“90% of the game is half mental” -Yogi Berra, famous Yankees catcher and manager
INDIVIDUAL DYNAMICS
This is the third installment on a series of four articles about mental training. It addresses a general guideline to individual mental preparation and the first phase of the mental program.
As Ye Believe, So Shall Ye Swim
I look at physical training as part of mental preparation— not just the other way around. What swimmers believe about themselves is manifested in how they train. Their belief system is at the core of their decisions about technique, nutrition, pain tolerance, etc. Part of that belief comes from those around the athlete, specifically their team, parents, coaches, etc. In our program we share a great number of stories throughout the year about past successes in several areas of endeavor. There are legends of amazing time drops, levels of commitment, physical prowess, and complete turnarounds of character. These clearly help to galvanize the current swimmers’ beliefs as to what lies ahead in their futures.