Swimming is a Cake

Courtesy to @swim2win4life

Swimmers have always been known to love food, but have you ever thought of swimming AS FOOD? A whole swimming season can be compared to the process of baking a cake. This is an idea that Todd Schmitz, head coach of the Colorado Stars (and Missy Franklin!) had presented at a swim clinic. When he shared this metaphor, it made so much sense to me that I decided to share it, too. I dug a little deeper and well, this article got put together. So with his idea in mind, I’ve created this article for all swimmers to enjoy.

Ingredients= Practice/Technique

Practice is where you earn each ingredient. For every practice you go to, you’ll get a new ingredient. Each part of your stroke technique is also an ingredient. Therefore, every time you miss practice or refuse to make your stroke better, you’ll forget to throw an ingredient into your batter.

The Batter=Test Sets

You mix together your practices and techniques like ingredients that make a cake. To can see what extra things you need to add to make your swimming times better, you’ll be tested through a specific set. Then, you’ll try new ingredients and repeat the set again to see how much improvement you’ve made.

Tasting the Batter= Smaller Meets

Dipping your finger in the bowl of batter allows you to see how the cake tastes so far. Small meets show how you’ve been training so far. Are you where you need to be to reach your goals for this season? Your coach can give you corrections based on your races, and you can fix technique or add different sets to make you better.

Baking the Cake in the Oven= Taper

How many times have you dreaded jumping in the freezing pool? Probably a lot. Now just because it’s taper doesn’t mean the water temperature is going to become warmer. However, you begin to feel the excitement of the big meet and imagine how fast you will feel in the water. This is just like how good the cake starts to smell while it is baking.

Eating the Cake= End of Season Championship Meet

No, don’t eat cake at your big meet, but you will see how your work paid off. Good practices plus good training equals good meet. Good ingredients, good cake. On the other hand if you missed a ton of practices, you won’t get the results you expected. Your cake will be missing a ton of ingredients and it will taste as bad as your championship meet goes.

Making Another Cake=What will you do next season?

Alright, so you’ve made your cake, you’ve worked hard to put it together, and you’ve decided whether or not it tastes good. If it does taste good, then congratulations. You’ve accomplished a successful season with a lot of great times. Now, if you cake didn’t turn out right, give yourself time to think about what you’re missing. What will you do this season to improve your cake (aka your swimming)?