Is there anything more agonizing than doing all the hard work in practice, but then blowing it on race day? Here’s how this mental training workbook will help you stop from choking when it matters most.
Think back to the last time you got up on the blocks, dove into the water for a big race, and completely choked.
On a scale of one to ten, how much did you enjoy that experience?
Umm, about minus fifty, right?
Choking is a common and misunderstood aspect of competition (and even practice), whether you are an age grouper or Olympian.
It sends our performance crashing across the pool deck, particularly in moments where literally the only thing in the world we want is to swim really, really fast.
Often, when things go sideways on us and we tense up and blow our big chance we assume (mistakenly) that this is just the way it will always be for us. That getting freaked out, worrying too much about what others think, and choking is who we are as swimmers.
It becomes part of our identity. We are destined to forever be “choke artists.” (Sad face.)
But it doesn’t have to be this way.
At all.
There’s a better way to mentally approach your racing. A way where you can race to the full extent of your ability. Where you can race with confidence. Where you can race with a clear mind.
Here’s how.
Mental training (finally) made simple
Maybe you have tried some different mental training techniques before. But you gave up on it because you didn’t really see the benefit.
That’s where Conquer the Pool: The Swimmer’s Ultimate Guide to a High-Performance Mindset is different.
This book was developed for swimmers, by swimmers, to help you do the one thing that will not only help you master the dreaded choke, but separate you from the competition…
Master your mindset.
From beginning to end, it’s been designed to help you master your goals, your practices, and of course… your races.
In terms of helping you to conquer the dreaded choke, this mental training workbook will give you the tools and techniques necessary to master your anxiety levels so that you can race your best when you want it most.
Here’s just some of the chlorinated awesomeness that Conquer the Pool will help you with:
- Learn how to avoid choking by figuring out exactly what kind of emotional state propels you to those high-velocity performances—and perhaps just as importantly, which ones don’t.
- How to use visualization to master the “fear of negative evaluation”—that worry we have of disappointing others, including our teammates, friends, family and coach.
- Learn what emotions are good for us at race time, and which ones are not. (Some of them will surprise you.)
- That the way to get calm isn’t to follow our instincts and power through those stressful situations, but to actually slow things down.
- How this little journaling activity—done whenever you are experiencing excess anxiety—can help boost confidence and throw a bucket of cold water on anxiety.
- How to use self-talk to dial things down and keep you focused on the things that promote faster swimming.
- How to build a deadly pre-race routine, and much, much more.
The book comes with page after page of choke-busting techniques and tools that will get you swimming faster than a buttered-up tech suit on race day.
These are just some of the things you will learn in one section of Conquer the Pool.
On top of that, there are the goal setting and practice sections that will help you create ambitious goals (that are also realistic), and give you the tools necessary to crush it in practice, giving you everything you need to slap your personal best times around like they stole your lunch money.
Oh yeah…
Another thing…
Conquer the Pool was also developed with the feedback and input of 200+ top USA Swimming and NCAA division I head coaches, including a whole bunch of Olympians, former world record holders, and NCAA champions.
Interested in learning more?
For more details, click here to learn more about how Conquer the Pool: The Swimmer’s Ultimate Guide to a High Performance Mindset will rock your chlorinated socks off.
ABOUT OLIVIER POIRIER-LEROY
Olivier Poirier-Leroy is a former national level swimmer. He’s the publisher of YourSwimBook, a ten-month log book for competitive swimmers.
He’s also the author of the recently published mental training workbook for competitive swimmers, Conquer the Pool: The Swimmer’s Ultimate Guide to a High Performance Mindset.
It combines sport psychology research, worksheets, and anecdotes and examples of Olympians past and present to give swimmers everything they need to conquer the mental side of the sport.
Ready to take your mindset to the next level?
Click here to learn more about Conquer the Pool.
COACHES & CLUBS: Yuppers–we do team orders of “Conquer the Pool” which includes a team discount as well as complimentary branding (your club logo on the cover of the book) at no additional charge.
Want more details? Click here for a free estimate on a team order of CTP.