Making the Shift: From Short Course to Long Course
As the short course season wraps up, it’s time to shift gears and get ready for long course season. While it’s a change in pace, this is a great opportunity to improve your swimming, build endurance, and hit new goals. If you’re ready for the long course challenge, here are a few tips to help you not only survive but thrive.
1. Get in the Right Mindset
The long course pool brings a new challenge. Unlike short course, where you’re flying through turns, long course is all about pacing, endurance, and maintaining momentum over longer distances. You won’t have turns to push you through, so you need to stay strong and focused throughout each lap.
Tip: Prepare mentally for the longer races. The key is staying calm, keeping a steady rhythm, and knowing you’re building something big. It’s about pacing, managing energy, and pushing through fatigue. Trust the process and understand that every swim counts toward the bigger picture. Mental strength and patience are essential.
2. Use the Space to Perfect Your Technique
One of the best parts of long course training is the longer laps. In a short course pool, you’re constantly turning, but in long course, you have room to hone your technique. This is your chance to work on streamlining, body position, and staying smooth with each stroke.
Tip: Use the longer laps to focus on stroke efficiency. Work on staying long, keeping your body in the best position, and reducing drag. Since you don’t have those turns to give you a break, it’s crucial to keep everything streamlined and smooth. Fine-tune your breathing, kick, and turns to make them as efficient as possible.
3. Set Big Goals (and Smaller Milestones)
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Long course season stretches over several months, and it can sometimes feel like a long road ahead. The key is setting clear, exciting goals and breaking them into smaller, more manageable milestones. Whether you’re aiming for a new personal best or mastering a new drill, having a goal will keep you motivated and focused.
Tip: Set both long-term and short-term goals. For example, you could aim for a personal best at a big meet but also focus on smaller targets, like shaving a few seconds off your time in practice. Celebrate these smaller victories to stay motivated and keep progressing. Breaking larger goals into smaller steps gives you that sense of achievement.
4. Recover Like a Pro
With the extra yardage in long course training, recovery becomes even more important. You’ll spend more time in the pool and push harder, so make sure your body gets the rest it deserves. Recovery isn’t just about taking days off—it’s about proper sleep, hydration, and fueling your body to bounce back strong.
Tip: Make sure you’re getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, and eating the right foods. Your muscles need time to repair and grow, so don’t skip recovery days—they’re just as important as training. Stretching, foam rolling, and other recovery techniques will reduce muscle soreness and help you feel fresh. Prioritize rest to swim at your best.
5. When School Gets Out: Seize the Opportunity
Once school’s out for the summer, it’s your time to dive into training without homework or exams. This gives you the perfect chance to increase your training volume, but remember, quality matters more than quantity. This is the time to build endurance, but don’t overdo it.
Tip: Balance swimming harder with recovery, so you stay at your best. Use the summer to stay consistent with your training, but make sure to rest enough to avoid burnout. While this is the time to improve, listen to your body and take it easy when needed to avoid injuries.
6. Stay Motivated and Have Fun
At the end of the day, swimming is about pushing yourself and enjoying the journey. The long course season might feel more spread out, but it’s a chance to grow, learn, and conquer new challenges. Whether you’re in practice or preparing for a race, keep the fun alive.
Tip: Stay positive, have fun with your teammates, and celebrate progress. Whether you’re crushing a training set or improving your technique, every step forward counts. Enjoy the process and celebrate small victories along the way. Remember, the road to success is as rewarding as the finish line!
Transitioning from short course to long course brings new challenges, but it’s also a chance to take your swimming to the next level. Stay focused, set goals, refine your technique, and prioritize recovery. When school is out and you have extra time, make the most of it—stay motivated, enjoy the ride, and finish the season stronger than ever!