Swimming Visualisation: An Introduction

In this article, we will provide advice, hacks and tips as an introduction to swimming visualisation.

What is Visualisation?

Swimming visualisation is mental imagery, mental rehearsal and meditation techniques.
It is used by most of the world’s top swimmers, to help condition their brain to enable them to become faster.
Why is Swimming Visualisation So Effective?

Research has shown that the human brain cannot tell the difference between imagined or real experiences.

So, just as repetitive swimming drills enables the swimmer to adopt technical stroke training into their ‘muscle memory’.
This enables them to automatically perform as taught when required in competition.

Using repetitive swimming visualisation techniques enables the swimmer to adopt these techniques to their ‘brain patterns’.

This enables them to automatically perform as visualised when required in competition.

Performing either drills or swimming visualization are effective techniques in themselves.

However, they are even more effective when swimmers consistently use both techniques.

“I have been visualising myself every night for the past four years standing on the podium having the gold placed around my neck.”

Practice Swimming Visualisation Techniques Persistently and Consistently:

In common with most swimming techniques, visualisation requires a persistent and consistent application.

It should be learnt, developed and mastered over a period of time .
Some swimmers find the best time to conduct their visualization, is as a part of their rest, relaxation or recovery routines.
Some swimmers prefer to conduct their visualisation routine just before they go to sleep.

Swimming Visualisation Tips and Techniques:

Swimmers should learn how to visualise from a first-person perspective.

They should imagine how they feel, what they hear and what they can smell etc.

Swimmers should focus on a specific outcome

For example the completion of a tough training set, a new personal best time or winning a race.

If for whatever reason if the swimmers start to lose focus and begin to think of other things while visualising, they should stop, take several deep breaths, refocus on a specific outcome and start again.

“Winners see what they want to have happen. Losers see what they are afraid might happen.”

When starting to learn how to effectively visualise, if the swimmer starts to think of negative outcomes, they should stop and refocus on a positive outcome.

As the swimmer starts to develop their visualisation techniques, they can visualise calmly dealing with a number of different race or training scenarios.

For example:

The swimmer may visualise swimming their race in different ways.

Visualising that one of their opponents takes an early lead and then they calmly and surely catch them and overtake them to win.
Or they may take an early lead, swim strongly throughout the race and continue to increase their lead, to win comfortably.

By visualising different scenarios such as these, the swimmer will be better able to deal with any situation when things don’t go exactly to plan.

One of the key visualisation techniques is to visualize in a great level of detail, using your senses to feel, hear, touch and even smell the event.

This will make the imagery much stronger, more focused and effective.

Swimming Visualisation: An Introduction

Swimming Visualisation checklist:

This visualisation checklist has been produced to illustrate the level of detail required for effective visualization.

The swimmer should find a quiet, comfortable place where they can sit for 10 minutes, without being disturbed.

They should relax their body, close their eyes, take several slow deep breaths.
Breathing in through their nose and out through your mouth.
Now they should begin their visualisation exercise.

They should start by imagining that they are in great physical condition.

They have been awesome in training and you are confident of performing well.

What are they wearing?
A team tracksuit?
A team tee shirt?
What are they wearing on their feet?

Hearing the increasing noise of the crowd and the other swimmers.
Looking around at the poolside/deck area.
Observing the poolside/deck area.
Looking at the viewing balcony/area.
Smelling the chlorine from the pool.
Feeling the warm and humid air.
Looking at the swimming pool.
What do the lane ropes look like?
How many lanes are there?
What do the starting blocks look like?
What do the turn flags look like?
Locating their teammates and coach.
Taking their place on the poolside/deck awaiting your event.
Where are they sitting?
Who are they sitting with?
What are they sitting on?

As they begin their warm-up they feel the water flowing over their body.
What is the temperature of the water, is it warm?
Their stroke is long, controlled and smooth.
As you finish their warm-up you feel strong, confident and relaxed.

Several events before your race they should start to prepare for your race.
What is the pre-race warm-up routine?
They should have a quick pre-race chat with their coach.
Going over the objectives of the race.
Then they make their way to the whipping area.
They still feel strong, confident and relaxed.
What does the whipping area look like and what can they hear?
They ensure that they have their goggles and swim hat/cap.
The swimmer walks from the whipping area.
They then take their position behind the starting block ready for their race.
They watch the previous heat finish.
Remove their shoes, tracksuit and tee-shirt.
Now it’s their turn.

They stand behind the starting block.
They start to feel the adrenaline in their blood caused by the anticipation in the moments before the race.
The starter then signals them to take to your starting block.
They take a deep breath and step up on to the starting block.
How does the starting block feel to their feet?
On the starter’s signal, they take to your set position.
Then they hear the starters gun/bleep.
Driving strongly through their feet and legs.
They throw their arms forward vigorously off the starting block.
They enter the water in a tight streamlined dive.
Their body slices through the water.
What temperature is the water?
They perform a strong underwater phase.
Their breakout is perfectly executed, and they are smoothly into your stroke.
They swim effortlessly and cut through the water, with great technique.
Their head and body are in a perfect position.
They have a strong leg kick.
They have established a relaxed and effective breathing pattern.
Swimming fast into the wall.
They perform a great turn.
Performing a great underwater phase, coming out of their turn.
They perform a smooth breakout and continue to swim strongly.
The swimmer can hear the audience and their teammates cheering them on.
They increase their lead.
The swimmer maintains their speed into a great finish.
They feel the elation as they touch the wall and look up at the scoreboard.
They see and hear the audience and their teammates cheering them as they break a record and/or win the race.

Now the swimmer should let their mind go blank.
Keeping their eyes closed, take several slow deep breaths.
Breathing in through their nose and out through their mouth.
They should return to their normal breathing pattern and open their eyes.

Takeaway

Using visualisation techniques with swimming drills can be a very powerful combination, that can help make a swimmer faster.

But it requires persistent and consistent practice to develop and master, and should be a regular part of their training routine.

The Competitive Swimming Exchange – Facebook Group

The Competitive Swimming Exchange is a Facebook group to help exchange ideas and information to collectively improve the sport we love. It’s an international group for all swimmers, coaches, teachers, masters, triathletes and swimming parents.

In fact, it’s for all those who are interested in competitive swimming, either in the pool or in open water. For more information about joining this group please use the following link: The Competitive Swimming Exchange

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Swimming Visualisation: An Introduction

What is Visualisation?

Why is Swimming Visualisation So Effective?

Swimming Visualisation Tips and Techniques:

Swimming Visualisation checklist:

Takeaway

Related article on how to best use motivational & inspirational swimming self-talk

Related article on developing a positive swimming mindset

Related article on improving a swimmer’s focus

The Competitive Swimming Exchange – Facebook Group

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