Calm and swimming: two words that go hand in hand. The technical gesture demands fluidity, but only a calm mind can allow it. Those who get agitated lose rhythm; those who relax enter the flow.
Yet staying calm when it matters — before the start, during a building 200 free in freediving — is not easy.
EEG scans show calmness through alpha and theta brainwaves, signs that the brain is self-regulating. Athletes who learn to recognize and nurture these states experience fewer anxiety spikes, better fatigue management, and greater clarity in rhythm changes.
In swimming, deep breathing exercises during warm-up, pre-race mental routines, and even the strategic use of silence between sets help build this inner calm. And it's not about “being zen.” It's about having a stable mental base from which to push off. About not getting overwhelmed by the noise of the stopwatch. In the pool, true calm is a force that drives you forward.
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