The Reality of Reality TV
It’s getting to that time of year again when the TV channels start rolling out the behemoths of programmes to keep us tied in over the winter months. Thus we are subjected to endless episodes of minor celebrities attempting to do something which is patently beyond them. Comedians attempt to be singers, singers attempt to be dancers, dancers attempt to be cooks and pretty soon no doubt we’ll have cooks attempting to become comedians. In recent years we have seen low-level celebrities having a go at anything from diving, to ski jumping to gymnastics, ice skating, designing, quizzing, driving, hunting antiques, being hunted by others, running businesses, even just watching TV. There seems to be no limit on what they can’t do, nor on our appetite for watching them not do it.
Oh for the good old days when folks had a talent, showed up, did their talent, got a round of applause for their talent and got off again. No-one went on “a journey”, we didn’t have to learn about their bullied childhood and they didn’t get judged by a panel of people who we knew couldn’t do what had just been done either and were therefore completely unqualified to talk about it.
Distant memories, sad to say. Now the world wants instant fame and fortune to create a career where they are adored by one and all, or at least kick-start a career which is already fading and flagging. It doesn’t seem to occur to any of them that, with a few notable exceptions, long-term success remains as elusive as ever.
The programme formats rarely allow the time for them to put in the hard slog of basic practice. But this is essential. Magicians don’t just rock up at TV studios and casually make people disappear without a great deal of preparation and practice. Cabinets with secret hidey-holes have to be designed and built, bendy and usually beautiful assistants have to be hired (sometimes a second identical one), costumes bought, patter written and distracting hankies waved about before a performance can be deemed to be perfected. Yet time and again this fundamental truth is ignored or forgotten in the race for ratings and advertising revenue
Perhaps surprisingly, one of the few areas not yet subjected to a serious celebrity makeover series is that of swimming. If the TV executives do eventually try it though they will find that the same principles for achieving success apply It’s no good just turning up at an Olympic pool with your trunks and expecting a podium finish immediately. Olympic medals aren’t won on the days of the competition; they are won in deserted echoing pools and empty gyms at 6 am on freezing February mornings when most of the world is still in bed. It is here that the bedrock of the skills and movement patterns are laid down. Hard graft and long repetitions provide the fundamental core from which ultimate glory can be obtained. One can never over-practice these skills and to return periodically to the basics of the stroke is never time wasted
Most of us, of course, don’t need to go to such extremes when training for our own goals. Nevertheless, preparation and a willingness to bring attention to the less glamorous aspects of swimming will always pay dividends. Recognition and understanding of how the body works will always provide greater insight into one's own performance and from this base, the path for future development can become clear.. For example, it might become apparent that success in one area will be difficult to achieve without control over another. The magician can frantically wave his hanky all he likes; if his assistant is too tubby to get through the trap door he’s never going to distract his audience enough to pull off his trick.
Similarly, if you aren’t hitting a perfect Streamline position, for example, any attempts at a decent catch are always going to be futile. Focus and dedication to mastering the basics are always going to be the quickest route to our own little piece of glory. But in order to get there it may be necessary to spend hours and hours imprinting movement patterns which are unfamiliar and seemingly elusive. It may not be the most exciting part of your swimming and it will probably be necessary to introduce variations in the methodology used to prevent boredom from setting in but the rewards in the end will always be more long-lasting and satisfying than any “quick fix”. You may not achieve overnight success, however, your ultimate reward will be skills and talents which can be relied on for years to come.