The work you do before the racing starts could be the work that makes the biggest difference when it matters most.
As a performance coach, I've spent many years working with athletes across different sporting environments, including Olympians, F1 drivers and elite performers.
One thing that continues to stand out is this:
Performance isn't created on competition day.
It's built in the days, weeks and months beforehand.
And that's why I believe pre-season is such an important period for swimmers.
It's not simply about getting fitter.
It's about getting ready.
- Ready physically.
- Ready mentally.
- Ready emotionally.
And ready to deal with everything that a season of swimming is likely to throw at you.
Pre-Season Is An Opportunity, Not A Punishment
When swimmers hear the words "pre-season", they might immediately think:
- "More metres."
- "Harder sessions."
- "I'm going to be exhausted."
- "It's going to be a long few months."
But I'd encourage swimmers to look at it differently.
Pre-season is where you build the foundations.
The competition season is when you get the opportunity to show what you've built.
- That means every training session has a purpose.
- Every recovery day has a purpose.
- Every conversation with your coach has a purpose.
Every decision you make around sleep, nutrition, hydration and preparation contributes to the athlete you're becoming.
Don't wish pre-season away. Use it.
Control The Controllables
Swimming can be a wonderfully measurable sport.
- Times.
- Splits.
- PBs.
- Rankings.
- Qualifying standards.
- Placings.
- But that can also become a trap.
- It's easy to become obsessed with things you can't control.
- What another swimmer does.
- Whether someone else gets a PB.
- How you feel on a particular day.
- The outcome of a race.
- A session that doesn't go according to plan.
Instead, bring your attention back to what you can control.
- Your attitude.
- Your effort.
- Your preparation.
- Your communication.
- Your recovery.
- Your focus.
- Your response.
You won't control everything that happens to you as a swimmer.
But you can learn to control what you do next.
That is a mindset that extends far beyond the swimming pool.
Motivation Isn't The Answer
Here's something I often talk about with athletes:
You won't feel motivated every day.
- And that's okay.
- There will be mornings when getting out of bed is easy.
- There will be mornings when it isn't.
- There will be sessions where everything clicks.
There will be sessions where you question why you're doing it.
That's normal.
The important thing is understanding the difference between motivation and commitment.
Motivation says:
"I feel like doing this."
Commitment says:
"I've decided this is important to me."
You don't need to be motivated every day.
You need to develop the habits that keep you moving forward when motivation disappears.
Motivation gets you started.
Habits keep you moving.
Look After The Athlete, Not Just The Swimmer
One of the biggest mistakes we can make is thinking performance is only about what happens in the pool.
It isn't.
The person getting into the pool matters.
- Sleep matters.
- Recovery matters.
- Nutrition matters.
- Hydration matters.
- School matters.
- Relationships matter.
- Stress matters.
- Mental wellbeing matters.
If life outside the pool isn't being looked after, eventually it can affect what happens inside it.
And this is particularly important for young swimmers.
Being tough doesn't mean ignoring what your body or mind is telling you.
Sometimes the strongest thing an athlete can do is speak up.
- "I'm struggling."
- "I'm exhausted."
- "Something doesn't feel right."
- "I need some help."
That's not weakness.
That's awareness.
And awareness is an important part of becoming a better athlete.
Stop Chasing The Clock — Start Building The Swimmer
- Of course times matter.
- Goals matter.
- PBs matter.
- Qualifying times matter.
But if the only thing you focus on is the stopwatch, you can miss the bigger picture.
Instead of asking:
"What time did I swim today?"
also ask:
"What did I do today that makes me a better swimmer?"
Did you:
- Execute your technique?
- Commit to your turns?
- Hold your streamline?
- Stay focused when tired?
- Follow your race plan?
- Respond positively to a difficult set?
- Give your coach your attention?
- Recover properly?
These are the things that build performance.
Outcome goals tell you where you're going.
Process goals tell you what you need to do today.
And today is the only part you can actually influence.
Learn Your Reset
Every athlete will have bad days.
Every athlete will make mistakes.
Every athlete will have races that don't go according to plan.
The difference isn't whether those things happen.
The difference is how quickly you can reset and respond.
One phrase I love using with athletes is:
"Next job."
Bad repetition?
Next job.
Poor turn?
Next job.
Disappointing time?
Next job.
Bad training session?
Next job.
It doesn't mean pretending the mistake didn't happen.
It means learn from it — and then put your attention where it can make a difference.
Because you can't change the last repetition.
But you can influence the next one.
Your Pre-Season Challenge
So, as you head into another season, don't just set yourself a time goal.
Ask yourself some bigger questions:
- What kind of swimmer do I want to become?
- What kind of teammate do I want to be?
- What habits do I need to develop?
- What do I need to stop worrying about?
- How will I respond when things get difficult?
And perhaps the most important question:
Who do I need to become to achieve the goals I've set myself?
Because your season isn't going to be decided by one race.
It's going to be built through hundreds of small decisions.
- The decision to get up.
- The decision to listen.
- The decision to work.
- The decision to recover.
- The decision to try again.
- The decision to learn from a bad day.
- The decision to stay focused when nobody is watching.
Build It Before You Need It
At AB Performance, I believe performance isn't simply about helping athletes perform better.
It's about helping them understand themselves better.
Because the mindset, habits and behaviours you develop through sport don't disappear when you leave the pool.
- They become part of who you are.
- So use this pre-season.
- Don't simply survive it.
Embrace it.
- Build the foundations.
- Develop the habits.
- Look after yourself.
- Learn to reset.
- Trust the process.
And when your opportunity comes to perform…
Be ready.
Want To Develop Your Performance Mindset?
At AB Performance, I work with athletes, teams, coaches and sporting organisations to help develop the mindset, behaviours and performance habits that can make a difference when it matters.
With 13+ years of experience working across elite sport, including with Olympians, F1 drivers and athletes from a range of sporting disciplines, I bring practical performance experience into the coaching environment.
Whether you're an individual swimmer looking to develop your mindset, a parent wanting to better support your athlete, a coach looking to strengthen your team's performance culture, or a club wanting to invest in the development of its athletes…
Let's start the conversation.
Don't wait until competition day to work on your mindset.
Build it before you need it.
Hope you enjoyed the read.
Diesel.
Performance Coaching | Mindset | Developing Better Athletes
Get in touch to discuss individual coaching, team workshops or performance support for your club — andrew@abperformance.uk