Run I just do easy 10 mins, maybe some high knees and heel kicks thrown in. For Z2 runs I just get going.

I have never done any dry land warm up before swimming - other than when there are some slow swimmers or breaststrokers in the fast lane I like to do a Phelps arm slap to try and scare them off :-)

Swim:

I do some basic shoulder rotations and windmills if i go in cold. If I am already warm, i jump right in and do an easy 200.

Run:

about 10 minutes of high knees, strides, side shuffles, backwards jogging and short sprints. just full range of motion stuff to get the blood flowing...

---

~ Marcus
"The early bird may get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese"

Why would you not warm up in the swim. It makes no sense to me that you would not reserve part of your workout to get your body gradually ready for the main set.

In running, I do 10 min easy, literally startings at walking pace and building up in the final 2 minutes to whatever target pace, I will be doing for my main "set". In swimming, I do the same. It is close to impossible for me to swim with a proper hip and shoulder rotation and strong dorsiflex of the foot and active high elbow catch right out of the gate. It's the same reason why I can't/won't do 100 lb lat pulldowns without starting with a few at 40 lbs first to get the motion and brain firing.

Swimming: I do about ten minutes of dry land mobility work... sometimes more if I have the time... but that's because I'm working hard on improving my shoulder mobility.

Running: I walk for at least two minutes prior to any sort of running.

Run - For easy runs I don't do much. I have a short (maybe 3-4 minutes) warm-up routine that includes mountain climbers, upward and downward dog, and some calf activation but I only do it if I'm feeling especially tight, otherwise I just head right out. If it's a run workout I always start with at least a mile of easy running before the actual workout.

Swim - I avoid the need to warm up by not swimming.

I do some sort of dynamic stretching warm up/mobility work before every workout I do... swim, bike, or run... It just helps me feel ready for the workout and provides some movement that is not sport specific to open up the hips, shoulders, etc.

My specific routine changes based on what is feeling tight from the previous workout, but always includes some sort of arm swing and neck roll, even for the run. I used to get some tightness in my upper back/neck while running, but since warming up my upper body a little pre run, I never do anymore. I also include a lot of leg swings, hip openers, lunges, squats, and other basic mobility work. Less lower body for the swim, but I still do some, more if I had a long run the day before.

My workouts then include a warm up in sport, but I have found the warm up pre swim/bike/run has helped me get into it better and prepare me for the work ahead. To each their own, but I feel like it is a small easy step you can take to reduce injury risk.

Swim - I look at the clock until it becomes 00. At most 59 seconds.

Running - I make sure my shoes are tied. At most 15 seconds.

Generally nothing

---

Dave Campbell | Facebook | @DaveECampbell | h2ofun@h2ofun.net

Boom Nutrition code 19F4Y3 $5 off 24 pack box | Bionic Runner | PowerCranks | Velotron | Spruzzamist

Lions don't lose sleep worrying about the sheep

Run: Leg swings, glute activation (1-leg bridge, or 1-leg standing hip thrust), calf raises.

Swim: Arm swings, scapula engagers (usually grab the starting blocks on the sides from the deck get a flat back and contract the upper back muscles).

I don't stretch...ever, specially now at 44.

Swim warmup is:

4x100y easy, focusing on technique
4x50y fast
2x100, trying to dial in the pace for my workout

My run warmup usually consists of something like the warmup routine from StrengthRunning.com and a brisk 5 min walk.

Some of y'all can't read.



And to answer the question, for running I may do some dynamic stuff like high knees, etc if my watch hasn't gotten GPS signal yet. Otherwise I just start running.

For the swim, if I'm avoiding getting into the water I may do some arm circles just to make it look like I'm not avoiding getting into the water.

does getting a wetsuit on count towards stretching ??

---

RayGovett
Hughson CA
Be Prepared-- Strike Swiftly -- Who Dares Wins- Without warning-"it will be hard. I can do it"

I call BS on this. So you just launch directly into sub 6 miles running, or sub 1:15 100m swim pace. Yeah right! Your post does not reflect reality. Even pro swimmer and runners won't just go directly into faster paces immediately

Run - Pretty much nothing, I just go out easy for the first couple of minutes

Swim - Pretty much nothing, I just go out easy for the first 100 m or so.

