Increases
body
temperature
Increases
heart
rate
Increases
blood
pressure
Increases
energy
producing
enzyme
activity
What Does Ready Feel Like
by Wayne Goldsmith
Warming
up is
something
all
swimmers
do to
prepare
to
swim
fast.
Why
warm
up?
|
Increases
body
temperature |
|
Increases
heart
rate |
|
Increases
blood
pressure |
|
Increases
energy
producing
enzyme
activity |
As
coaches
we
observe
that
an
effective
warm
up:
|
Increases
confidence
by
giving
swimmers
a
feel
for
the
pool,
the
water
temperature,
wall,
flags,
blocks
and
general
conditions,
(increases
familiarity
with
the
race
conditions). |
|
Increases
race
readiness
through
the
opportunity
to
rehearse
specific
pacing
and
stroking
strategies. |
The
overall
aim
of
warm
up is
to
get
your
mind
and
body "READY"
to
race
fast.
How
many
times
has
your
coach
or
your
swim
team
friends
asked
"So,
are
you
ready?"
But
what
does "READY"
feel
like?
What's
"ready"
for
you
may
not
be
"ready"
for
someone
else.
|
Some
swimmers
like
to
sit
with
friends
and
family,
laughing
and
joking
to
help
them
feel
ready. |
|
Some
swimmers
prefer
to do
just
the
opposite
-
they
need
peace
and
quiet
to
perform
at
their
best. |
|
Others
like
to
listen
to
music,
some
read,
a few
walk,
others
talk,
some
jog
...there
are
many
ways
that
swimmers
prepare
to
get
the
best
out
of
themselves. |
|
The
key
to an
effective
warm
up is
to
know
what
your
own
personal
"READY"
feels
like before
you
get
to a
meet. |
|
It
doesn't
make
sense
to
prepare
for
months,
commit
yourself
to
training
and
working
hard,
eating
the
right
foods
and
so on
then
not
knowing
what
actually
gets
you
"ready
to
race". |
|
One
simple
way
to
learn
what
your
"ready"
is
all
about
is to
write
down
everything
you
can
about
your
race
day
routine.
Simple
things
like
the
quality
and
quantity
of
sleep,
your
breakfast,
your
stretches
and
your
pool
warm
up
can
have
a
real
impact
on
your
racing
performance. |
|
At
your
next
minor
meet
or
local
club
competition,
try
the
"what
ready
feels
like
for
me"
questionnaire.
Fill
it
out
and
then
discuss
the
results
with
your
coach. |
In
this
way,
if
you
swim
well,
you
will
know exactly
what
makes
you
"ready"
and
if
you
don't
swim
well,
you'll
know
what
to do
better
(or
to
avoid)
next
time.
A
few
little
tips
to
help
you
get
ready
on
race
day:
.
1.
The
Swim
Meet
Program
tells
you
only
two
things
- what
lane
you
are
in
and what
race
you
are
in.
All
other
information
is
relatively
unimportant.
Many
swimmers
get
"freaked
out"
when
they
look
in
the
meet
program
and
see
the
entry
times
listed
by
the
other
swimmers.
It
doesn't
matter
who
you
are
racing
or
what
times
they
may
have
claimed
to
have
done,
your
job
is
the
same
-
swim
to
the
best
of
your
ability.
If
Michael
Klim
is on
one
side
of
you
and
Alex
Popov
on
the
other
side,
you
still
have
to
swim
the
same
race
distance,
in
the
same
water,
in a
lane
that
is
the
same
length
and
width.
The
race
credentials
of
other
swimmers
have
no
bearing
on
your
own
swimming
performance.
.
2.
If
you
are
not
ready
to
race,
do
something
about
it before
the
race.
Going
to
your
coach
at
the
end
of
the
day
and
saying
"I
really
wasn't
ready
to
swim
fast"
is
not
an
excuse
for a
poor
performance.
If
you
are
not
ready
- do
something
to
get
ready.
.
3.
Being
ready
is an
individual
thing.
If
you
are
not
feeling
ready
to
swim
fast
and
your
swim
team
friends
are
off
to
the
showers,
don't
go
with
them
just
to be
sociable.
If
you
are
not
ready
to do
your
best,
do
more
warm
up,
or
rest,
or go
for a
jog,
or
skip,
or
eat
something,
or
sleep,
or
talk
to
your
coach
-
just
do
it!
You
can
catch
up on
the
meet
chat
later.
.
4.
Pack
in
your
swim
bag
all
the
things
you
need
to
get
ready
to
race.
If
you
are a
reader,
pack
a few
books.
If
you
like
music,
pack
your
favourite
tapes
or
CD's.
If
you
like
to
sleep,
pack
your
own
pillow.
Take
what
you
need
to
get
the
job
done.
.
5.
Ignore
90%
of
what
you
hear
said
in
the
changerooms
and
marshalling
area.
Every
competitive
swimmer
has
heard
questions
like
"What
time
do
you
do?"
or
"How
many
sessions
a
week
do
you
swim?"
etc
in
the
marshalling
area.
Would
you
like
to
know
a
little
secret?
Most
of it
is
100%
pure
rubbish.
The
swimmers
who
try
this
cheap
attempt
at
"psyching
out"
are
usually
the
ones
who
have
not
prepared
for
the
meet
themselves
and
are
looking
to
make
up
for
their
poor
preparation
by
making
you
feel
less
confident.
Do
not
listen
to
them.
Or
have
a
clever
answer
for
them.
If
you
get
asked
"What's
your
best
time",
answer
"I'll
tell
you
after
this
race".
.
6.
A
good
"get
ready"
trick
if
you
haven't
had
time
to
practice
race
starts
as
part
of
your
pool
warm
up is
to do
a few
dry
starts.
Find
a
clear,
flat
space
(ideally
on
grass)
somewhere
around
the
pool
area
where
you
can
hear
the
starter.
A
good
time
to do
this
is
around
15-20
minutes
before
your
race.
When
the
starter
says
"Take
Your
Marks"
to
the
swimmers
on
the
blocks
about
to
race,
drop
into
your
race
start
position
on
the
grass
and
when
the
gun
(or
horn)
goes,
jump
forward
fast
with
explosive
speed
and
power.
This
is a
great
exercise
to
get
your
brain
and
muscles
firing
and
prepares
you
to
explode
off
the
blocks
when
it is
your
time
to
race.
If
you
want
to
race
real
fast,
And
never
be
the
one
to
come
in
last,
Learn
what
gets
your
body
ready,
And
when
it
counts
you'll
be
the
one
who's
steady!
Learn
how
to
get
ready
to
race.
It is
a
skill
that
will
make
the
difference.