Mind Training Tips for Swimmers - Sports Psychology Tips for Swimmers

The table of contents for sports psychology tips for swimmers and parents of swimmers from Craig Townsend.

Fear is one of the greatest hurdles for a swimmer to overcome in their quest for greatness. Just to make your quest a little tougher, fear arrives in many different masks so that you never quite know where it will be lurking, or when to expect it. However, today I will show you one of the most potent ways of overcoming it - and at first, you're going to think I have gone a little crazy (But you will also see that I am right!).

To be truly successful in swimming, it's not always the case of trying to achieve a goal, but being able to break through your own resistance to it. What is this resistance? The doubts you have in your own ability. But why would anyone have resistance to success? Surely everyone wants to be successful in their swimming?

Are your results always strong and consistent, or do you experience extreme highs and lows, up and down like a yo-yo? It seems that some swimmers would do almost anything for more consistency in their results, which can sometimes range from brilliant to terrible all on the very same day. So where can you buy some consistency? There's only one...

It was interesting to notice many high-profile and successful swimmers, who are well-known for their mental strength, using subtle, legal and clever mind games to unsettle their competitors at this 2000 Sydney Olympics. These psychological ploys can be simply labeled as 'everyday psychological warfare' in swimming. As we all know, in a sport such as swimming (where every hundredth of a second counts) even a slight advantage can make a big difference to the result.

Ian Thorpe, Inge DeBruijn and Lenny Krayzelburg all won gold medals at the 2000 Sydney Olympics - which in some respects is not surprising as they were considered the 'swimmers to beat' in their particular events. However, as experienced as these swimmers are, they all admitted battling with severe bouts of nervousness - even with THEIR levels...

One of the secrets of success is to copy certain areas of successful people's training, but especially those parts which fit snugly into your own routine. Here are some great ideas for mental preparation which were sent to me this week by a pro triathlete. He seems to have covered most of the important areas of mental training. I will try and do justice to his explanation he sent me.

The most potent weapon a swimmer can possess in their armory is a powerful, unquenchable belief in themselves. It can single handedly overcome a competitor with superior ability, technique and physical strength - and all because it originates from the subconscious mind, the control center of all human movement.

Do you honestly believe, deep down, that you're worthy of being a winner? This question may not be as silly as it sounds! What you really think of yourself down at your deepest subconscious level will determine your results. If you don't honestly believe that you deserve the best results, something will always prevent you from fully realizing your potential.

Many people ask me "what's a really 'MAGIC' technique? What's the quickest, easiest and best technique to use in mental training?" - and this should probably be a difficult question to answer... but I have no hesitation in giving them this reply. Visualization.

One thing that you must learn to overcome along the journey to being a successful swimmer (and person) is the inevitable people who will criticize everything you do. One sure sign of success is when you begin receiving unwanted attention from those who do nothing but try and destroy your dreams. These people often parade around as 'experts', but most often, it is important to remember that these people are not usually qualified to judge anyone but themselves.

Ian Thorpe was asked about his pre-Olympic preparation for the 2000 Games, and whether or not he would be doing anything different or unusual in his preparation. His response was that he would not change a thing - his approach for the Olympics would be the same as for any other meet.

Are you a perfectionist? This could be good, or it could be bad - it all depends on what type of perfectionist you are - a positive or a negative one. Many champion swimmers are perfectionists, never being 100% satisfied until they have achieved what they set out to do.

This is a story designed to inspire those who have been doing it tough, and are searching for some inspiration to keep them going, because everyone needs this at some time in their life. Twenty-four year old Australian Bill Kirby is not a household name around the world and yet he is a miraculous human being. His main goal in life was to make an Olympic team, but in 1996, in his preparations for the Olympic trials, he was battling with health problems which threatened to de-rail his dreams.