Hmm... I guess there's a pattern there :)

---

"...the street finds its own uses for things"

Call B.S. if you like, but I've only swam a 1:15 pace once in my life and that was the NYC tri which has an incredible current. I float at a similar speed as ML. I jump in the pool and my 1'st 100 is usually my fastest of the day. Probably why I'm better at duathlon.

I also don't run 6 miles very often (once since August) and the sub 6 minute/mile pace I think you were trying to refer to is quickly slipping away as I age. But all of my treadmill runs start and finish at a very similar speed.

Now in a race, I guess my 2'nd run would have a bike-ride warm-up.

I've never compared myself to a pro and I never will. What they do and what middle aged working guys do are very different (and should be)

Pre-swim dry land: I walk from the locker room to the pool deck.
Pre-run: before speedwork I do a light jog to the track, some drills, then some strides; for non-speedwork I walk out my front door.

---

no sponsors | no races | nothing to see here

I do warm up in the pool. When I get in I do 200 free easy, 100 breast, and 2x50 drills.

I just like to get loose (esp my shoulders) and get my blood flowing before I even get in the pool. I HATE getting in a cold pool early in the am without getting a bit warm, usually close to a sweat.

Well, either I am going to keep calling BS on you, or I am going to need to say that as a middle aged person whose speed is quickly slipping away (you said it, not me, and I don't see why middle age should mean speed quickly slipping away....maybe speed should only slip away slowly if you are doing things right). MAYBE you might benefit from gradually easing into every workout in every sport and ramp up to the main workout effort. You might be able to go harder too in workout and not start and end every workout at the same speed.. It makes zero sense that your first 100m is your fastest. You must be doing something fundamentally wrong....there is a reason why they have a warmup pool at the Olympics. If a warmup was not required, no one would be allowed one and everyone would just dive in stone cold. As for what pros do and what middle age working guys do, there are basics of how the human body works that applies to pros and us.

You posted about doing something that makes zero sense and then defend why you're doing that?

Swim: Generally I do not do anything on land before I get in the pool. Once in I'll swim an easy 300 to 500 warm up. Keep in mind that my easy pace is basically also my race pace; the curse of the unmotivated adult onset swimmer. If I am feeling 'tight' in the upper body, I'll do some quick dynamic stretching, basically flapping my arms around like an asshat.

Run: During training, I start every run with a 10 minute warm up at a super easy pace. If I am racing an open race less than a 50k, I do dynamic stretching, leg swings, some 100's accelerating to race pace, that sort of thing. The whole process takes about 15 minutes. Anything longer than a full marathon I just let my legs warm up over the first few miles and and settle in wherever the legs want to settle in.

Hello jason80134 and All,

Being well past middle age I have found that if I walk for 15 minutes at a good clip before running and walk another 15 minutes at a relaxed pace after running I do not get sore legs later ...... sometimes when running with others I don't get the warm up (they just start up and go) and my legs are sore afterwards.

For swimming I just swim slowly for several minutes to warm up .............. my last pool was outdoors and it was cold out of the water on the pool deck .... better to warm up in the water.

---

Cheers, Neal

+1 mph Faster

The OP asked what DO YOU DO. Not what should you do.

I responded to the question asked, but I do appreciate your advise.

Exhale forward fold, touch toes, come up into mountain pose, twist spine left, then right, roll neck left and right, inhale reach up, hold for 4 seconds. bring hands together to chest, push forward like bruce lee. Then i just start.

Swim: my first set (500m) starts slower than the others.
Run: I start slow-medium pace and increase as I go.

---

-----------------------------------
Swim with swimmers, bike with cyclists, run with runners. Train with those who are hard to keep up with. Soon you will be hard to keep up with.

swim 5 x 100 on 1:30 or a straight 500

---

maybe she's born with it, maybe it's chlorine
If you're injured and need some sympathy, PM me and I'm very happy to write back.
disclaimer: PhD not MD