At competitions its important to be prepared, this can make the difference between having a good competition and a bad one. In order to be best prepared its important to have a pre session plan, a plan for during a session and a plan post session.
Whats my pre session plan
The night before my competition I make sure I eat really well and make sure to get in all my essential nutrients, I also make sure to stay properly hydrated. Once im in bed i spend about 30 minutes visualising my races and creating a clear plan for each race I’m doing that session, I try to imagine every lap, I try to visualize when i plan to negative split (faster 2nd half), I try to visualize every wall, every underwater so that I have a clear idea of how I’m going to do that race.
Whats my plan during a session
During a session I make sure to get a very good warm up before every race, i usually to do around 15 minutes of land work to activate my muscles and avoid injuries and then i go in the water and swim around 600-1400 meters depending on what race im doing this way I can ensure that im prepared to race and won’t feel like crap before getting in the water. Around an hour before the race that I decide is the most important of that session I try to get some caffeine in my system wether it come from caffeine pills, pre workout or an energy drink, however when I’m about to swim an 800m free, 1500m free, 400 IM or 200 fly which are some of my main events I try to not take any caffeine or at least limit the amount i take because if my start is too energetic and explosive I wont have enough energy to finish the race. Around 10-15 minutes before my race i try to have a quick snack that has a good amount of simple carbs to give me fuel and also make sure i feel well during my race, my go to fruit or fruit snacks as they are easy to digest and give me proper energy. And once im ready to race I put my headphones on at max volume and play music that pumps me up and gets me ready to race.
Whats my post session plan
After a session my plan depends on wether its between a prelims and finals session or if its at night before the morning session. If its between prelims and finals then I try to eat protein and some kind of carb thats easy to digest so that i dont regret it once finals comes around, i also try to spend 15-20 minutes using a foam roller to loosen my muscles. Once I’m done eating and rolling out I try to do something relaxing like watch tv, naps are also great but taking a nap that lasts longer than 30 minutes will actually have a negative impact on my performance since it can risk entering deep sleep which will leave me feeling tired and groggy which isnt ideal before swimming. If its after a finals session i try to eat a good and balanced meal with high protein, complexe carbs and healthy fats, I then spend around 15-20 minutes in my hot tub to help my body recover then i take a hot shower and go to bed, i try to get at least 7-8 hours of sleep so that i feel good enough to race early in the morning.
“Eating the right foods isn’t just about energy—it’s about helping my body recover and perform at its best.”