Pain is often be more of a mental barrier than a physical one. Some time ago I wrote about how it's possible (through the mind) to actually delay the feelings of pain at the end of a tough race or training set - or even make it disappear completely! This is possible because your mind has the capacity to release morphine into the bloodstream, a chemical which is one of the most powerful painkillers known on this planet, and a chemical which is used daily in hospitals for accident victims.

Do you feel a tremor of desperation go through your mind when a swimmer passes you in a race? Relax! You never have to feel this again. Believe it or not, even when you feel like you are about to die from fatigue and pain during a race, you still have the capacity to find power and energy that you do not even know you possess!

Do you enjoy training and swimming meets? I hope so. Because here is a fact of human psychology which many do not realize - humans can ONLY truly succeed at things they enjoy. Why? Because your very own subconscious mind's purpose (in every life situation) is to move you AWAY from pain, and TOWARDS pleasure!

Champion swimmers train every day and swim at meets because it is their OWN personal ambition. No one else's, just their own. Sure, it's also nice to win for other people, such as parents, coach or friends, but if these other people became the MAIN reason why they trained everyday, they simply would NOT succeed, it's as simple as that.

Alex Popov and Kieren Perkins have several things in common; both are trying to win the Olympics for the 3rd time in a row, and both a true champions who have earned the title of being 'mentally tough'. Only a month ago I was reading how Popov was meant to be going through huge motivation problems trying to get himself up for a 3rd Olympic Games, and yet a few days ago he set a new world record to put the world on notice that he is not a spent force.

The mind is so incredibly powerful it can actually 'bend reality' so that you will no longer experience a problem you may have been battling to overcome. We've already discussed how the mind can overcome pain, nerves, intimidation, negative thoughts and a whole host of other problems.

Do you feel under pressure when you move up into a new age-group of swimming competitors? It seems that many swimmers do. Many seem to feel that any reputation they may have earned in the past age group no longer means anything now that they're swimming against older swimmers, and this really isn't true.

I am sure you, like most swimmers, have experienced a time when you felt like you were 'in the zone', where every action flowed absolutely perfectly and effortlessly. These are times when you feel, even just for a few minutes, like you are the world champion. Well, those times when you felt invincible can propel you towards even greater success in the future!

There are champion swimmers who occasionally use unusual approaches to achieve their goals. Some of these unusual methods may not be great for all swimmers to copy, yet some may find these alternative methods very helpful. Here is an example of an unusual approach, which may (or may not) be useful to you. You be the judge.

How important is a swimmer's reputation? Does it have an effect on other swimmers? Sure it does, overall a swimmer's reputation has a huge effect on most competitors - but here is a piece of information about reputations which you may never, ever want to forget. A swimmer's reputation is ONLY powerful if you ALLOW it to be!

What do you do when you are approaching a meet, but suddenly find that you cannot think one positive thought by you will do well? Plus, what do you do if you don't BELIEVE that you can swim a particular time, or beat a certain competitor? The answer lies in your thoughts, and surprisingly, your 'reasons'.

How can a swimmer possibly remain focused over a 5-6 day meet? How can you be positive about swimming a final tonight if you've only qualified in the heat in 4th place this morning? The answer to these questions is this: Switch on, then switch off.

Does your confidence desert you when you need it most? Do you worry about competitors who should be worried about YOU? Do doubt and fear plague you before big races? Well, I'm going to divulge a little secret to you today, no - actually a huge secret, that most of the great swimmers and champions would definitely NOT like their competitors to know about. You are not alone.

An email I received during the week mentioned that Gary Hall Jr. was quoted as saying that his coach told him to 'try to reproduce or re-enact the same winning mood he felt when he won a major event' rather than worrying about the specifics of his next swim. How could this possibly work?

You may have never noticed it before, but you are in a particular mood every time you swim at your best. All you need to do is find out what it is! Every swimmer possesses their own winning mood which will bring them with their own best possible performance. When you swim at this level, we call this mental state the zone.

