When is the most important part of the season?

If you were to ask a swimmer what the most important part of the season is, I’m sure you’d get a myriad of responses.  Some would say pre season because it sets you up for the rest of the season.  Others would answer Christmas time because, for many, it’s the hardest part of the season both mentally and physically.  Finally, there would be some that would argue taper time because you really start focusing on all the little things.

So which is it?  I’d say it’s all three.  Each part of the season is the most important part of the season.  I’ve noticed that most swimmers start increasing their focus the closer they get to either the conference meet and/or NCAAs.  A lot of swimmers will cut down on desserts, get to bed earlier, and pay more attention to the little things during practice the closer they get to the end of their season.  If those things help (and hopefully, we all can agree that they do), then why do many swimmers only truly focus on these details during the last month or so of the season?  Ask yourself this question: if you can do it for the last month, then why not the entire season.

I think it comes down to one thing: dedication.  I’m not saying that you have to completely give up desserts, or go to bed every night at 9:00 PM, or think about every stroke you take the entire season.  But, if you can do these things for a small portion of the season, then why not a large part of the season?  Not only in swimming, but in life, for the most part, the more dedicated you are, the better your chance of success.

I recently spoke with my swimmers about this same topic.  I asked the group what the most important part of the season was.  A few replied, “Now.”  I then posed this query.  If I asked the same question next week, what would the answer be?  If I asked the exact question a month from now, what would the answer be?  They got the point.  The most important part of the season is the present.  The most important practice is the one you’re currently doing.  The most important set of the year is the set you’re swimming at that particular moment.  If you try to focus on one day at a time, one practice at a time, one set at a time, one lap at a time, you’re going to put yourself in a much better position to succeed at the end of the season.

Below, I inserted a link to a video that briefly discusses what it takes to be great.  Watch this clip starting at 1:25.  The man speaking in the video is Rhadi Ferguson.  He was a 2004 Olympian, 4-Time National Judo Champion, and a Brazilian Jiujitsu Black Belt.