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Pre-Competition Meal

A sensible pre-competition meal is one in which the protein and fat content are low and the carbohydrate content is high.  Carbohydrates in the meal do not supply energy for the race.  That energy should already be stored in your muscles and liver from the high carbohydrate meals that were eaten 2-3 days prior to the contest.  The purpose of the carbohydrate meal should be to prevent hunger without causing nausea.  Meals should be eaten 3 to 4 hours before the meet to allow for digestion.  The meal should be light, containing 500 to 800 calories and the form of starch, NOT SUGAR.

Post-Competition Meal

A high carbohydrate meal is needed after competition to encourage rapid replacement of the muscle and liver glycogen that was depleted during the races.  The food should be taken as soon after competition as possible to allow the greatest amount of time for glycogen replacement.  Once again eat starch rather than sugar.

Food Rich in Carbohydrates

Starch form:  green, lima and red kidney beans; bread and rolls, cereal, chick peas, chili, corn, chop suey, fruits, leafy vegetables, lentils, macaroni, milk, noodles, pancakes, peas, potatoes, poultry, rhubarb, rice, spaghetti, waffles, ALL MAKE YOU SWIM FAST. Sugar from carbohydrates cause you to SWIM SLOW!!  For example:  pies, cakes, cookies, honey, milkshakes, candy, chocolate syrup or puddings.

Although swimming is one of the most physically challenging sports, the mental aspect plays a critical role in your success.  You must workout your “mind” just as you train your body.

Setting goals is a good start, but believing and concentrating on these goals daily is essential to achieving them.  Your swimming goals, if they are specific, are simply numbers.  You need to give these numbers meaning.

How do you give these times meaning? By knowing exactly what it will take to achieve your time.  For example a perfect start, streamlines, turns, pacing, and finish.  You practice these skills everyday in practice, you should also visualize your race in your mind. This is called Race Rehearsal.

By practicing your goal swim in your head you mind and body will be prepared when the big meet arrives.  Visualize your race and your surrounding in as much detail you can.  Be conscious of the pool, how wide the lanes are, who you’ll be swimming next to, the wall surface.  Next, imagine yourself behind the blocks stretching and getting ready to step up. 

Once you picture yourself on the block narrow your focus to just you and your race.  Don’t let yourself be distracted by anything.  See yourself on the blocks, be prepared for ht starters command, then the horn…Beep…You’re off!  Swim your goal race with a perfect start, stoke mechanics, splits and finish.  Picture the clock with your goal time and see yourself celebrating with your coach, parents and teammates!!!

By rehearsing your race in your mind, you will be on automatic pilot on Race Day.  Sometimes your visualizations may not be perfect.  If you happen to blow a turn while visualizing, go back and fix it! This may be an area you need to work on both in and out of the pool.  Take the time to do it right!

Remember great swimmers use their heads! Believe you can do it, picture it in your mind and go out and DO IT in the pool!!!

This often painful condition occurs when after gets trapped in a child’s ear canal.  The moisture provides the ideal environment for bacteria and fungus to grow, eventually causing an infection.  Though it’s called swimmer’s ear, any activity that causes moisture to collect in the ear can led to the infection, and that includes showering, shampooing, even listening to music with poorly ventilated earphones. 

The first symptoms are itching and a “plugged” feeling in the ear canal.  You may notice small children pulling and tugging at their ear.  If left untreated, the ear canal will swell, may even shut and begin to ooze a running milky liquid. The ear, especially the small triangular piece of cartilage in the front of the  ear canal will be tender to the touch.

Once the infection advances, you’ll need to se a doctor.  But mild cases of swimmer’s ear are easily treated with a warm ear wash of one tablespoon of vinegar and one tablespoon of water three or four times a day, especially after a swim.

Of course, the best remedy is prevention.  Here are a few suggestions:

• Teach children to tilt their heads and tug on their earlobes to get the water out after swimming or showering.  Use the corner of a towel to dry the ear.  Never use a Q-tip.

• Use antiseptic eardrops designed for swimmer’s ear whenever the child complains that his/her ear feels plugged.  To apply, lean the child’s ear to the side, pull the ear upward and backward and insert drops.  (Always read package directions and consult your pediatrician before using medications with young children).

• You can also use a hair dryer, holding it 18 to 24 inches from the ear and blowing warm air into the ear for about 30 second to help dry the canal. This also serves as a treatment for mild swimmer’s ear.

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