warmups

[lincoln]

I've just started coaching age group swimmers, and warm ups seem really boring, 20 lengths free, 10 back, etc... Do swimmers have to warm up on full stroke or can I build drills into the warm up? This seems to be a far more effective use of the time, and they are still warming up. Can I have some expert advice please?

[BigFish]

Personally, I consider warm ups and swim downs to be the perfect time for drill work.

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David Cuthbert (www.dartes.co.uk)
news@DaveC.org.uk

[Steve]

I agree with Dave - definitely include drills in warm-up & swim-down

We always uesd to do a 1000m warm-up made up of 200's of swim, kick, pull, drill and swim, depending on the length of the session.

Steve

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http://www.pullbuoy.co.uk (http://www.pullbuoy.co.uk/)
the UK swimming site

[mammamedley]

Sorry I've been so quiet - had flu!

Don't know about you guys but some Age Groupers dive in and go mad in their warmups, some fiddle, some get in and out,its funny to watch!
Drills are a great way to slow them down and to think about what they are doing. However some drills are not designed to get the heart rate up so I suggest to progress from stroke drills to something more energetic!
I like im warmups but then I am biased! I hate short repeats in a warm-up as I get cold! With kids I think you HAVE to tell them which drills to swim otherwise all they do is their favourite and fastest drill!
For kids make it as interesting as possible and be sure that every metre and turn and finish counts!

Is there a spellcheck for this?????!!!!!!!

[lincoln]

I'm so glad I found this site! These replies so far have been really helpful - you've given me the confidence to go in and change things for the kids' sake, although I dare say I'll meet with opposition from some of those who are, shall we say, set in their ways. I'm glad that one of you mentioned doing IMs because our kids never seem to do fly in warmups and that's something else I wanted to change!

[BigFish]

I'm not so sure that starting a warm up with <EM>full stroke</EM> fly is a good thing. Personally, I prefer a longish frontcrawl swim (200m+) before doing anything else.

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David Cuthbert (www.dartes.co.uk)
news@DaveC.org.uk

[Steve]

Originally posted by BigFish:
I'm not so sure that starting a warm up with <EM>full stroke</EM> fly is a good thing.


Intersting you should say that - many years ago, as an impressionable youngster http://www.swimclub.co.uk/ubb/wink.gif a coach told me that the better swimmers in the club always dived in at the start of a session and did a few strokes fly to loosen their shoulders before getting on and swimming the warm up . Even then I thought it was a bad idea...besides if you stretch properly prior to swimming, you don't need to loosen your shoulders!


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http://www.pullbuoy.co.uk (http://www.pullbuoy.co.uk/)
the UK swimming site

[This message has been edited by Steve Buckley (edited 06 April 2001).]

[lincoln]

I certainly wouldn't plan to introduce butterfly too early in the warm up. In fact I am planning to include a couple of lengths after free, back, breast warmup. The tutor on our teacher's course advocated 'breaststroke before fly', because breaststroke more gently stretches the main groups of muscles involved in fly, and allows the spine to flex gently in preparation for fly, so I would follow this advice. At present only a small part of any training session (be it teaching or coaching) is concentrated on fly and that shows through in competition results, so anything extra must be good!

[mammamedley]

One of my favourite drills at the moment is doing a few strokes fly and then follow with a few strokes breast. I love it and feels so good! At my age and size it helps to get the fly in without letting the stroke go! I can always do this by the end of the warm-up.
I think I saw this on the TI video, can't remember!!! (its my age!!!)

[Ladycoach]

Just found this site so sorry I'm so far behind everyone.
I think warmups need to be about the most interesting part of the session as they set the tone for the rest of the work you want to do and stimulate the swimmers brains into action. The warmup is no place for braindead repetition.
As for butterfly drills -single arm, fc pull fly kick1:1 and diving drills are all ok in the warm up

[This message has been edited by Ladycoach (edited 26 September 2001).]

[Unfit]

on the subject of warmups - i have just started coaching some swimmers who just love using their fins and hand paddles. so much so that when i say that swim down is 100 f/c 100 own choice they all immediately put their fins on! i told them not to use them in a swim down. what is everyone's views on using paddles and fins in warm ups and swim downs?

[Bazza]

Originally posted by Steve Buckley
Interesting you should say that - many years ago, as an impressionable youngster a coach told me that the better swimmers in the club always dived in at the start of a session and did a few strokes fly to loosen their shoulders before getting on and swimming the warm up.

Who was this Steve?

In response to the last post, fins aren't a bad idea in the warm up, though it depends what you're trying to achieve. Generally we have the option to wear fins when warming up for a large part of the season. Not quite so sure about paddles though. Maybe on a swim down, but not warming up.