How To Get Over A Bad Swimming Race

When you pour your heart, soul, and sweat into swimming, victories aren’t always sweet, and sometimes, losses are real sour. Looking at the big picture can be especially challenging to youngsters who are already holding themselves accountable for their performances. Although stress seems to be occurring at younger ages, the joy and love of swimming should be the fuel of success - not the fear of disappointment. As someone who has struggled (and still struggles) with this, here are a few tips that have helped me get over a bad swim race:

1. Banish negative self-talk. Remind yourself how many races you’ve done, how many there are to come, and accept that they all won’t be amazing.
2. Find the good. While going over your race with your coach, try to find a positive. Good turns, a good start, something.
3. Learn from your mistakes, and improve. Was it your tempo? Did you fall off your stroke count? What do you need to focus on next time to reduce the chances of a repeat disappointment? Learn from your mistakes, and improve.
4. Drop it. The race is done, you can’t change it. Move on and don’t let one swim affect the rest of your meet.

The truth is, the more you tear yourself down, the harder it is to build yourself back up. Love and fun fall off the side when your self-esteem takes constant hits. Eventually, fear will consume your confidence, and your swimming performance will suffer. Always remember failures are merely speed bumps. A chance to improve when approached with the right attitude. What helps you get over a bad race? Let us know in the comments below.