An open water swimmer asked me recently about the difference in mental preparation between a sprint swimmer and a long distance swimmer, especially when finishing the race (not winning) becomes the main concern. This is an interesting question because the preparation for both swims is similar in one way, but different in another.

A Head Coach asked if I could focus some tips on training for meets, as well as the events themselves, for some very valid reasons. He teaches his swimmers that if they maintain positive thoughts and attitudes during the training session, it does two things.

I received an email from a coach in the States recently asking how to stop her swimmers from worrying and reacting to un-controllable in races, which are the things we simply have no control over in a race whatsoever. She gave examples of when her swimmers would worry about things such as the temperature of the water, thinking there were too many people in the warm-up pool, or not liking the lane they were assigned.

I am often asked is it possible to perform well in meets directly after coming off illness or injury? Judging from my experience with many swimmers, the answer is definitely yes. One of the very few benefits a swimmer gets after being off sick for days, weeks or even months is that there if virtually zero expectation put upon them. The pressure is taken completely off because no-one (and possibly not even yourself) expects you to do well if you've missed lots of training and have been unwell.

I conducted a seminar this week to some young swimmers at Sydney’s Olympic swim site, and (as usual) found myself being asked some unusual questions about the power of mental training in swimming. This is one of my favourite subjects, because regardless of whether the time is fast or slow, the mind plays a huge part in every swim, much more than most people think.

One of the popular questions I get asked by swimmers is "what’s the best way to handle nerves?" The answer is, of course, is relaxation. But before we talk about that, it’s firstly important not to panic if you find nerves affecting you before a swimming race, it’s perfectly normal and actually a very good sign that you are psyched up and ready to go.

Is it possible to beat a swimmer who is faster than you? Yes! In fact, it happens all the time. Let me explain how this is possible. Many times I have worked with swimmers who have been technically better and faster than another competitor, yet they were consistently beaten by these competitors at meets. Even more frustrating, they quite often put in better training times than their competitors, only to find themselves battling to catch them in the meets.

Have you ever felt the pressure of being expected to win? This is something all good swimmers experience at some time in their careers, which can often bring on feelings of stress and anxiety, and this can affect your performance in the big meets. Whenever you experience these feelings, an important thing to know is that these thoughts very often become exaggerated in the mind, and become ‘mental monsters’ which they usually have no right to be!

The most vital time for a competitive swimmer is in the five minutes before each race. This is the time that makes or breaks a swimmer – often from this time they will end up on the block either mentally prepared or beaten before they start. During this time the mind becomes ‘programmed’ for a particular result, from being bombarded by a host of positive or negative thoughts – and these determine the quality of the swim to come.

Has it ever seemed that the harder you try, the further away from your goal you become? This is often experienced by swimmers whose desire to achieve a major goal becomes so all-consuming that they have trouble thinking about anything else. This often creates the situation where (much to their frustration) the goal appears to be moving further away from them instead of getting closer.

Have you ever felt that a swimmer scares, intimidates or just bothers you? Do you ever feel that you just don't have what it takes to beat them? Well, join the club! Many swimmers experience this at some time in their career.

What goes through a champion swimmer's mind before and during a race, compared to a regular swimmer? When two swimmers are at the same level of skill, talent and experience, this is what will separate the two at the end of the race.

The opportunity of being in contact with so many people has shown to me that all over the world a large number of swimmers, even at the very elite level, are struggling with loss of confidence and lack of inner belief and self-esteem. This seems to be an ongoing problem for many swimmers, and so today I am going to resist the temptation to teach any techniques, and simply drive home a powerful truth which must become embedded in the minds of all potential swimmers of the future.

One of the greatest abilities the mind possesses for the swimmer is its ability to kill pain. The body, so top endocrinologist and mind/body expert Dr. Deepak Chopra tells us, possesses every chemical you will find in a pharmacy or drug store, including morphine, commonly used in hospitals as a painkiller.

