How Much Do You Warm Up Before A Meet?

Thanks to Everyone for all of your Comments. I realize that I need to really experiment and see just how much is too much. I suspect that I will need to do a combination of 1000 swim and then some sprints to get me tired and in race mode. It will be a work in progress but I am looking forward to seeing what works best for me. Rob

... And my 9 year old daughter is entered in her first 500 in a few weeks and her workout group swam a few in practice for time and she did a 7:27. She loves swimming the 500 and is really looking forward to it. So, I am really proud of both of them. That is great. I highly encourage my daughters to swim the longer distance events for a variety of reasons. One main reason is that many kids are afraid of them, so it's a quicker path to "success" relative to peers, time standards, etc. than some of the more crowded sprints. Also, the sheer impressiveness of the time drops kids can have in distance events is wonderful. The smile on my older daughter's face (now 13) when she drops 10 or 20 seconds in one of these races is so much wider than when she drops a second in a 50 ... even if the second in the 50 is probably a more impressive drop on a distance-adjusted basis. Another family-specific reason is that there's never been anyone in the history of Brundages who could sprint in any sport. That may or may not apply to your family. FYI -- 7:27 for a 9 year old in workout is a nice swim.

The smile on my older daughter's face (now 13) when she drops 10 or 20 seconds in one of these races is so much wider than when she drops a second in a 50 ... Another family-specific reason is that there's never been anyone in the history of Brundages who could sprint in any sport. quote] The Brundage 500 Freestylers! Below shot taken shortly after Dad swam a 17:04 in the 1650 while 500 freestyler daughter counted... at the AZ Polar Bear Meet. (sorry, couldn't resist) I wanted to add to the discussion that I have found as a swimmer and coach, masters swimmers generally do not warmup enough. Rarely have swimmers thought through, planned, and then executed a complete warmup. I had a coach who kind of threw his hands up in the air over this fact and took to telling us that we have to practice swimming fast without a decent warmup. Both scenarios are easy to practice. But hopefully you only have to experience racing with a proper warmup session. I like to consider some of the really good swims I have done at the end of a main set in practice. I sure was warmed up for those swims! Also, because I am often coaching and distracted at masters meets, I tend to swim the best at the end of the meet. A race that comes after swimming several events in a day - including warmups and sometimes even a cool down swim or two. I think I am or should be totally exhausted and yet out pops a decent swim...

Jim, I hear ya. Nothing could not be worse than the feeling I had in the race. After the first few laps, I was so exausted I actually started laughing. At least I had a good sense of humor about it. On the other hand, my wife swam the 500 and swam up to her potential. She has only been back in the pool for about 6 months but her splits were at about the right pace for her workout speed. And my 9 year old daughter is entered in her first 500 in a few weeks and her workout group swam a few in practice for time and she did a 7:27. She loves swimming the 500 and is really looking forward to it. So, I am really proud of both of them. Rob

The warmup is easier than disciplining myself to swim down after each event, especially the last event. Especially if the last event is less than a 200. If so, I'm usually gone...:bolt:

I guess it will matter on the age of the swimmer.

I guess it will matter on the age of the swimmer. Don't go using age as an excuse around here again... I hate when masters swimmers do that! (where is that pet peeve thread?)

Don't go using age as an excuse around here again... I hate when masters swimmers do that! (where is that pet peeve thread?) Think it's listed under "pet peeve". :D

The warmup is easier than disciplining myself to swim down after each event, especially the last event.

If you're doing it right, your heart rate slowly goes up in the minutes leading up to the race, due to psychological anticipation. That's really why I think going sans warm-up works. You also get adrenaline, which prepares the body for movement. Butterflies and jitters have never ever in the history of the sporting universe been used as a warm-up technique. That is absolutely the worst advice ever given on this forum, bar none. Thank god no coach out there is telling swimmers to do this. It's a great way to demolish your shoulders should you desire to quit swimming altogether, however.