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Goal setting is really important for young swimmers. It gives you something to work towards, increasing your motivation while helping you to track your progress. Plus, there’s no better feeling than accomplishing a goal you’ve worked hard to achieve.
Here at Kingswim, we’ll support you throughout your learn to swim journey. We’ll observe you closely during lessons, guiding you to become the best swimmer you can be and celebrating your swimming achievements with you.
Keep reading to learn all about goal setting in swimming, including the types of goals you can set and strategies for achieving them.
The importance of setting swim goals
For many young swimmers and beginners, starting swimming lessons may feel a little overwhelming at first. It can seem like there’s a lot to learn!
Setting meaningful goals for swimming lessons provides you with a clear focus, which can help you feel more comfortable. We’ll help you develop your skills gradually, one goal at a time.
As you progress and achieve new milestones, you’ll be able to see just how far you’ve come, which will improve your confidence and motivation to keep swimming.
Types of swimming goals
There are lots of different goals you can set depending on your experience level, ability and what you want to achieve.
At Kingswim, we’ll help you set goals based on your swimming level and individual needs. This could be a short-term, long-term, performance-based or skill-based goal.
Take a look at the examples below: which goals do you think you could work towards?
Short-term goals
A short-term goal could be to:
- Improve a specific technique
- Increase the duration you can swim
- Learn a new stroke
Think of short-term goals as the stepping stones to achieving long-term goals. They’re a great way to build your confidence and give you something to focus on during your lessons.
Long-term goals
Long-term goals are a great motivator because it gives you something to aim for in the future. For example, you may want to:
- Compete in a swim meet
- Reach a certain fitness level
- Swim a specific distance
Skill-based goals
Skill-based goals are all about refining specific techniques. You may want to:
- Master a different stroke
- Improve your breathing technique
- Enhance your turns and starts
Performance-based goals
As you progress in your swimming journey and reach the higher levels, you can set goals to improve your swimming performance by focusing on metrics such as:
- Swim times
- Lap counts
- Competition results
How to set SMART swimming goals
SMART goals are specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound. Setting your goals with this in mind provides you with a clearer sense of direction. You’ll know exactly what you want to achieve and feel motivated to achieve it within a certain timeframe.
When you set your SMART goals, work through each part to make sure that your goals are effective.
Specific
Try to make your goals clear and well-defined so that you know what you’re working towards.
A goal like ‘I want to learn a new stroke’ would be a little too vague. You could make this more specific by saying ‘I want to learn independent freestyle’.
If you’re not sure what you want to aim for, your swimming teacher will be able to help you out.
Measurable
Making sure your goal is measurable is important because it means you’ll be able to track your progress.
A measurable goal could be ‘I want to swim 8 metres of independent freestyle’.
This goal is measurable because you’ll be able to monitor your progress by seeing how far you can swim the stroke.
Achievable
It’s important to make sure your goals are attainable and realistic. This doesn’t mean you can’t dream big – it just means that you’re not setting yourself up to fail (which can make us feel disheartened and less motivated).
For example, if you’re new to swimming, try setting a goal suitable for beginners like ‘I want to perform 4 kicks on my front using a kickboard’ or ‘I want to feel comfortable putting my face in the water without goggles’.
Relevant
Relevant goals should align with your ability, interests and ambitions.
If you’re learning how to swim simply for safety and enjoyment, then you don’t have to set a goal related to learning race skills or mastering highly advanced techniques if that doesn’t interest you.
On the other hand, if you’re a competent and confident young swimmer who wants to take things to the next level, a goal like ‘I want to join a swim squad by the end of 2024’ would be much more relevant for you.
Time-bound
It’s always a good idea to give yourself a deadline to achieve your goals. This helps to hold us accountable and stay on track.
If you set a goal to be able to ‘swim 16 metres of backstroke with continuous arms by November 2024’, then you have a clear target in mind.
If you get close to your deadline and think you need a little more time, don’t worry. Everyone learns at a different pace and there’s no rush. Simply change the deadline to a more realistic date and keep enjoying the journey.
Tracking progress and celebrating swimming achievements
Tracking your progress is a fantastic motivator. You can monitor your progress by using swim logs, apps, or journals – whatever method works best for you.
When you track your progress, you’ll be able to see the ways you can improve which can help you with your goal setting. You’ll also be able to see how far you’ve come, and that’s just as important.
The sense of achievement you feel when you reach a milestone will stay with you, spurring you on to keep learning and improving.
Overcoming challenges and staying motivated
As you work towards your goals, it’s completely normal to face a few challenges.
A common challenge faced by swimmers in particular is the pressure we place on ourselves – especially if we set an ambitious goal. That’s why it’s important to make sure your goals are achievable and relevant, and give yourself enough to time to succeed.
Build your confidence with short-term goals and just keep practicing. Remember, whatever the outcome, the effort and practice you put in will always be valuable. Try to focus on the positives and just keep swimming! Every setback is simply a step closer to success.
And of course, our teachers will provide guidance and encouragement to support you along the way. You’ll also be in a class of peers experiencing similar setbacks or their own challenges, so you won’t be alone. At Kingswim, we’re all in this together.
Start your goal-orientated swim journey with Kingswim
Whatever you want to achieve, setting meaningful SMART goals can help you improve. Tracking your progress and celebrating all of your wins will also help you to stay motivated even if you hit a few setbacks. Practice makes perfect!
Ready to start setting your goals? Think about the areas you want to improve or new things you’d like to learn.
We support all of our swimmers to achieve their goals through expert coaching and a supportive community.
Find a location near you and contact us to get started.
