10 Best New Year's Resolutions for Swimming Inspiration
- 18 Dec 2018
It's that time of year where we all like to plan a fresh start. A time to look back at what went wrong over the past 12 months, and what we need to do to put it right.
Like the majority of athletes, swimmers are no different. Swimming is a sport that constantly inspires new goals, bigger targets and a motivation to succeed.
Sure, we know New Year's resolutions are a festive fad. Many don't even survive to see the end of January before being broken or forgotten.
But us swimmers are a stubborn and determined bunch. When we put our mind to something, we usually stick to it and see it through.
With that in mind, what New Year's resolutions are you planning to make 2019 your most successful year yet in the swimming pool?
We've come up with our 10 top suggestions that will inspire you to achieve great things over the coming 12 months...
10 New Year's Resolutions For Swimmers in 2019
1) Eat well
This is probably the New Year's resolution of choice for most of the population, whether they're swimmers or not!
But choosing the right food to eat before and after swimming will have a major effect on your performances in 2019.
Identifying the 'right food' will depend largely on what you want to get out of swimming. Do you need to release energy progressively to keep you performing for longer, or do you need an easy-to-digest low fat meal that will help you feel more comfortable during swimming?
To come up with a 2019 dietary plan that best suits you, check out our blog Best Food To Eat Before And After Swimming for some great tips and advice.
2) Get your nutrition plan right
Nutrition and hydration go hand-in-hand with diet, and are both essential if you want to perform at your very highest level during training or racing.
Make sure you get your nutrition plan spot on in 2019. Discover what works for your body, and fuel it with the optimum amount of energy to keep performance levels high and recovery levels fast.
There are so many sports nutrition options out there for swimmers, to suit all diets and tastes.
Over the past year we've featured Hannah Miley talking about Beet It Juice and Jessica-Jane Applegate highlighting CherryActive as essential items in their daily nutrition programme.
If you've never really considered your sports nutrition plan, then take a look at our blog How The TORQ Fuelling System Can Help Your Swim Nutrition. It sets out a plan in a simple and easy-to-follow way, and will be a great starting point for you.
3) Sleep well
Hydration and fuelling your body in the correct way are only two part of a successful training and recovery plan.
Getting the right amount of sleep is vital for helping your body cope with the increased workout it gets when swimming or training hard.
Not only will a good night's sleep help the body heal and grow muscles after exercise, it will also stand you in better shape for performing to the best of your ability again the next day.
According to the National Sleep Foundation:
"Research suggests that sleep deprivation increases levels of stress hormone, cortisol. Sleep deprivation has also been seen to decrease production of glycogen and carbohydrates that are stored for energy use during physical activity.
"In short, less sleep increases the possibility of fatigue, low energy, and poor focus at game time. It may also slow recovery post-game. Whether you’re at the top of your game or in the game for the fun of it, getting the proper amount of sleep is necessary to face the world with your best food forward. Sleep will help you on the road to good fitness, good eating, and good health."
4) Spend extra time working on your weaknesses
It's tempting to ignore your weaknesses. Let's face it, it's no fun working on something you're not very good at!
If you tell yourself enough times that you haven't got time for it, or you don't like it, you'll soon start believing yourself.
This year, identify the area where you are underperforming and make a vow to spend a certain amount of time per week working on this weakness.
Once you start seeing results and improvements, the satisfaction will be even greater! You may even wonder why you disliked it in the first place!
It could be your kicking, your breathing, your upper body strength, or something else. But the good news is, there are a huge range of training aids to help you work on every area of your swimming this year.
5) Chart your training progress
Don't panic, we're not necessarily suggesting a complicated spreadsheet! But keeping a structured and easy-to-follow record of your training performance will work wonders for your inspiration and motivation.
Swimming watches such as the Swimovate Poolmate 2 are particularly popular amongst solo swimmers, who rely on them for motivation when they haven't got a coach or a training partner to encourage them.
If you wear a swimming watch during training, you'll be able to access your statistics and analyse your performance instantly.
You'll then be able to keep a record of your time intervals, pace, distance per stroke, calories burnt and other key statistics. These then be used as a target for your next session or as part of a longer-term training strategy.
Seeing your results, and seeing that you've hit your targets, will give you a sense of accomplishment and will drive you to be more motivated in the water.
6) Reward yourself
Ok, so you've made a New Year's resolution to improve your diet, but don't be afraid to treat yourself every now and again!
Setting yourself a target, and allowing yourself a reward when you hit that target, will help you celebrate the small victories you gain throughout the year.
It doesn't even need to be an edible treat! It can be anything you enjoy. Small rewards can even be incorporated into your motivation for working on your weaknesses or disliked sessions outlined above.
7) Increase your mobility
Have you incorporated foam rolling and other massage aids into your training and recovery routines yet? If not, 2019 is a perfect time to start!
Foam roller exercises can help you warm up before exercise, and play a crucial role in your body's recovery. Exercises using these versatile recovery aids will also increase your flexibility and mobility.
To give you an idea of just how versatile they are, check out our blog 9 Ways To Use a Massage Foam Roller.
8) Get your mental preparation right
Mental preparation is just as important as physical preparation, so getting into the right frame of mind before a race or important training session is vital.
For 2019, make sure you pay extra attention to mental preparation. This can involve setting realistic goals, taking the stress and worry out of your pre-race routine, as well as working on relaxation and visualisation.
For extra tips on how to get your mental preparation spot on in 2019, check out our blog article 5 Ways To Mentally Prepare Yourself For A Swim Meet.
9) Appreciate your team mates and club atmosphere
If you're lucky enough to be part of a swim club, remember to take a step back and really appreciate how much fun it is.
Being part of a team generates an incredible sense of camaraderie and will often result in lifelong friendships.
Make a vow this year to be a central figure in your club. Cheer louder, be supportive whenever you can. Set aside extra time to volunteer with the running of club.
You don't even need to be a swimmer to make this resolution. Swim parents too can enjoy the team spirit of being involved in their children's swimming club.
10) Have fun!
This could be the most important one of the lot!
Sure, you're going to be putting yourself under pressure to improve and succeed, and you're going to get frustrated if you underperform or miss out.
But throughout it all, make a vow this year to always remember why you're doing what you're doing.
Take a little time out at regular intervals just to clear your head, think clearly and remind yourself why you love swimming. Look at how far you've come, and appreciate how fun the journey has been.
Whatever you put in, we can assure you you'll receive even more in return!
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