Warm-up is essential, if for no other reason than to limit your chances of injury. Jumping into that cold pool and swimming until your heart rate increases and your body temperature rises will reduce the chance for muscle and tendon injuries.

 

 

• Warming up helps the body to deliver oxygen to the exercising muscle groups.

• Increasing body temperature reduces the chance for muscle and tendon injuries.

• A proper warm-up increases blood flow. A greater level of blood reaching the muscles involved in the activity aids in the delivery of the important fuels (e.g., glucose and free fatty acids) required for energy production.

• Warming up increases the suppleness of the muscle, thereby enhancing the mechanical efficiency and power of the muscles.

• Warming up helps to ensure that the cardiovascular system (heart and blood vessels) is given time to adjust to the body’s increased demands for blood and oxygen.

• A good warm-up swim should be vigorous enough to heat-up the body, but not so strenuous that you are tired before stepping up on the block! Swimmers want to feel ready to race. Loose. Not tired like after a difficult workout.