I've been doing masters for about a year and a half now and was thinking of MAYBE doing a meet or two this season. I was wondering if anyone could provide suggestions regarding a pre-meet warmup routine. What do you do, and why? Do you always do the same pre-meet warmup? What works, and what does not work for you? How long, realistically, should one allow for warmup? I am mainly looking for examples of routines that I could tweak for my own purposes. (I'll probably do short distance events, like 50 free and 100 free, as well as one or two stroke events and/or IM. In other words, NO distance events for me.) :bolt:
I always warm up at least 1200 yards before meets, similarly to what I'd do for practice: some swimming, some pulling, some stroke work, drills, kicking, etc. Then I swim a few sprints off the blocks.
Keep in mind that its important to familiarize yourself with the walls, touchpads and blocks at that pool. I'll also check the heat sheets to see which lanes I'm swimming in and make sure there's nothing weird about them that might cause a problem. Sometimes lane markers on the bottom of the pool can be funny due to depth changes, or there's an underwater light that shines in your eyes or something. I want this stuff to be as familiar as possible.
I always follow the same routine,familiarity helps bind anxiety and improve focus.I swim the same warm up I do before a workout,which is 600 yd.Then I do a race pace 25(off the blocks if allowed)Then I do a cool down of about 300 yd until I feel really loose.I start this about 2 hr before my first swim.Then I go and meditate and visualize my race for about 30 min.Then depending how I feel I'll either rest or socialize with friends,teammates,or rivals(who are all friends.) 30 min before I swim I will start walking around and bouncing to warm up again(I don't like to be wet before a race,if you do I recommend you do some slow swimming until right before your event is called.)(In the recent tech suit era,most of that second warm up consisted of putting on the suit.)
Salty,
The meet warm up I usually do is 5 4 3 2 1, the one Eddie Reese had us do.
500 fr
400 im dr
300 fr pull
200 k
100 done as 4 x 25
odds: half lap fast
evens: build
followed by 2 or 3 fast 25 with an easy 75 between each
also if you've been sitting around more than an hour or two at a meet with out swimming
it's a good idea to get in around 20 - 40 minutes before your race and loosen up again
Plus if you never swam in the competition pool before, it's a good idea to swim in it before the meet to get used to the walls & turning on them. Becasue they will be different from where you train.
The general rule is swim around in warm up till you feel pretty good.
I suggest you do a practice meet then go to Zones.
Or if you're going to Nationals, do zones then Nationals.
Ande
I've been doing masters for about a year and a half now and was thinking of MAYBE doing a meet or two this season. I was wondering if anyone could provide suggestions regarding a pre-meet warmup routine.
What do you do, and why?
Do you always do the same pre-meet warmup?
What works, and what does not work for you?
How long, realistically, should one allow for warmup?
I am mainly looking for examples of routines that I could tweak for my own purposes. (I'll probably do short distance events, like 50 free and 100 free, as well as one or two stroke events and/or IM. In other words, NO distance events for me.) :bolt:
... suggestions regarding a pre-meet warmup routine. What do you do, and why? Do you always do the same pre-meet warmup? What works, and what does not work for you? How long, realistically, should one allow for warmup?
To avoid as much crowd as possible, I try to be first or nearly first in the pool. To date I only swim longer freestyle and backstroke events, no *** or fly.
300 EZ free. Purpose is to loosen up, find out how it feels to swim in this pool, find out how do I feel today, and get a good look at the walls. Long strokes, very low stroke count. If I need more, it may turn into 400 or 500.
300 EZ back. Same deal.
3-5 50s free, for calibration. For pacing, not fast. Find a clock, pick a target time (e.g. 31 for SCY or 35 for SCM), and hit that time from a push 3 or 4 times. How does it feel to swim that fast, in this pool, today? How many strokes per length? Maybe do one or two backstroke.
I like to get in the pool maybe an hour before the meet starts, and get out half an hour before. Then I put on a warm pullover and slippers to stay warm.
This seems to work ok for me, though I'm sure it could be improved. I do not take practice starts or do sprint 25s.
USMS rules expressly outlaw paddles in warm-up, see below. I recall a George Carlin routine where, after giving the "No running with scissors" rule some thought, he decided "Damn, dad, good rule!" Warm-up at most of the meets I attend is usually very crowded, and paddles would only add to the mayhem.
Thanks, I did not know that. As an age grouper, college swimmer we always warmed up with them. I can deal with a buoy only.:)
I like to get in around 1000-1200 yards with a bunch of drills mixed in that yardage. Then 4-6 starts of the blocks followed by 100EZ. If I start to feel fast and smooth quickly I may cut it down to around 800 yards. It also depends on what I am swimming.
I love to pull and like Lump it loosens me up too. However many meets won't allow "toys" during warmup.
I do much like those above. I like to do between 1000-1500 depending on what I'm swimming. More if I'm doing distance events because I will do some pace 100's. I try to get away with doing some pulling with paddles if I can...last time I got stopped a few laps into my 400 pull and told I couldn't use paddles in warmup due to the number of people (mind you I had one other person in my lane, oh well). The pulling helps loosen my shoulders up.
I like to get in around 1000-1200 yards with a bunch of drills mixed in that yardage. Then 4-6 starts of the blocks followed by 100EZ. If I start to feel fast and smooth quickly I may cut it down to around 800 yards. It also depends on what I am swimming.
I love to pull and like Lump it loosens me up too. However many meets won't allow "toys" during warmup.
USMS rules expressly outlaw paddles in warm-up, see below. I recall a George Carlin routine where, after giving the "No running with scissors" rule some thought, he decided "Damn, dad, good rule!" Warm-up at most of the meets I attend is usually very crowded, and paddles would only add to the mayhem.
102.4 Warm-up/Warm-down
102.4.1 Availability—If there is no other warm-up/warm-down area available in
pools of five lanes or more, one lane shall be set aside for warm-up/warmdown
during the conduct of the meet. If there is no other warm-up/warmdown
area available in pools of four or fewer lanes, swimmers shall be
allowed to swim to the other end of the pool at the end of each heat, and
a warm-up/warm-down period shall be offered at least once during each
half-hour of competition.
102.4.2 Procedure—Swimmers must enter the pool feet first in a cautious and
controlled manner. Diving shall be permitted only in the designated lanes.
No hand paddles are allowed.
I do much like those above. I like to do between 1000-1500 depending on what I'm swimming. More if I'm doing distance events because I will do some pace 100's. I try to get away with doing some pulling with paddles if I can...last time I got stopped a few laps into my 400 pull and told I couldn't use paddles in warmup due to the number of people (mind you I had one other person in my lane, oh well). The pulling helps loosen my shoulders up.
I like to get in around 1000-1200 yards with a bunch of drills mixed in that yardage. Then 4-6 starts of the blocks followed by 100EZ. If I start to feel fast and smooth quickly I may cut it down to around 800 yards. It also depends on what I am swimming.
I love to pull and like Lump it loosens me up too. However many meets won't allow "toys" during warmup.
4-6 starts seems excessive to me.It would risk losing leg spring for me.Also,if you are doing starts 100EZ seems too short to loosen up from the effort.
