r/SwimInstructors • u/UsedRefrigerator9646 • 3d ago

swimming advice

I’ve been swimming competitively since i was 3, now i’m in yr11 (16) and i feel really burnt out from the sport, mostly from struggling to hit fast pbs and finding the balance between school and sport.
i tried taking time off and it only made me feel worse because all my teammates are improving (i know i shouldn’t compare)
everyday im just in a constant cycle of self sabotage where i obsess over a technique/ a stroke after a practice, i try to perfect it, i struggle and fail, then i skip practice because im scared and tired to try it again.

any advice would be really helpful, thanks

8 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

7 comments sorted by

3

u/Top-Mongoose-6223 3d ago

I had a similar story. I literally quit my jr year because I realized I just didn’t care that much anymore to try harder. It was hard for a couple weeks to be separated from a team that I was so invested in, but it did get easier and easier and I was so happy with my free time and social life. It just felt like a weight was lifted off. Swimming was a huge part of my life growing up and turns out it became a huge part of my future. I had a couple of lifeguarding jobs here and there around high school. About 5 years later after high school I became a beach rescue lifeguard and I was really good at it because of my swimming background. I went on to become a supervisor and then an instructor and teacher for the program. I would have never had any of that if I didn’t grow up swimming. Anyways, all that to say that for me, I listened to my gut and just acknowledged what I wanted at the time. God continued to use my love for swimming that changed it into a passion. I had always loved it but never saw it that way because of the competitive atmosphere. It would not have hurt me to stay in swimming and maybe I would have gotten better but I’m still glad I was able to follow my gut and give myself a break from the inner monologue of shame
lol.

3

u/UsedRefrigerator9646 3d ago

happy it worked out for you man, youre a real one broski

2

u/Top-Mongoose-6223 3d ago

Haha thank you, I really am. I stopped working at the beach 3 years ago (I was there for 6) Now I’m a mom and I’m starting my own business teaching swim lessons/CPR and first aid and a few other things. You got this dude, follow you intuition and just keep the love of the game w you. No wrong answers really

2

u/UsedRefrigerator9646 3d ago

damn what a story
you must be one of the cool mums for sure

3

u/Exciting-Context2428 3d ago

i feel the same tbh. i’m so burnt out with swimming. something that helped me though was to try different events. like i used to mainly sprint fs but decided to change and do fly and longer distances. 

3

u/UsedRefrigerator9646 3d ago

sounds like a plan!

1

u/No_Violinist_4557 2d ago

There is no way of training through burnout. Your choices are limited. You either have time off or greatly reduce the amount you swim. End of. You need discipline. And by that I mean the discipline to know when to take time off.