I'm a newbie, to swimming for fitness, but not to general working out.
I'm puzzled about how to make sure my aging bod is set for a good workout in the pool. I've always been under the impression that stretching cold muscles is not very productive, but I also don't think it's wise to drive to the pool, change, and hop straight in the pool and start doing laps.
Do you stretch before you get in the pool (or er, intend to, anyway, most times lol?). Or does a hot tub do any good before a swim workout?
It occurs to me that I'm beginning my swim workout "cold," and that it is maybe impeding my progress.
I think a lot of people out there swim too hard in their warm up or push the set distances too long.
Great point! I think it is a lot easier for a beginner to "push too hard," too. What would be a warmup for another swimmer is, when you're still starting out, fairly challenging. I also think doing some landbased movement will let me focus on doing better technique, being able to focus more on my strokes and counts and so on, because my body should already be ready for swimming movement.
Thanks, Solarizing. This reminds me that while the parking around my swim center is great, I COULD certainly park a bit farther away (it is a college campus swim center) and use a short walk as part of the warmup. It sure seems right to me, that improvements in swimming come from ... swimming! I have felt how specific to swimming, endurance and technique are! I have always enjoyed some kind of athletic movement (well, at least since college when I kind of "discovered" sports I can love), but swimming can be pretty humbling haha.
Walking before a swim is a great way to get warmed up! How about trying some arm circles and streamlines with your arms while you walk? As long as you have the space to do it without clobbering somebody :afraid:, it would provide additional loosening up of your arms and shoulders.
I guess I don't understand the need to do other types of stretching before a workout. Just start your swimming workout with a good 15-20 minute warmup. To me it seems like actual swimming is the best warmup for harder swimming. If you have limited pool time available it makes sense to do some dry land warmup, otherwise I'd skip it and just get right into the pool.
I've never tried any type of drylands before a meet and only a handful of times before practice, so I don't have an opinion, except: do whatever turns you on. W/ups may not have the same impact from one person to another.
I do know that whenever I first start swimming, as I reach about 100 yards, I start to tighten up and feel like I'm struggling, until I reach about 150 yards, and then I begin to loosen up. This does not happen between sets or events after I've warmed up; it only seems to occur when I first start to swim. I believe it is my body adjusting oxygen intake to lactic acid production, as I move from the initial anaerobic energy zone and into the aerobic zone. Swimming over 200 yards in a warm up is therefore important for me.
I also like to get in 600+ yards for warn up at meets and swim some fast 25s or 50s. Our team practices usually assign 1,000 to 1,500 in various sets or rarely straight - that 's plenty for me.
I think getting warmed up affects how my body uses oxygen.
I think it does too. Most of my workouts are done in the afternoon after I leave work. I swim with a kids team and they start at 4:00. I can't get there till 4:30, so I miss the proper warmup. I try to start out easy, but sometimes it's difficult due to the set the team is in the middle of when I join. I find that if I just get in and start swimming full speed it really affects me for the rest of the workout. I get gassed and never feel quite right.
I do know that whenever I first start swimming, as I reach about 100 yards, I start to tighten up and feel like I'm struggling, until I reach about 150 yards, and then I begin to loosen up. This does not happen between sets or events after I've warmed up; it only seems to occur when I first start to swim. I believe it is my body adjusting oxygen intake to lactic acid production, as I move from the initial anaerobic energy zone and into the aerobic zone. Swimming over 200 yards in a warm up is therefore important for me.
YES! I noticed this phenomenon in my own life, while running distance. I'd feel pretty crummy right near the start of a run, but then I'd keep going and realize I was feeling pretty good.
I agree that for each individual, these things will probably vary.
Thanks for your thoughts!
My warm up before my warm up is always meditation. Usually for 10-15 mins. It's key to focus and relax. You can take a class online (hackself.org) or in person (tm.org). Just be consistent. It's pretty amazing.
