Knowing How To Win
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 the fact is - regardless of whether the time
is fast or slow, the mind plays a huge part in every swim, much more than
most people think.
The fact is, if a swimmer is not mentally tough, it wouldn’t matter if
they had the perfect technique, a perfect body, perfect weight, plus all the
know-how in the world - because it’s only through the mind that a
swimmer is allowed to use all these great advantages.
If their mind is not programmed for success, then nerves,
intimidation or fear may stop them from swimming anywhere near the times
their potential would suggest. So don’t worry if you feel intimidated by other
swimmers who may appear to have better strokes or physique, because as
long as you are physically competitive, you can win the big meets anyway,
through being mentally tougher than the opposition.
Every day, swimmers are winning races when technically they are not as
well-equipped as their competitors, and this is simply because they know how
to win.
This
is proven in virtually every sport, it’s not just restricted to swimming. When
you consider that as every decade passes, and we look back at the times set by
the great Olympic champions ten and twenty years ago, you’ll find that since
then those record times have been smashed over and over again, almost to the
point where they begin to appear ‘slow’! Yet these unbelievable records were
considered to be unbeatable at the time they were recorded, and now these
times look much more achievable and ‘beatable’ 10 years later.
World records will continue to be broken for a long time, and so this means that
most of the times which you may regard as impossible to achieve, may
actually be regarded as quite slow in 10 year’s time! Think about that
for a moment.
The great times being set today may actually be regarded as slow, in 10
year’s time! Doesn’t that make them seem a little more achievable
than they were a minute ago?
All it takes is a little belief in yourself that your goal is possible.
You see, as soon as we decide something is impossible, it becomes impossible
- because our mind then firmly programs our body not to achieve it. So
think of your mental training as the ultimate secret weapon - an unfair
advantage which many other swimmers do not have, and this will give you the
edge.
The mind is so incredibly powerful that it even possesses the capability to
overcome physical problems and achieve things which we would not normally
consider possible. Many swimmers I have worked with over the years have actually
won races whilst still recovering from severe illness or injury, and this will
be the subject of your next tip.
The mind is the world’s most powerful computer system, which can help us to
win swimming races and achieve our times very easily if we will just allow it.
The Mind controls the body, and the mind is unlimited.
The best of success, Craig Townsend