Any suggstions on how i can get out of a slump in my swimming i have a mental block right now?

Question

last year i was really good at backstroke but since then i havent been able to really improve. my coach says it is all in my head but how do i get over it. I really want my backstroke back and having been really working hard it just isnt coming HELP!!!

Answer 1

You probably need to refocus on your goals, make sure you have short term as well as long term goals. Short term goals for the upcoming long course season like time standards and big meet qualifications. Long term like college and national cuts. Taking time off is not always a good choice. Keeping a log book of your current times as well as those times you want to make by the end of the current season will help you stay focused. Update your log after every meet and talk to your coach about what you can do in each event to reach that short term goal. Write down what your coach says needs improving on each event and work on that at practice. Remember swimming isn't everything there is to life but when you walk in the door for practice it needs to be your single focus for that 2 hours or so. Hope this helps.

Answer 2

While swimming backstroke it's hard to see the other swimmers in the pool who're also swimming (in competition). Therefore you should give it everything that you have, otherwise you'll likely get one of the lower places if you try to pace yourself. You really have to realize that there's people out there who say "Well of course I'm gonna beat this person" so you really have to prove them wrong. If not they'll just go on it their stuck-up little way and keep thinking that they're better than you when in reality you're the better swimmer.

Answer 3

I would take a little while (maybe just a week) to focus on any stroke but backstroke. i would suggest breastroke actaully because that is a totally different stroke. just play around with it and have some fun i think you'll find that when you focus on another stroke when you go back to working on backstroke it will seem really fresh and new. also when you start working on backstroke again you should start with drills and then work your way back to full on backstroke. good luck and i know you'll do well!

Answer 4

It sounds me like from from the frusteration that you are expressing in your question that maybe you are trying so hard to the point where you are putting a little too much pressure on yourself.

Perhaps you should relax your mind a little more when you practice. You should definately continue to work, but maybe you should try some things to put your mind at ease before or after your practice like hanging out with your fellow swimmers and talking to them about things swimming related and things non swimming related.

If you network ideas with other swimmers and talk them, they just might help give you pointers on what ideas they've found have worked for them as well as whatever constructive critisism and praise that they think will help you in practice and at meets.

I used to be a competative swimmer and my best stroke was the best stroke, as was my best friend's. We would always push eachother to see who could do better in beastroke events at swim meets with nothing more than bragging rights on the line.

Answer 5

no matter wat u need to put in the distance........u cant get better at a stroke without the distance..............wat u need to do is do as many distance things as you can in backstroke.......like a bunch of 500s or something...........they dont have to be real fast but fast enough to where your tired..........after youve done that as much as you can for about 2 or 3 weeks then do short stuff like 50s or 100s and alot of them...........you need to sprint the 50s and work the turns on the 100s while still swimming decently quickly.........the only problem with doing this is that your coach might think otherwise, but that wat my coach had always said to do with all my strokes and i finally listened this year and went to state and made finals in the breastroke...............it really works well

Answer 6

practice backstroke first only with your arms. until you get comfortable. then do it only with your legs. put them both together and keep on practicing. even when you are not doing anything at home move your arms in the circular motion of a back stroke. just get as comfortable with it as you can.

Answer 7

Yes, it is ALL in the head!
Beginning today, start saying positive affirmations to yourself:
" Day by day, in EVERY way, I am getting better, and BETTER, AND BETTER!!"

Say it morning ,noon, and night. Have it pasted by your mirror, by your bed side, and carry it in your purse.

You WILL improve to achieve phenomenal results! You want to know why?
That is what Nadia Comeneci did, in 1976.
She was the FIRST woman Gymnast in the history of Olympics to score a perfect score of TEN out of TEN! You know how old was she then? Guess.
Thirteen! If Nadiya can do it, YOU can do it, my Friend!
Good luck. YOU CAN do it!!!

Answer 8

take 2 weeks out out the water....you will be at 80% efficiency. the start working your way to improvement again... you are probably swimming flat on your back...roll your hips into the catch...