What thoughts go through your mind before an important race? This question may be crucial to your results in the pool. It seems that the more science discovers about the human mind, the more important the power of thought becomes, especially in swimming. Believe it or not, every thought you think, and every word you say in the 5-10 minutes before a race can have a major effect upon your results.

Probably the biggest problem I have found facing most swimmers is a distinct lack of real belief in their own ability. I am not talking about external confidence (which is simply a brave face put on for competitors!). I mean real inner belief that you truly KNOW that can win, or swim the time you desire. This lack of real belief in oneself creates a mental approach of fear, which can cause a variety of problems before races.

Tips on sports psychology from Craig Townsend.

Most swimmers I've worked with are either "frontrunners or underdogs". This means they either prefer to lead the race, or come from behind, to win. The majority of swimmers seem to prefer coming from behind to win races, rather than leading the race from the start. This way they seem to feel that they 'know where they are' in the race, instead of worrying about who's coming up behind them, as the leader often does.

Most swimmers work hard physically in training, but this is not enough, not if you really want to be successful. Swimmers must also practice mental preparation at training as well. One of the most powerful ways to practice for meets is through learning to project your mind towards your goal. What I am talking about is mentally rehearsing (during...

Being a successful swimmer is not just something you do in the water. It follows you everywhere you go in life. Being successful in the pool means thinking successfully out of the pool as well. It means expecting the best - of yourself and of others. It means never being satisfied with anything that is second-rate, but demanding excellence of...

What you believe is more important than anything when you are about to swim. Of course, thoughts are important, but your swimming beliefs will actually determine your swimming results. So I have come up with what I regard as the 5 most important beliefs to remember when you are approaching a swim meet - instill these into your mind and make them...

What do you do when you find you can't visualize? A few swimmers have written to me using visualization to improve technique with the common problem of not being able to visualize the new technique. There are also many people who say that they simply cannot visualize at all - but this is untrue, EVERYONE can visualize. The thing is, everyone...

Many swimmers who write to me often seem to feel they are experiencing a problem that most other swimmers do not - yet nothing could be further from the truth. It may be very helpful to know a big secret - that a huge amount of swimmers go through the very same problems, all over the world - and they quite often experience these over and over...

How do you respond if a swimmer tells you just before a race that "you're going down!"? This seems to be quite a common occurrence from what I hear! Well, how you respond verbally to them is really up to you, but the most important thing is not to let comments from other swimmers stop you from swimming a brilliant race. In fact, some swimmers...

Right now you have a huge advantage over your competitors, and you may not even know it! You have the most powerful computer known in the history of mankind residing right there within your brain - which gives you the power to do almost anything you choose to 'put your mind to'. (Actually, to be even more correct, science is now saying that the...

Fatigue outside of the swimming pool is an issue which is just as important as fatigue in the pool - as this can affect your swimming performance on many different levels, in both training and in swim meets. This is a problem I regularly get asked about by concerned swimmers.

After years of frustrated questions from coaches regarding this, it's finally time to address the issue of how some parents are unknowingly preventing their child from achieving swimming success (and possibly even success in other areas, for that matter).

What goes through a champion swimmer's mind before and during a race, compared to a regular swimmer? When two swimmers are at the same level of skill, talent and experience, this is what will separate the two at the end of the race.

The opportunity of being in contact with so many people has shown to me that all over the world a large number of swimmers, even at the very elite level, are struggling with loss of confidence and lack of inner belief and self-esteem. This seems to be an ongoing problem for many swimmers, and so today I am going to resist the temptation to teach...

How important is the 'killer instinct' in swimming? Do you need to be 'highly competitive' in your attitude to make it big in swimming? Is it bad to feel sorry for other competitors at times? These are common questions I hear from swimmers and also parents of swimmers, and the fact is, the answers are different for each swimmer - it all depends...

One of the biggest and easiest swimimng traps to fall into, right before a big race or swim meet is to allow your mind to create excuses for you. This is a very common trap, where your mind basically gives you 'permission' to swim a mediocre race. For instance, you might find yourself thinking thoughts such as: "I was sick a few weeks ago, so if...

