5 Ways to Become an Elite Swimmer

So you want to be amongst the best, the top, the elite – is that right? It won’t happen overnight, and it won’t just be handed to you. Being the best will take your ABSOLUTE best. Here’s how you can work your way to the top:

1.       Be Proactive.  Don’t sit around waiting for someone else to tell you what you should be doing, when you should be doing it, etc. Elite athletes don’t wait for anything to be handed to them; they go out and chase what they want.

2.       Successful Environment. Surround yourself with individuals who have the same vision and determination as you. This will lessen the chances of your success being derailed. Plus if you are competitive in nature, all the better! You will be constantly looking for ways to improve.

3.       Empower Others. Elite athletes always support others and do what they can to help others achieve their goals. You never know when someone is having a hard day or are feeling discouraged. A simple compliment could change someone’s entire day!

4.       Appreciate the Journey. Changes don’t happen overnight and you’re not going to do your best without practicing. The journey takes time; it is something you can’t rush. If it was easy, everyone would do it.

5.       Plan Wisely. Success isn’t just going to come to you. It’s the result of a great amount of planning combined with the necessary actions. You wouldn’t just start driving your car and happen to arrive at your desired location, just as you won’t hop in the pool and be #1 overnight.

Protecting your Suit

Your suit can take quite the beating during the summer, after wearing it day in and day out. You may think that staying out of the pool will help, but that’s not true. It’s not just chlorine that can affect the lifetime of your suit, but also UV rays. As you know UV rays can be harmful to your skin, they can do damage to your clothing too. If you have ever left clothing in your car or outside in direct sunlight for a while, you noticed that the color faded. In addition to this, chemicals from sunscreen, tanning oils and deodorant can affect the life of your swimsuit as well. 

 

By rinsing your suit with water first, it will not absorb as much oil or lotion.

Is your favorite swim suit no longer that bright, radiant color it once was? Is the elasticity been shot? If this happens to your recreational swimsuit, just think what will happen to your competitive suit which costs double to triple the amount! There is a solution for that! Swimwear Protector!

This product help protect swimwear from both chlorine and UV damage. It helps preserve the color and elasticity too. All you need to do is add two capfuls and your suit into water and the chlorine will be neutralized! Just soak, swirl, and let it dry! It’s a good idea to not dry your swim suit in the dryer, as they get to extreme high temperatures which can break down the material.

When You Want to Give up

When you’re having a hard day and nothing seems to be going your way, you’re bound to want to throw in the towel. All athletes feel this way at one point or another. You are very excited for the new season filled with a bunch of new goals and excitement, but then everything changes. The hours you spend practicing begin to add up, you are missing out on family gatherings, you are tired, etc. Everything seems to add up and you’re left feeling at a loss and overwhelmed. But before you give up everything you’ve worked so hard for, try this:

Take a break. Give yourself a day or two off, or even a weekend. Do not even think of swimming or the pool. This will allow you to remove yourself, giving you a better idea of the big picture. Being run down is not fun, and you are probably not performing optimally anyway. After a break you will be coming back refueled and recharged! Watch out competition!

Don’t beat yourself up. As an athlete, you are expected to train as best as possible – all the time. It’s nice to say, but is much harder in retrospect. You may have a test coming up, papers to write, your friend is upset with you, etc. Life happens. With all these things happening, it can be hard to focus and train your best. If you have a bad practice, don’t beat yourself up. Move on. One practice is not going to make or break you. Realize you could have performed better, and use that as fuel for your next practice!

Keep Pushing. Some days are just harder than the rest. Nothing seems to be going your way, but you have to keep pushing. It’s not always going to be rainbows and butterflies. Press forward and persevere and your hard work will pay off – tenfold!

8 Best Things when you’re A Swimmer

Tapering!

You can eat as much as you want without gaining weight.

Your team is pretty much your second family.

Getting to play sharks and minnows.

You are in the best shape.

When you’re in the water, all your stress melts away.

You get cardio and strength training in one.

When you actually get a lane all to yourself.