Do you ever get the JITTERS?...You know-that nervous feeling right before your race? Having the jitters makes you swim slow. That's because your mind and body feel really tense...and when you're tense, it's hard to swim fast! So, if you have the JITTERS, who ya gonna call?
Pick out some of your favorite JITTER BUSTERS below. Give them a try at your next meet. They'll help take your mind off your JITTERS. And that'll make it easier to swim fast!
Try "shrinking your thinking." Think one length at a time. The less you have to think about, the less jittery you'll feel.
If thinking about winning gives you jitters, try thinking about swimming as fast and as relaxed as you can.
Imagine how your swimming hero-like Jenny Thompson or Josh Davis-might handle the jitters.
Set a goal for every 25, 50 or 100 meters or yards of your race. Focusing on your goals helps keep your mind off your jitters.
If you feel less jittery in practice than you do at a meet, pretend you're swimming a repeat in practice instead of racing.
Racing against other people makes you feel jittery? Pretend you're the only swimmer in the pool. Look straight ahead and swim your own race.
Stand up to your jitters! The next time you feel jittery in a race, tell your jitters to "take a hike!"
If you start feeling jittery during a race, think ahead to the finish.
Even if you feel jittery, act like you're not. It works!
The next time you feel jittery in a race, remind yourself of all the great things you did in practice over the last couple weeks.
Think stroke! Not only will this get your mind off your jitters, but it will help you focus on something that can make you swim faster.
Think "now"...not "then." Thinking back to the last time you swam your race can make you feel jittery, especially if you didn't swim well the last time you swam the same event.
