Josh Hyde
As many of you know, swimming is not an
easy sport and the athlete's performance is tremendously dependent on their
mindset. The difference between very good swimmers and elite level swimmers is
really only between the ears. Talent and practice can only carry an athlete so
far, therefore developing an athlete's mental toughness is just as important as
developing proper technique.
Dr. Alan Goldberg is known for doing a lot
of work with athletes from many different sports; however, some of his best
work has been in swimming. Therefore, to go along with the mental training that
we (the coaches) will be doing throughout the season, and the thought that
mental toughness is really what separates a good athlete from a great one, I
have provided a link to one of Dr. Goldberg's many articles. This short article
provides 18 items that swimmers can focus on to develop their mental toughness
and help reach their goals.
Go ahead and start utilizing some of the
things he lists in the article and I bet you will soon notice positive changes
in the outcome of your races.
