One of the main reasons races are won and lost before the start is because of how physiologically activated a swimmer gets. That is, how excited/nervous you allow yourself to get the night before, morning of, or right behind the blocks before your race. If you get too activated, or what I call “bad” nervous, then you will physically tighten up, lose your confidence and unknowingly sabotage all of your hard work with a disappointing swim. However, if you can manage to keep yourself in “good” nervous, then you will stay loose and confident and race to your potential.
So what's the difference between “good” and “bad” nervous?
“Good” nervous pre-race is necessary for you to have a great swim. Your mind and body need to be “up” for the race. Good nervous is usually accompanied by butterflies in your stomach, a bit of adrenaline flowing through your system, an increased heart rate and faster, shallower breathing. You have a feeling of excitement as your race approaches and you look forward to the race.
However, in “bad” nervous, your excitement has turned into over-activation. Suddenly your butterflies have developed fangs! You may feel sick to your stomach, your muscles may be very tight and you may notice a feeling of heaviness in your legs. Some swimmers talk about this as “dead legs.” Your heart rate is through the roof and you have trouble getting a full breath when you're in “bad” nervous. One of the hallmarks of bad nervous is a sense of dread as the race approaches and you may notice an impulse to flee or avoid the race. Also there is frequently a feeling of “I can't wait until this is over!”
When “bad” nervous becomes extreme, the swimmer totally shuts down, looking and acting “calm” before their race. They might even claim that they don't really care about the race or its outcome. However, don't be fooled by this artificial state of calm. There is nothing calm about it.
So how do you get yourself into “good” nervous and avoid becoming over-activated and slipping into “bad nervous?”
Remember, if you get too nervous pre-race, you will waste valuable energy and undermine your self-confidence. Stay aware of your level of pre-meet and pre-race nervousness and use these strategies should you find yourself heading towards “bad” nervous. In January, I will help you develop some other mental tools to keep yourself calm under the pressure of big meets.