Importance of Swim Meet Warm-ups

Importance of Swim Meet Warm-ups

1. TEAM UNITY

Please have your swimmers on deck and ready to warm up in their team suits and team caps 10 minutes prior to the start of warm-ups. It is important that swimmers are on time so that we can get in and warm up as a team. Being late disrupts the warm-up procedures and it is not fair to your swimmer, their teammates, their coaches and other teams. Immediately after warm-ups, we have a team meeting to get everyone situated, talk about any important issues and do a team cheer.

2. PHYSICAL PREPARATION

Proper warm-up is essential for maximum performance. A swimmer’s body needs to be prepared for the physical demands of competition. Warm-up increases blood flow and muscle temperature which in turn allows more blood and oxygen be released to your muscles, which means better performance. Warm-up is also plays an important role in injury prevention. Racing without warming up places stress on the body and can lead to injuries.

3. MENTAL PREPARATION

Swimming a good race also requires mental preparation. Getting to the pool early is the key to being prepared. It takes the guess work out of arriving. They have time to find the locker rooms, get changed, find their coaches and teammates and be prepared for the start of warm-up. A swimmer needs to acclimate to their environment. This includes getting to know the pool to ensure good starts and turns, acclimating to the water temperature, and having time to mentally prepare for their races. A relaxed, prepared swimmer will perform better.

Coach Marianne Countryman