My coach today told me that cooling down at the end of practice was not good for the body. He said it could rip muscles that were just worked. I have always been taught that the cool down was important, especially after working hard and getting the heart rate up.
Keep in mind that this is an USA-S practice and those I'm swimming with are teenagers.
I'm curious what others think?
Yes, thanks for the link! I had no idea it took 20-25 minutes to clear lactate from the system after a sprint. So, in our local swim meets that are over in 2-21/2 hours, I would have to swim constantly, if I planned on swimming the maximum events (including relays) allowed and be at my best! :afraid:
I hope coach Marc has a very good reason for his theory, with clinical test results to back him up. Otherwise, his position is unsupportable and possibly dangerous.
Thanks for the link. That was very interesting! Based on this I would think the vast majority of swimmers aren't swimming a long enough warmdown after their races. 10 minutes seems like the minimum for distance swimmers and up to almost 30 minutes for sprinters. It also verifies something I've noticed: I don't need as much recovery after a long race like a 1500.
So, what ever happened with this idea? Any clarification this week? Curious minds want to know :)
Sorry, I haven't had a chance to talk to him yet. I should on Monday.
Former Member
I was at a clinic last year and a reknowned coach said that cooldown did nothing more for athletes vs those that did not cool down...
(please don't go after ME I'm just reporting what was said)
He said that the kids that stretched for 10-20 minutes before bed however did show better improvement on swim times during the study.
Personally I don't care about stas and figures. I just enjoy a good 300 (usually broken into 50's) at the end of the "hard" part of the workout...I think for me it is more the mentally relaxing and the not "testing" myself partof it that I like...it sets me up for the day.
:2cents:
I was at a clinic last year and a reknowned coach said that cooldown did nothing more for athletes vs those that did not cool down...
(please don't go after ME I'm just reporting what was said)
I have often thought that the benefits (during training, not meets) of warm down are overstated. That's not the same as saying it is harmful, tho.
Former Member
I have often thought that the benefits (during training, not meets) of warm down are overstated. That's not the same as saying it is harmful, tho.
I guess I was posting in conversation to the heart rate calming type post concerning cooldown etc.
I don't even think it (cooldown causing injury) has much face value logic to it without even delving into science but I could be wrong.
Now, static stretching before exercise I think could definitely cause an injury and has some face value logic, e.g. you're cold.
Never had any c/d during my AG and HS swimming, unless you count all the screwinig around in the locker room after practice as c/d. This was BG, so your eyes were burning out of your head and needed cool down. Had a small c/d pool in college, but it was really too small to be useful during meets. Our coach did have us c/d after practices, so this was first time I encounterd a c/d concept after swimming.
At this point in my life, I like to c/d for about a 200 after finishing, as others have said just working on glide and DPS at an easy pace feels great. If I've just finished sets with board, fins or paddles, the c/d gives me a chance to feel the water after and without use of the training toys, which seems important to me, cause there is a big change in feeling.
Also, if I've been swimming all fr, it's a chance swim at least a couple of 50s or so of bk and br. Maybe at some point i'll even feel comfortable swimming easy stretching fly for c/d.
I've read strength training tri recommendations for w/u and c/d before dry land excercise/lifting sessions using a bike or tread mill - like 10 to 20 min on either as i recall - before you start and after you finish. This seems like a good idea.
My $.02