Do you ever find that you train brilliantly for weeks before a meet, only to find that you cannot pace yourself in the races during meets? A swimmer wrote to me this week saying that if he swam anything above a 200m event, he would "die on in the first 100" and have nothing left for the rest of the race. This is actually a few problems all...

The most important thing about mental training is to DO it. Yet as time goes on most people begin to find excuses for being too busy to do their daily visualization, and this is the attitude which separates most regular swimmers from the champions. Champions MAKE time for the important things, and this is definitely one of them. For a swimmer...

Are you a swimmer who lets your swimming do your talking for you? Do others seem to get more attention because they are louder, whereas you prefer to concentrate on your swimming? Then you share the same attitude with most of the illustrious champions! Swimmers such as Ian Thorpe, Pieter Van den Hoogenband, Inge De Bruijn, Alex Popov, Susie...

Are you trying to master a new technique? You can do this much faster and much easier than you think. A swimmer wrote to me during the week asking how to best overcome a technique problem such as over-using his arms. I don't generally get involved in the technical side of swimming however this is an area where your mind (as well as your coach)...

A swimmer wrote to me this week with one of the best 'problems' you can have! She felt highly confident of her ability, and when people asked her about her swimming, she told them she was swimming very fast and doing very well. However, she was unsure if this was a good thing. This inner confidence she possesses is something we should all work...

Every day you train at the pool determines the results you will receive in the future. This is because each day you are conditioning your mind and body to swim with a specific attitude or approach, which eventually becomes your automatic attitude in swim meets. Sure, there are occasional freaks who train badly but bring out the goods when it...

Often I hear about swimmers who 'train the house down' for months, only to swim terribly in the meet they had been gearing up for all that time. A Head Swim Coach emailed me about this recently. He also asked about swimmers who had been training brilliantly, but suddenly seemed to become scared when it came to competing against older swimmers,...

Your mind is far more powerful than any computer will ever be - but, just like a computer, it can run several different 'programs' at the same time. This is not always good- so says John, a head swim coach. He believes that for the best results, you should only run the specific mental program you need, but you must also close down the other...

Swim meets and swim team expectations can occasionally force swimmers into situations where they find themselves racing without any mental preparation, and this does not bring success. Being a winner often requires having some time alone to psych yourself mentally into shape, which means NOT always being the 'life of the party' with your swim...

There is no swimmer like you. You are unique. There is no-one to compete with, because you are different from the rest. No one has your strokes, technique, mind or body but you. This is where you have the advantage.

Believe it or not, the way you swim today is going to have a direct result upon your results in the near future. Amazing as it may sound, it is true. During today's swim practice, just as it does every day, your subconscious will record all your thoughts, attitudes, times, strokes, levels of effort, and your emotions toward your swimming, and...

The main reason why a swimmer experiences a dry spell of Personal Bests (PB), assuming their strokes are technically correct, is simply due to the huge influence of subconscious belief. Negative beliefs cause the same negative result to recur, over and over again (eg. being stuck on the same time for ages / regularly losing to the same...

A swim coach asked me how to handle an increasingly common situation in highly competitive swimming - where swimmers within his team were openly sniping at each other, with swimmers exchanging insults, put-downs, harsh criticism and backstabbing. This situation had become quite out of hand within the team and was even occurring amongst some of...

Ian Thorpe provided a few subtle but valuable insights after his 3rd consecutive world record at the 2001 World Championships during the week at Fukuoka, Japan. I just wanted to mention these before beginning today's topic of breaking through mental barriers.

Pain can be one of the toughest hurdles to overcome for a swimmer, which I am sure you already know - however, one thing that is not well known is that you can regulate how much pain you will feel. Yes, this is really possible, and it is not difficult, it just takes practice. Your subconscious mind is in complete control your pain levels, and it...

