Take Your Mark, Get Set, GO!

All swimmers train for one thing and one thing only. The race. Every meet is different but each one is a chance to do better than the last. But in order to perform your best there are some things to take into consideration in the hours before and after the big race in order to prepare yourself.  

Before the meet:

According to Michael Brooks he describes eight steps to prepare before the meet in his book, Developing Swimmers. The eight steps are:
(1) Get a good night's sleep, not only the night before but two nights before the meet.
(2) Eat a carbohydrate-rich dinner the night before, such as spaghetti.
(3) Eat a carbohydrate-rich breakfast the morning of the meet, swimmers need all the energy they can get but it needs to be the right kind of energy so avoid greasy or heavy foods.
(4) Wear team clothing, show that you're proud to be a part of the team!

(5) Always dress for the weather, be prepared for the possible weather changes throughout the day. (6) Be on time!

(7) Check in with the coaches to get advice and to make sure they know you are there and are ready(8) Most importantly, STRETCH and WARM UP with the team. (Brooks 197,198)

Before the race:

When it begins to get close to your race, make sure you take the time to properly prepare yourself.

Make sure that you are mentally and physically prepared. Michael Brooks states that swimmers need to have a "'laser-beam focus, whatever it takes, race your guts out' mentality by the time they step on the blocks" (Brooks 199).

He also states that "For swimmers to race optimally, the body needs to get warmed up, the heart needs to get pumping, the blood needs to be flowing through the muscles, the strokes need to be grooved, and the aerobic system needs to be switched on and functioning well. Swimmers must warm up and get into racing mode before every race" (Brooks 199).

Between races:

Swim meets don't just take an hour, they can last an entire day and can possibly be over a couple of days. It is important to make sure that in between each race you are keeping your body well rested and prepared for your next race. Some tips of how to make time pass during your races are:

(1) Rest for your next race. Try to stay off your feet as much as possible.

(2) Cheer for teammates! This always makes it more fun for you and whoever is swimming.

(3) Keep warm. Swimmers should be clothed from head to toe. Warm and relaxed muscles is always better.

(4) Pay attention. Be aware of what is happening and which event it is, don't miss your race!

(5) Eat and drink accordingly. Don't fill up with junk food and soda when your next race is soon. Make sure you have the proper amount of time to eat a light, nutritious snack (Brooks 202).

Each moment of a meet is important so it is essential that you use the time to properly prepare yourself and your body in order to perform to your best ability. These tips mainly apply to swim but can also be beneficial to some other sporting events too. Next time you attend one of your sporting events, keep these tips in mind and see if they are useful for you!

Do you think that these things could actually affect the swimmers performance? Why or why not?

Brooks, Michael. Developing Swimmers. Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics, 2011. Print.