A look into how to prepare for a swim meet / race

February 1, 2023

RACE PREP

Preparing for a swim meet can be overwhelming, especially if it's your first time competing. But with a little planning and some helpful tips, you can make sure you're ready to swim your best on race day.

Here's what you need to know:

Eat well the day before the meet.

The day before the meet is not the time to try out a new food or eat a huge meal. Stick to foods that you know agree with your stomach and that will give you energy. Good options include:

Complex carbohydrates such as whole grains, pasta, and rice
Lean proteins such as chicken, turkey, and fish
Fruits and vegetables
Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

Eat and drink on race day.

On the day of the meet, make sure to fuel your body with the energy it needs to perform at its best. Eat a light breakfast a couple of hours before your first race, and try to include some carbohydrates and protein. You can also bring snacks to eat between races, such as a banana or energy bar.

About 20-30 minutes before your race, you can consume some food fuel to give you an extra energy boost. Just make sure not to eat too much or too close to your race, as this can lead to stomach discomfort.

Remember to keep hydrated throughout the day by drinking water or sports drinks. Avoid sugary drinks, as they can cause a sugar crash and affect your performance.

A swimmer's race warm-up in the water should be focused on preparing the body and mind for the race ahead. This typically involves a combination of skill activation and light cardiovascular exercise to get the heart rate up.

Some specific things a swimmer might do in their race warm-up in the water include:

Swimming easy laps at a moderate pace to loosen up and get the body moving
Incorporating drills such as kick sets or pull sets to focus on specific strokes or techniques
Doing short sprints or bursts of speed to get the heart rate up and increase blood flow to the muscles
Practicing starts or turns to get a feel for the timing and technique needed in the race

I.e. For a swimmers warm-up (skill activation) 50/100fc (15minutes)

200m Mix (Work on underwaters and DPS)

6x50’s Drill (swim into walls increase intensity throughout)

6x25’s Speed Play (Pulse raiser, race turnover, speed drills i.e. connects)

Dives – 25,20,15 MAX EASY SPEED ( Starts, reactions, easy speed)

100 easy (loosen up)

I.e. For a swimmers warm-up (skill activation) 200fc

2-300m Mix (Work on underwaters and DPS)

4-6x50’s Drill (swim into walls increase intensity throughout)

6x50s progress in pairs 2 @70% 2 @ 80% 2 @ 90”(Pulse raiser, race turnover)

Dives – 2x25, MAX EASY SPEED ( Starts, reactions, easy speed)

100 easy (loosen up)

In your swim warm-up, focus on incorporating swim-specific skill activation to get yourself in the right frame of mind for your race. Make sure to start with extra underwater work, including an extra kick, to engage the muscles you will be using in your race. As you do this, be mindful of your range of motion and try to perform strokes that are specific to your race without overdoing it and getting fatigued.

It's important to keep the warm-up light and focused, as pushing too hard can lead to fatigue and negatively impact performance.

Warm up with a quick fire routine and swim-specific skill activation.

Before your race, it's important to warm up your muscles to get them ready for action. Try a quick fire routine that includes exercises such as:

5x hip rotates
5x hip kicks
5x lunges
5x squats
5x press-ups

Do these exercises for 10-20 minutes before your race to activate your muscles. You can also try some range of movement patterns, such as:

3x3 thread the needle
3x3 shoulder reach overs
3x4 hip flexors

These exercises will help loosen up your muscles and get your body ready for the race.

Get a good night's sleep.

Make sure you get a good night's sleep the night before the meet. Aim for at least 8 hours of sleep to give your body the rest it needs to perform at its best.

Stay calm and focused.

Swimming can be a nerve-wracking experience, especially if you're competing for the first time. But try to stay calm and focused on the task at hand. Visualize yourself swimming a great race, and remind yourself that you have trained hard and are ready to do your best.