Some swimming goals can actually create stress, and hence become twice as difficult to achieve. A reader contacted me about how making the cut for National swim meet was her primary goal, but that she could never stop thinking about it and it was driving her crazy. If this ever happens to you, then this is a sign that your swimming goal needs to...

One of the worst things (for self-confidence) and one of the best things (for improvement) is to regularly compare yourself to better swimmers in your own team or squad. Yes - I know this doesn't seem to make sense, so let me explain. Laura, a swimmer, asked me about this recently, and the answer is that comparing yourself to others can be a...

Some swimmers can try and play subtle little mental tricks on you, designed to give them an advantage, without you even knowing. These can only affect you if you allow them to, and if you do not realize what they are doing. Mental energy should never be wasted upon worrying about anything these swimmers say or do, as that is exactly what they...

Races are often won and lost before they even begin. Some swimmers who know this often try playing subtle mental tricks on their competitors - designed to give them a mental advantage without you even knowing it is happening. Occasionally these can backfire on the swimmer by taking their focus off their own race, but it is also important to be...

Probably the most powerful and under-rated ally that you possess during your swimming races is your own nervousness! Almost every swimmer I speak to seems to regard nervousness as a sign of weakness, something bad and which they are often ashamed to admit. This is the exact opposite of what it really is - swimming nervousness creates great...

The atmosphere at swim practice can have a huge effect upon your future results at swim meets. Jeremy, a swimmer from Massachusetts, noticed that in the past he was greatly affected if a swimmer in the lane next to him was not trying as hard as he was. This touches on a subject which is highly under-estimated and rarely discussed - the huge...

Swimming visualization is the most powerful transformational tool on the planet. If you want to make great strides forward in your swimming, you must visualize the perfect swim regularly. But you must also tailor your swimming visualization.

What motivates you to swim well in a race? The answer to this may reveal more than you think about your swimming results. A common mental swim trap some swimmers fall into, especially young swimmers, is to focus upon beating their competitors instead of trying to achieve their own personal best time. This approach takes your mind's focus off...

Your body is designed to be able to overcome tiredness, even during a swim race. This is often referred to as "getting your second wind". When your body is being over-exerted, your body is designed and often triggered to come to the rescue, by releasing powerful, natural adrenalin into the bloodstream which boosts energy and performance....

A common problem I come across is a swimmer scared about winning a race, often feeling too scared to finish a race off, or pass a particular swimmer in a meet or even in swim practice. This can be due to a variety of reasons - such as intimidation, fear and (yes, believe it or not) even being physically hit by competitors as they pass them in...

One of the toughest experiences for a swimmer is to physically and mentally build up for a big race or swim meet only to discover that they don't achieve their swimming goals. This is something every swimmer must learn to overcome, as even the world's best do not achieve every single goal in their lifetime. But the hardest part is to emotionally...

When you are at a meet, there are all kinds of silent hazards to watch for which can affect your mental attitude (and your races) - and many swimmers don't even know they are there. Recognizing these hazards is the main step towards a successful mindset - as many swimmers don't recognize them and simply allow their mental approach (and their...

One of the most frustratingly powerful negative forces in swimming to avoid is unconscious sabotage. Unconscious sabotage causes a swimmer to self-destruct during the pressure of a race through making a host of major and uncharacteristic errors that were simply never there during swim training.

Sometimes you can want something so much, you chase it away. This is very common in swimming, where quite often, the best swimmer often doesn't win the race.

There is one common problem which happens over and over again with countless swimmers all over the world, and even though I don't know you personally, today is the day I am going to make absolutely certain it never happens to you ever again. The most common mental mistake is this: Focusing upon your competitors.

It's important for you to know that you have a mind as powerful as a Ferrari just waiting for your instructions. This unbelievable computer mechanism you possess has the ability to create huge personal best swimming times, overcome pain instantly, and create an immense burst of energy at a time when you may feel that you can't swim another stroke.