
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