Here's the thing. I always swim my best times at the end of practice or at the end of a set. I don't deliberately hold out (maybe in a set but not in a practice as a whole). If I am doing a set of 10 x 50 free sprint, I always descend the set and usually in 1 second intervals. So if I did the final 50 in 27 the previous one would have been in 28 and the one before in 29, etc. In fact it is almost as if I have to go through the whole progression to get to my best times. I find it very difficult to just dive in and do a good time.
What should I do at a meet? I don't know what the situation is going to be with warm up pools etc. I know I would want to do at least a 500m slow warm up and then, at least, 5 - 7 fast 50's getting my time down as low as possible (without burning myself out) on the last few. I don't know if this is going to be possible though.
What does everyone else do for a race day warm up?
Syd
Parents
Former Member
Warmups - I would say do a swim of 10 minutes starting slowly and pick your pace up to a point that you are going at a nice clip. A few 50s at decendig times almost to the time you intend to do your race.
Just don't kill yourself before the race.
Now if I was going to race I would first have a warm shower.
I would do no more than a total of 500m for the total warmup in the pool starting slowly and almost get to a race pace in 300m then 4 fairly brisk 50s. I would put on some warm sweat suit thing, stay out of the wind if an outdoor swim and keep warm.
Good luck in your swim.
That's sounds like very sensible advice George. You know, when I used to swim as a kid, we never warmed up. We just used to dive into the pool and do our event. Sounds crazy doesn't it!
I am hoping that the warm up pool is going to be available at all times to allow me to swim almost to the time of racing. I have no idea what the situation will be.
My father always used to tell me as a kid not to have a hot bath before a race as it would make you sleepy and draw away energy. However, I have seen swimmers relaxing in the hot tub before training.
Syd
Warmups - I would say do a swim of 10 minutes starting slowly and pick your pace up to a point that you are going at a nice clip. A few 50s at decendig times almost to the time you intend to do your race.
Just don't kill yourself before the race.
Now if I was going to race I would first have a warm shower.
I would do no more than a total of 500m for the total warmup in the pool starting slowly and almost get to a race pace in 300m then 4 fairly brisk 50s. I would put on some warm sweat suit thing, stay out of the wind if an outdoor swim and keep warm.
Good luck in your swim.
That's sounds like very sensible advice George. You know, when I used to swim as a kid, we never warmed up. We just used to dive into the pool and do our event. Sounds crazy doesn't it!
I am hoping that the warm up pool is going to be available at all times to allow me to swim almost to the time of racing. I have no idea what the situation will be.
My father always used to tell me as a kid not to have a hot bath before a race as it would make you sleepy and draw away energy. However, I have seen swimmers relaxing in the hot tub before training.
Syd
