Building a Foundation for Success in Swimming

Courtesy of Dolfin, a SwimSwam Partner

The time has come. A new season is upon us. For some, little more than a month has passed since the end of their summer season; for others, no more than a couple of weeks. As swimmers, we accept this quick turnaround as part of the lifestyle. With such little time between training periods, it is imperative that we act quickly to prepare ourselves in order to have a more successful season than the last.
So what can athletes do to ensure themselves a solid foundation to begin their training? Not only are there many ways to do this, but also we are fortunate enough to be alive in a time where finding and utilizing these methods is becoming easier than ever. With that being said, it is up to each individual to take responsibility for his or her own success and explore all avenues.
Dolfin Swimwear, Michael Klueh
One of the best resources an athlete has access to is their coach. A suggestion from Michael Klueh, a Dolfin sponsored athlete and swimmer at Club Wolverine, is to have a goal meeting with your coach. Klueh says:
“Your coach will know what you want to accomplish this season and be better equipped to help you get there. He/she could provide positive encouragement when you're on track and also keep you accountable when you lose focus.” 
Once established, the coach/athlete relationship is a two way street, but it is up to the athlete to ensure this dialogue is established.
Another personal step an athlete can take outside of performance goals is to find a few technical issues to improve upon. This could be as simple as working on maintaining a high elbow recovery in freestyle, pushing off correctly from a turn, or keeping the head in the appropriate position in each stroke. Stroke technique can be easily ignored as athletes push themselves to perform better or as the body begins to tire. But it is during this time when maintaining proper technique is most important; it allows the body to become used to the technique even while it is beginning to fade toward the end of a competition.
Outside of the water, there are many opportunities for athletes to better themselves both mentally and physically. From cultivating a healthy diet to stretching daily, small efforts that take little time can go a long way in enhancing performance and recovery. Stretching for a short amount of time every day has been shown to aid in recovery as well as achieving a greater range of motion. Although calorie counting is unnecessary at a young age, being sure to consume a balanced diet is very important to proper growth and recovery.
It is imperative that athletes take the appropriate steps to properly prepare themselves for success. After taking care of the small things, focusing through a long and grueling season becomes much easier. And for young athletes, the act of learning to take responsibility for themselves and develop good habits can be just as important as the habits themselves. As the new season kicks off, remember to take good care of your mind and body; and, when you make it to taper time, it will all be worth it.
About Dolfin
Dolfin Swimwear
Today more swim teams are competing and training in Dolfin than ever before! Dolfin has been one of the leading swimwear brands for over 50 years. We offer the best value in the industry with the highest standards of innovation and quality. Additionally, our Womens Aquashape line has developed a loyal customer who appreciates durability and fit while exercising in Aqua Aerobics of swimming in Master swim leagues.
Founded and operated in Pennsylvania, Dolfin continues to provide its customers with the best quality swimwear at the most competitive prices in the industry. From product development and design to presentation and delivery, Dolfin is committed to customer satisfaction and to our goal of becoming America’s most popular brand of performance swimwear!
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Swim Training / Swimming News courtesy of Doflin Swimwear, a SwimSwam partner.