Fear during Swimming for Triathletes
Fear of water is something that many people have either due to a previous near drowning incident or simply because as a child they never became familiar with water during play. Fear of swimming in a triathlon however is usually a totally different kind of fear.
Sometimes, it is more about a feeling of overwhelm. Other times it could be from the crowds and fear of being hit while in the water (a very real possibility). Other times it could be from a negative experience of exhaustion while out in deep water. Still other times it could be the athlete pushing themselves to do a sport that they don’t like in order to compete in a triathlon. Another possibility is the fear of failure creating Anxiety and that feeling can be transformed into panic.
hypnosis and hypnotherapy can help in all of these instances. When I work with a triathlete we start by finding out the underlying cause. Whether it is actually a fear of the water or something else that is causing the problem. Once we have determined where the fear is coming from we can change and reframe the problem.
We first start by calming the nervous system and allowing the person to feel that they have permission to relax. Too often driven individuals don’t allow themselves to relax because they feel that it is not moving them toward their goal. The fact is that by taking time everyday to relax and diffuse stress and Anxiety they gain the ability to perform at a higher level without all the tension. Olympic athletes know that if they become too tense they will not perform at peak. Physically it is impossible to perform well when physically tense. Mental tension creates physical tension. We then move on to clearing the subconscious mind of unrealistic fears and anxiety. This allows the athlete to feel more calm and in control. Finally we use mental rehearsal during hypnosis. When a swimmer is able to see his/her self successfully completing the race feeling calm and focused during hypnosis they will find that when they actually do the swim it feels familiar and much more comfortable.
By taking charge of the mind and allowing the mind and body to work together seamlessly, the athlete has a much better experience. They feel in control, calm, comfortable and their performance will improves too!
