Week 35-36 | Summary 🟥
Despite solid prep and near-PB dives in training, I struggled during the recent competition due to poor sleep, long travel, and stress. Two failed dives were a tough lesson, but I’m refocusing on managing competition-day challenges and growing from it.
The recent competition was a challenging experience for me, both physically and mentally. Leading up to it, I had been training consistently in a 50-meter pool, refining my dive technique, testing new movement patterns, and achieving near personal-best (PB) performances. I felt strong and confident, regularly performing submaximal dives that left me optimistic about the event.
One week before the competition, I had a solid training dive that boosted my confidence even further. However, I didn’t get as much sleep as I should have before the competition dive, and the nearly two-hour commute to the competition venue added unexpected fatigue. In hindsight, I underestimated how much that would affect me.
My first event was Dynamic Bi-Fins (DYNB). It’s not my main discipline, but I had recently reached 155 meters in training, so I felt ready. During the dive, I felt strong. At 125 meters, I pulled my nose clip—a routine move that typically signals I’m still in control and conscious. I reached 150 meters, touched the wall, and began to surface. Unfortunately, once I reached the surface, I couldn’t complete the surface protocol, resulting in a disqualification.
After the long journey back home, I returned the next day for my Dynamic No Fins (DNF) start. Again, I faced another two-hour commute. The dive initially felt smooth. I pulled my nose clip at 100 meters, as I usually do, and added a few more kicks. But once again, I failed to finish the dive cleanly, surfacing at 113 meters—far below the 124 meters I had reached just three weeks earlier.
What went wrong?
At first, I was puzzled. I had felt prepared, both physically and mentally. So why did I fail? It took some honest reflection to see that while my physical preparation had been solid, I had underestimated the impact of external factors: the stress of competition, fatigue from travel, and insufficient rest. These all added up and clearly affected my performance.
Two days later, back in my usual 50-meter pool, I performed a dive similar to what I attempted during the competition—and this time, I executed it cleanly and confidently. It was a reassuring moment, reminding me that my training is working.
Despite the setbacks, I’m not discouraged. I plan to continue my training with the same intensity, but with one additional focus: considering the demands of competition day. That includes managing stress, optimizing rest, and minimizing travel fatigue. These experiences, while tough, are helping me grow.
Trainings summary
These are my trainings - a blend of structured routines and personal adaptations. If you’re curious about the specifics of each drill type and want tips on how to incorporate them into your own practice, stay tuned for my upcoming posts. There’s much more to share!
