Sunday, September 21, 2008
Sept 21, 2008 - Coach Talk, You are better than you think you are.
You are better than you think you are.
I attended a coach's workshop on September 13th with Richard Quick. He has coached multiple swimmers who have medaled at the Olympics. He talked about things that are common at all levels of swimming even though we aren’t the caliber of swimmers that he coaches. He pointed out that most Olympics swimmers, the majority of Olympics swimmers, are not the best and most talented swimmers. There are exceptions like Michael Phelps, but that isn’t the rule. Swimming involves both the physical and mental. Richard Quick said that many of his most talented swimmers did not make the Olympics. They did not reach their potential.
What I want to emphasize today is that you are better than you think you are. This is easy to say, but difficult to internalize. I’ll give a famous example from running. On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister on broke the 4 minute mile barrier at 3 minutes 59 seconds. The record of 4 minutes and 1 second had not been broken in 9 years. What is important is not that Bannister broke the record. What is important is how many people have run faster (some much faster) since that time. His record was beaten only 46 days after it was set. Did people suddenly become stronger and faster? It wasn’t that, but the belief that they weren’t that good. That belief kept many from going faster than 4 minutes. His record opened the door of the possible. Runners realized that they could be better than they thought possible.
How’s that relate to swimming? If you think you can’t do it, you are likely not to succeed. You are always capable of going faster, even if it is just a hair faster. For an example, I’ll go back to the 4x100 Free relay at this year’s Olympics. Jason Lezak swam a world record 100 split in the event. He is not the record holder for the 100 Free event. He had not swum nearly that fast before. In that last 100 he put aside what he was supposed to be able to do and went for it.
Remember, you are better than you think you are. In practice and in meets, thinking I can’t and thinking I won’t will get in your way. Focus on pusing a little more, focus on doing it the right way, focus on not giving up, focus on keeping up or staying ahead. You may find that you can.
I attended a coach's workshop on September 13th with Richard Quick. He has coached multiple swimmers who have medaled at the Olympics. He talked about things that are common at all levels of swimming even though we aren’t the caliber of swimmers that he coaches. He pointed out that most Olympics swimmers, the majority of Olympics swimmers, are not the best and most talented swimmers. There are exceptions like Michael Phelps, but that isn’t the rule. Swimming involves both the physical and mental. Richard Quick said that many of his most talented swimmers did not make the Olympics. They did not reach their potential.
What I want to emphasize today is that you are better than you think you are. This is easy to say, but difficult to internalize. I’ll give a famous example from running. On May 6, 1954, Roger Bannister on broke the 4 minute mile barrier at 3 minutes 59 seconds. The record of 4 minutes and 1 second had not been broken in 9 years. What is important is not that Bannister broke the record. What is important is how many people have run faster (some much faster) since that time. His record was beaten only 46 days after it was set. Did people suddenly become stronger and faster? It wasn’t that, but the belief that they weren’t that good. That belief kept many from going faster than 4 minutes. His record opened the door of the possible. Runners realized that they could be better than they thought possible.
How’s that relate to swimming? If you think you can’t do it, you are likely not to succeed. You are always capable of going faster, even if it is just a hair faster. For an example, I’ll go back to the 4x100 Free relay at this year’s Olympics. Jason Lezak swam a world record 100 split in the event. He is not the record holder for the 100 Free event. He had not swum nearly that fast before. In that last 100 he put aside what he was supposed to be able to do and went for it.
Remember, you are better than you think you are. In practice and in meets, thinking I can’t and thinking I won’t will get in your way. Focus on pusing a little more, focus on doing it the right way, focus on not giving up, focus on keeping up or staying ahead. You may find that you can.
# posted by gladorca's blog @ 9:10 AM 
