Hard-Working Skill Can Be Self-Trained
4 April 2015
Hard-Working Skill Can Be Self-Trained
If you are relatively new to swimming and triathlon, such a thought is not a rare occasion especially if you haven´t had such an experience before. Seeing others effortlessly training for hours whereas you workout as hell isn´t invigorative. Swimming at a high pace is a hard work, muscles and lungs interminably signal you to stop.  If you have no idea how to deal with you have a grim prospect.

We´ve got great news for you! Ability to work intensely and continuously depends largely on your own mindset rather than your stamina or strong will only.

TURN OFF YOUR MIND AND JUST FLOW

The secret is to switch off the signals your body is sending to you and just do the swimming movements.  Nope that we are saying "signals" and not "pain", because with experience you can endure more "suffer" less.

Many swimmers say they turn off their minds and this is indeed an excellent way to overcome the stress. Concentrating on how far you have to swim or how hard or painful it is you aren´t helping yourself.  Just turn off your mind and concentrate on the moves. If you manage to that you will feel a great relief.
ENCOURAGE YOURSELF
Cheer yourself up till you find yourself in the ¨zone¨ (read below), and also if your mind turns to analyzing the discomfort you are experiencing during the race or a hard training. In such moments it´s crucial to speak to yourself so that you bring yourself back in a meditative state as soon as possible.

If you are thinking "Damn, I am all pain" in your mind you are associating movements with pain. But if you think "OK, I´ve got a signal" you see it as just a part of the situation and not the situation as a whole. This disjunction between the process of swimming and body signals is vital to give yourself a hand.

Try to avoid such words as hard, suffering, difficult, pangs, painful.
Instead try thinking: I can, I´m doing it, I´m calm, strokes, tempo, target, goal.
When you are running out of force think "I will do it", "stroking", "calmness and strength" and immediately turn to strokes. It might sound odd but it does work!

CONCENTRATE ON STROKES

It´s best to concentrate on strokes. You might focus on exhales, joining your toes during the stroke or on how you are pushing off the water. Elsewise, concentrate on strokes like many swimmers do.

One more powerful solution is to imagine the moves of successful swimmers. Think of how immaculate and rhythmical their moves are. Watch an inspirational video before the training.

Focus on something one, simple and beautiful, don´t let your mind wander while you work out.

ALWAYS HAVE PLAN B

You aren´t an epic hero, and we aren´t asking for the moon. If you train really long and swim really fast, taking a hold on yourself isn´t easy even if you are of exceptional strength.  It´s important to have a plan B in such cases.
Until now you could stop to rest. It´s much better to slow down even-paced. It might take 2-3 extra seconds on a 100 m distance to reset yourself swimming non-stop. Having this strategy in stock you will cope with a race or series of training heats. Moreover, it´s much better from the psychological point of view – you have no feeling of being unable to continue.
FIRMNESS AND CONFIDENCE

Great swimmers don´t speak about it, they just overcome it. After the first successful training you are sure to have such a dialogue:

Swimmer: "I haven´t thought I would make it!"
Coach: "What were you thinking about?"
Swimmer: "Thought I was going to die!"
Coach: "Nothing happened, you see! How are you feeling?"
Swimmer: "Excellent!"

One might write a million of motivational articles, but the only way to believe you can actually do it is to try. If you have never trained for dear life and you think you can´t make it, just turn off your mind and go – you have everything to succeed.
Having received a successful experience you will believe you can do it again and again. Your confidence boosts, readiness improves and the whole world of swimming would open to you!

ZONE

Three components that help you get to the "zone" or, in other words, in "flow":

1) You need to strain every sinew getting ready for a specific race.
2) Have it all together and distract on nothing.
3) Be confident you are able to do what you are aiming at.
Zone is a fascinating experience, when you enter it, you feel your brain on autopilot and despite of intensified work you hardly notice your physical and mental effort. This is what remarkable swimmers mean when they speak about "effortless swimming", and the way to it starts with mental ability to work hard.

In the context of this article you might be also curious to read tips about swimming at top speed and how to develop strong will.