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Current warm-up practices and contemporary issues faced by elite swimming coaches

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-20, 21:48 authored by Courtney McGowan, Pyne, DB, Raglin, JS, Thompson, KG, Rattray, B
A better understanding of current swimming warm-up strategies is needed to improve their effectiveness. The purpose of this study was to describe current precompetition warm-up practices and identify contemporary issues faced by elite swimming coaches during competition. Forty-six state-international level swimming coaches provided information through a questionnaire on their prescription of volume, intensity, and recovery within their pool and dryland-based competition warm-ups, and challenges faced during the final stages of event preparation. Coaches identified four key objectives of the precompetition warm-up: physiological (elevate body temperature and increase muscle activation), kinesthetic (tactile preparation, increase "feel" of the water), tactical (race-pace rehearsal), and mental (improve focus, reduce anxiety). Pool warm-up volume ranged from ∼1300 to 2100 m, beginning with 400-1000 m of continuous, low-intensity (∼50-70% of perceived maximal exertion) swimming, followed by 200-600 m of stroke drills and 1-2 sets (100-400 m in length) of increasing intensity (∼60-90%) swimming, concluding with 3-4 race or near race-pace efforts (25-100 m; ∼90-100%) and 100-400 m easy swimming. Dryland-based warm-up exercises, involving stretch cords and skipping, were also commonly prescribed. Coaches preferred swimmers complete their warm-up 20-30 minutes before race start. Lengthy marshalling periods (15-20+ minutes) and the time required to don racing suits (>10 minutes) were identified as complicating issues. Coaches believed that the pool warm-up affords athletes the opportunity to gain a tactile feel for the water and surrounding pool environment. The combination of dryland-based activation exercises followed by pool-based warm-up routines seems to be the preferred approach taken by elite swimming coaches preparing their athletes for competition.

History

Publication title

Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research

Volume

30

Issue

12

Pagination

3471-3480

ISSN

1064-8011

Department/School

School of Health Sciences

Publisher

Alliance Communications Group Division Allen Press

Place of publication

810 East 10Th Street, Lawrence, USA, Ks, 66044

Rights statement

Copyright 2016 National Strength and Conditioning Association

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Organised sports; Sport, exercise and recreation not elsewhere classified

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    University Of Tasmania

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