How To Take Responsibility For Your Pre-Race Routine

Photo Courtesy: Christopher Hanewinckel-USA TODAY Sports

By Ailish Dougherty, Swimming World College Intern.

Every swimmer has heard the words “Go warm yourself up!” at any given meet at least once in their careers. And every swimmer has probably felt the ensuing dread that comes when having to figure out how to properly get themselves ready to race fast. Every swimmer has asked themselves after meet warmup, “Have I done enough?” Every swimmer has asked themselves, “Have I done too much?”

It is often difficult to strike the perfect balance between warming up too much before a race, and not warming up enough. Doubts surface, swimmers overthink their pre-race rituals, and “do what works for you” seems like a mystifying command. How can a young swimmer figure out how to take responsibility for their pre-race routine?

Benefits of Meet Warmup

First of all, understanding the benefits of a thorough and focused meet warmup are imperative. Warming up before a race gets blood pumping, oxygen flowing to our muscles, and raises our core body temperature. It also increases our lung capacity and makes us less prone to injury.

In addition, having a tried and true plan can help a swimmer feel much more confident about their preparation heading into a big race. Feeling soreness and stiffness wear off during a smooth warmup swim can be an amazing feeling, giving a swimmer that positive mindset they need to swim fast.

Setting a pace during warmup can also be beneficial, as it gives an athlete a feel for the speed, tempo, and breathing pattern they will use in their race. Also, knowing that you can swim a few goal pace 50s and feel good and loose can also build confidence pre-competition.

As swimmers age, and are granted more freedom in their pre-race routine, trial and error during the warm-up process should be a priority. Evaluating post-race outcomes and how their warmup may have contributed is crucial, as is considering how it could be improved.

Photo Courtesy: Annie Grevers

Suggestions: What to Do

There are many variations of the tried and true meet warmup. Coach Dave Salo of USC suggests implementing an identical warmup at every practice and meet, so as to provide the swimmer with a familiarized ritual that conditions the body to swim fast. As he says in his 1993 book Swim Salo, “each training session [is] a rehearsal for the eventual sanctioned competition. By performing the same warmup on a regular basis, the swimmer begins to get a sense of when they are ready to put out a maximal effort.”

Salo’s simple, effective warmup cycle consists of a 400, 4x100s, and 4x50s. Each segment can be modified according to what the swimmer will be racing later in the day, but the general routine is the same.

Texas-based team The Woodlands sets out a generalized meet warmup for their swimmers as well, consisting of:

1 x 400: FR @ 6:00

8 x 50: k/d, d/s @ 50/55

6 x 100: 3 FR 3 IM descend 1-3 @ 1:30 (10 & U only 3 FR)

1 x 150: BK (5/6/7 uwk by 50) @ 2:30/3:00

8 x 25: RC choice @ .30/.35

1 x 100: easy.

Other coach’s picks include a set of 4x200s (2 kick, 2 swim, alternating IM and freestyle), followed by 8x50s choice build and 8x25s variable sprint (used at Friends’ Central Aquatics). Spin drill and other drills have also been proven helpful, including backstroke to open up chest and shoulders. Starts to test out the blocks and work on explosive power are usually a must.

But what about when the warmup pool is just too crowded, or the air quality is below average? Dynamic land workouts work well to raise core temperature and loosen muscles. For example, Messiah College sprinter Katie Wingert likes jumping rope, doing jumping jacks, balance exercises, TheraBand work, or shoulder calisthenics on land to get prepped for a race, or even just to get loose before hopping in for a quick warmup swim. These all function to prevent injury as well as get heart rate up.

These options are a good start for swimmers feeling lost in their pre-race preparation to start looking for strategies to get the most out of their warmup.

Photo Courtesy: AP Photo/Elaine Thompson

What Not to Do: Things to Avoid

Giving young swimmers a set warmup ensures that they will learn to warm their bodies up properly and responsibly. However, it is important to note that not every swimmer needs the same thing. For example, distance swimmers and sprinters differ in their pre-race needs. Warming up less than 500 yards may work for a sprint event, but distance swimmers need more time and pace work to make sure they are ready to tackle a long race.

Furthermore, warmup shouldn’t feel like a practice. When an entire team is the last to exit the water at the end of team-wide meet warmup, looking tired and frustrated, chances are some of them have done too much. It might very well end up hurting them during their races.

In the same vein, if you are feeling amazing during warmup and surprising yourself with your pace times, don’t get lured into doing too many yards and taxing yourself before you even get to the race. Stay focused, know your limits, and stop once you feel loose and ready to go.

Lastly, there are arguments to be made for and against a nice long hot shower before racing – surely this raises body temperature and loosens muscles! But former Calvin College swimmer Kristen Kinzer has noticed it can make you “too relaxed and zapped of energy.”

All commentaries are the opinion of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Swimming World Magazine nor its staff.

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