Before the Beep: How Cal’s Jack Alexy Prepares for Big Races
Success in swimming is sculpted long before the starting signal. For Jack Alexy, a standout at the University of California, Berkeley, meticulous preparation is a cornerstone of his performance. As the Golden Bears prepare for the NCAA Championships, Alexy’s routines and leadership are pivotal.
Here is a look at Alexy’s various preparation approaches.
CREATING A HOME AWAY FROM HOME
For Alexy, race preparation starts long before warmups: It begins in the hotel room. He follows the same routine every time he travels for a meet:
“I think every meet that I go to when we’re traveling, when I get to the hotel, the first thing I try to do is unpack my entire bag and treat it like my own home, my own room—you know…just get as comfortable as I can.”
Organization is key to staying mentally sharp:
“It’s always kind of stressful living out of a suitcase. Just having everything in a drawer—jackets hung up, supplements laid out on the desk, toiletries away—everything set up in my room just gets distractions out of the way, so I can focus on taking care of business.”
And when it’s time to wind down? A speaker playing white noise helps block out distractions:
“I think one thing that I bring with me is a speaker, not necessarily for music, but at night, I listen to random noises—just something relaxing.”
THE ANCHOR OF FAMILY SUPPORT
Through it all, Alexy knows he has a rock-solid support system in his family:
“My parents are very, very big supporters of mine. They come to every meet they can. Whether it’s a dual meet here at Cal, NCAAs or the Olympics, they’re always there. And I always make time for them—either grabbing a meal or seeing them before competition starts or in between when I have some free time. It gives me a sense of normalcy.”
PRECISION IN PRE-RACE PREPARATION
Alexy’s pre-race routine is calculated and consistent:
“Whether it’s a prelims race or a finals race, it’s generally the same process. About two hours before my race, I usually have coffee—one or two espresso shots, depending on how I’m feeling. Then I either go to the hotel gym for about 30 minutes of stretching and mobility, or head straight to the pool.”
His pool warmup is all about activation:
“It usually starts with a 500 light swim, some light kicking, and then I rotate through my gear bag—pull work to activate the arms, some heavier kick and then more resistance work. I use a parachute with fins to feel the water more, and I do a lot of sculling with it before transitioning to race-pace sprints. I also use drag socks on my hands and sometimes my feet, especially for flip turns, because when you take them off, everything feels sharper and faster.”
LOCKED IN: THE READY ROOM AND BEHIND THE BLOCKS
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The ready room can be an intense place, but Alexy has a simple approach: control what he can:
“I think everyone’s ready room process is different. I’m definitely more quiet and to myself. If I’m on an international team, I love having my USA teammates in there. If I’m swimming for Cal, I love having my Cal teammates in there—just knowing someone else in the room is rooting for you.”
Some swimmers use the moment to try and psych each other out, but Alexy tunes it all out:
“I’m just trying to focus on what I’m doing and control what I can control. And recently, I’ve just tried not to put too much pressure on myself. This past summer, I was thinking, ‘This is the Olympics, this is the best in the world.’ I knew I belonged there, but there’s a lot of gravity to that situation. So I’ve learned to not overthink it and just go in there and race.”
Walking out behind the blocks, he doesn’t need music to lock in:
“I actually don’t listen to music at all. I like taking in the crowd and the whole environment. Pulling in that energy gets me fired up.”
And once he reaches his lane, it’s all about methodical preparation:
“I wipe down the block with a towel first, just to get it dry. Then I sit down and slowly take everything off—I don’t rush. The officials aren’t going to start without everyone being ready, so I take my time.”
His final move before stepping up? A freestyle mimic drill:
“I basically mimic my freestyle stroke outside of the water. I just tried it once, and I really liked it. It keeps my arms loose, especially on the first 25, and helps me settle into my race tempo right away.”
ADVICE FOR YOUNG SWIMMERS: BUILD YOUR OWN ROUTINE
For younger swimmers hoping to reach his level, Alexy stresses the importance of experimentation:
“Try to experiment with different things, especially everything outside of practice. A lot of times I was trying to do everything right in the water, but not taking care of myself outside of it. And a lot of that is mental prepration.”
He advises swimmers to establish their race-day checklist early:
“You never want to get to a meet and still be figuring out what you need to do. Try out different routines at dual meets in the middle of the season—meets that don’t really matter—and figure out what works for you. Fine-tune it, so that when it comes to the night before your big race, you have a mental checklist: Wake up at this time, eat this, head to the hotel weight room, warm up this way, get into my suit 15 minutes before my race. If you do that, you’ll be in control and won’t have to think about it when it matters most.”
LEADING THE CHARGE: CAL’S CHAMPIONSHIP SEASON
As a senior, Alexy is embracing his leadership role as Cal prepares for the NCAA Championships:
“Cal is truly such a special place. Every year, the team changes, but the culture of excellence remains the same—it has for decades. It’s the best decision I made. Unfortunately, I’m graduating this year, but I can’t wait to be an alum and stay involved. I’ll still be around, helping the younger guys and staying part of this awesome group.”
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With Alexy leading the way, the Golden Bears are aiming to return to their championship-winning ways at NCAAs. And if his methodical approach has taught us anything, it’s that routine that leads to results—before the beep ever sounds.
Great article. And fantastic focus.
Jack: You gonna be the one in the largest Bear suit in the stands next year?