Warm up procedure for competition

The major portion of the warm up should be a reasonable period of easy swimming. This activity will allow swimmers' oxygen consumption mechanisms to respond faster when the race begins so that they will more quickly reach an optimum level of oxygen consumption. As a result, they should be able to swim farther and faster before becoming fatigued.

Besides increasing blood flow and oxygen consumption, swimmers should include activities in their warm up that wil increase their range of motion, their stroke mechanisms, and their sense of pace. Another purpose is to focus on strategy for the race. Available research and the reported experiences of successful coaches and athlees suggest the following warm up procedures. They include low intensity swimmingto increase blood flow and oxygen consumption as well as activities to increase range of motion and stroke efficiency. Attention is also given to the practice of starts and turns. Finally, they include a physical rehearsal for the race in the form of paced swims.

1. Stretching. Before entering the water, athletes should spend 5 to 10 min doing some flexibility exercises. They should pay particular attention to increasing their range of motion in the joints of their ankles, shoulders, and lower back. Breaststrokers should also stretch their groins and knees.
2. Eay swimming. The next step is to swim easy for 10 to 20 min, at 20% to 40% effort. Swimming, pulling, kicking, and stroke drills that help them rehearse stroke mechanisms should be included during this swim. Athletes should swim until they feel loose, efficient, and powerful. This is a good time for them to rehearse their races mentally. They should plan the pace they intend to use. They should alsi plan any strategies they intend to use and review their procedures for countering defensive strategies their opponents may use. They should see themselves swimming the race properly and successfully. They should concentrate intently, narrowing the focus to the impending race while blocking out factors that may interfere with their goals of performing well.
3. Starts and turns. Swimmers should practice both of these skills at some time early in the warm up. They should also practice relay starts if they are swimming on a relay. They should perform them with proiper streamlining, dolphin kicking if used, and a good pull to the surface. Swimming from the flags into and out of turms is not the best way to practice that skill. The swimmers can learn to adjust their approach for turns while swimming easy early in the warm up. Then they should do their paced swims with good starts and turns.
4. Pace and sprint swims. Next, the athletes should do some paced swims to rehearse the paces they will swim in their races. Distances of 25m are ideal for 50 and 100 races, and swims of 50 to 100m are sufficient to practice their paces for longer events. Stroke rates and stroke counts should be taken during these swims if athletes use those measures to help them in pacing their races. The usual ritual of swimming a few 25 sprints is not necessary. Swimmers should complete all paced and sprint swimming at least 15 min before the first race begins.
5. Maintaining the warm up effect. The suggested procedure is to finish the warm up just before reporting to the starting blocks for the event. The last portion of the warm up should consist of easy swimming. Finishing a warm up just before swimming is not always possible. This is unfortunate because the warm up effect can diminish if an extended time passes after the warm up period ends and the swimmer's first event starts. Therefore, when possible, swimmers should reenter the water for about 5 to 10 min of easy swimming before race time. This activity will prepare them for the race by increasing their bllod flow and oxygen consumption without causing fatigue.