How to find the motivation to go swimming?
No doubt, you enjoy swimming, but sometimes you miss a session because your motivation is lacking a bit. Here are my four tips to always stay motivated to take the plunge. How to find the motivation to go swimming?
At the beginning of the year, you have taken or resumed the path to the swimming pool. Well done! Your challenge is to swim regularly, which is not always easy.
As we know, excuses come quickly, often followed by others. Then, the lack of motivation sets in, and there you are, doing dryland exercises instead of putting on your swimsuit.
To avoid this, I have listed four tips for you - a helping hand to stay motivated. It's always better than a palm stroke ;-)
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Set Goals
Setting personalized goals is a good way to stay motivated to go swimming. Nothing requires you to prepare for a triathlon or a Channel crossing. Here are three tips for setting and achieving your goals:
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Assess what motivates you: You have every right to swim for fun. This is often the primary motivation for swimmers. You can even have multiple motivations: a desire to progress, build muscles, lose weight, etc. The idea is to assess what motivates you, so you can prepare and adapt your workouts and goals accordingly.
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Prepare for your training in advance: It's essential to prepare for your session before taking the plunge, especially if you have a specific goal. Ideally, incorporate your swim into an overall training plan.
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Develop your goals: Once you've set your goal, don't hesitate to revisit it. Remember, nothing is set in stone, and it's up to you to develop your training and adjust your ambitions as you progress.
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Vary Your Swimming Sessions
Doing the same workout three times a week can get boring. I understand, and I advise you to do something about it before you lose the urge to go swimming. Here are some suggestions:
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Alternate strokes: There are four main strokes - front crawl, backstroke, breaststroke, and butterfly. It would be a shame to exclude any of them. Each stroke has its advantages, and they complement each other.
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Try educational exercises: Educational exercises help you progress, so I recommend incorporating them into your routine. There is at least one exercise for every problem, and there are so many options that it's difficult to get tired of them.
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Explore complementary sports: Swimming is excellent in addition to other activities like running and cycling. Cross-training is a great way to prevent boredom and make progress.
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Go to the Pool with Family or Friends
Motivating yourself is good, but being motivated by others is also beneficial. Going to the pool with others is a good way to stay motivated, as long as you don't spend the entire session chatting, of course. Here are some ideas:
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Progress together: Having an outside perspective can be valuable for validating your technique in the deep end. Swimming with a partner helps motivate each other, train together, provide assistance, and make progress.
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Swim with family: Sometimes it's challenging to find time alone for swimming. A good idea is to invite other family members. Once you've promised a pool session to the younger ones, it's hard to back out.
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Join a Swimming Club
If you've tried the previous tips and nothing helps, the last resort is joining a swimming club. It provides a regular weekly meeting with a coach and fellow swimmers. It's a great way to establish a steady pace, stay motivated, and gain even more benefits.
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Find a club suitable for your level: There is no age limit to start swimming, even in a club. Swimmers are often grouped based on their levels, and the only prerequisite is knowing how to swim.
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Benefit from coaching: In addition to helping you stay consistent with your training sessions, the coach in a swimming club is there to assist you in progressing and achieving your goals faster by correcting any small mistakes you might make.
To counter the lack of motivation, I invite you to set appropriate goals, vary your swimming sessions, swim with your family or friends, and consider joining a swimming club. Reminding yourself of all the benefits a pool session brings should also help boost your motivation. Keep up the good work and enjoy your time in the water!
Next read: https://mentalaccelerator.com/resource/lucidity/get-clarity-in-your-sport