Moving
Up To
A New
Age
Group
Do
you
feel
under
pressure
when
you
move
up
into
a new
age-group
of
swimming
competitors?
It
seems
that
many
swimmers
do.
Many
seem
to
feel
that
any
reputation
they
may
have
earned
in
the
past
age
group
no
longer
means
anything
now
that
they're
swimming
against
older
swimmers,
and
this
really
isn't
true.
If
you
were
a
"performer"
in
your
past
age
group,
then
your
reputation
will
follow
you
into
the
next
one -
and
don't
worry,
everyone
will
want
to
know
who
you
are
and
what
you've
done
in
the
past.
Your
reputation
as a
good
swimmer
will
follow
you
wherever
you
go,
never
worry
about
that.
And
there
is
nothing
surer
than
the
fact
that
you
will
eventually
show
everyone
what
you
are
capable
of
doing,
no
matter
how
long
it
takes.
Of
course,
it is
true
that
that
in
junior
swimming
there
is
often
a
physical
advantage
to
the
older
swimmers
of an
age-group
in
size
and
strength,
however
I
have
found
that
the
worst
part
of
'aging
up'
is
that
many
swimmers
mentally
give
up,
because
they
think
they
will
automatically
come
last
in
every
race
against
older
swimmers.
Once
a
swimmer
has
given
up
mentally,
it
wouldn't
matter
if
they
had
the
talent
of
Ian
Thorpe
or
Inge
De
Bruijn,
they
simply
would
not
perform.
When
the
body
is
being
powered
along
by a
mind
which
has
given
up,
the
body
has
no
option
but
to
give
up as
well.
For
your
body
to
perform,
your
mind
must
be
directed
towards
a
positive
goal.
So
the
first
thing
to do
(in
this
new
situation
of
older
competitors)
is to
look
for
ways
to
boost
yourself
up
mentally,
or
even
turn
the
situation
around
completely,
until
you
actually
find
it an
advantage
to
being
the
youngest
in
your
age
group!
For
instance,
have
you
ever
thought
that
possibly
the
older
swimmers
would
not
enjoy
losing
to a
younger
swimmer,
and
they
may
be
feeling
a
little
pressured
to
perform
better
than
usual?
Really,
the
new
kid
on
the
block
should
have
no
pressure
to
perform
at
all,
as
no-one
really
knows
what
to
expect
from
them
in
the
older
age
group.
Yet
the
more
established
swimmers
may
feel
they
have
their
'position'
and
reputations
at
risk
from
some
young
upstart
swimmer
who
has
burst
onto
the
scene!
Even
if
this
isn't
the
case
(yet),
these
are
great
scenarios
you
can
play
through
your
mind
to
help
take
the
pressure
off!
Also,
remember
that
any
sign
of
'unfriendliness'
directed
towards
you
by
some
of
the
older
swimmers
may
simply
be
due
to
the
fact
that
some
of
them
are
feeling
a
little
threatened
by
your
presence!
Once
again,
this
is
something
you
should
use
for
inspiration,
rather
than
worrying
that
everyone
does
not
like
you.Something
you
must
always
remember
is
that
most
highly
successful
people
are
NOT
liked
by
everyone,
because
there
will
always
be
people
out
there
who
are
simply
jealous
of
their
success.
In
fact,
criticism
from
other
people
can
almost
be
regarded
as a
sign
that
you
are
making
progress!
No-one
can
make
it to
the
top
of
the
heap
without
having
to
overcome
negativity
and
criticism
from
others
along
the
way,
this
is
all
just
a
normal
part
of
being
successful.
Remember,
the
more
successful
you
become,
the
more
criticism
you'll
attract
-
this
is
just
part
of
the
price
of
fame!
So
don't
automatically
assume
that
the
older
swimmers
have
all
the
advantages,
because
even
if
you
are
not
quite
up to
their
speeds
yet,
you
will
soon
be
breathing
down
their
necks!
Hang
tough
and
you
will
succeed.
"These
'Mind
Training
for
Swimmers'
tips
are
written
by
Craig
Townsend
from
It's
Mind
over
Matter,
who
runs
mental
training
programs
from
Sydney,
Australia.
You
can
subscribe
to
his
free
swim
tips
at
his
website
http://www.swimpsychology.com
or
send
an
email
to
subscribe@swimpsychology.com
Each
tip
is
Copyright
©
Craig
Townsend
and
is
fully
protected
by
Australian
and
International
Copyright
Laws."