Meet Warm-Up

• Arizona Controlled Meet Warm-Up and Safety Guidelines must be followed
  • They are found under documents on the Arizona Swimming web site
• Also review the meet flyer prior to the meet for any meet specific rules for warm-up
• If you have questions about the warm up procedures- talk to the Meet Referee or Meet Director on arrival
• Assignments during warm up:
  • 2 Meet Marshals per warm up pool
  • Divide each pool into two L shapes and each meet marshal shall be responsible for one of the L’s
  • One L will include the side where the starting blocks are located as well as a connecting side
  • The other L will include the turn side of the pool as well as a connecting side
  • Stand at the corner end, near the start or turn end of the pool

• During warm up or in a warm up/down pools, all swimmers must enter the water using 3 point entry – feet first while maintaining one hand on the pool deck until both feet enter water.  Exception: sprint / dive lanes opened during warm up excluded.
• Training equipment is not allowed during warm-ups (fins, kick boards etc.)
• Swimmers/coaches who refuse to follow the warm-up procedures may be removed from the deck for the remainder of the warm up session by the Meet Marshal
• Warm ups are divided into two sessions
• General warm-up occurs the first 30-45 minutes
  • No sprinting or pace work is to be allowed during the general warm up session
  • All lanes are open for general circle swim warm-up
• Specific Warm-Up also know as Dive-Starts occurs in the last 30-45 minutes
  • The outside lanes are push/pull lanes
  • Generally lanes 2 & 7 are the dive sprint lanes
• Which lanes are used for dive/sprints depends on how many lanes the pool has
• Additional lanes may be open for dive/sprints upon request of the coach
• The swimmers start from the starting blocks and swim down that lane and return in the next lane or get out at the end of the lane and walk back around
• Push lanes are used for pace work and the swimmer will push off and swim one or two lengths at the direction of the coach
• Open the push/pace and start lanes at the time the Meet Referee designates
• When these lanes are opened it must be announced overhead on the PA system
• It is imperative that general warm up swimmers be cleared from the lanes before dive/starts are allowed to begin
• Meet Warm-Up
• Use the start stand microphone or the meet announcer microphone to make the announcement
• You may need to make these announcements several times
• A deck official or the meet announcer may assist you with this
• Monitor the need for additional start lanes
• If a swimmer is performing a backstroke start, another swimmer may not be on the starting block at the same time
• Swimmers are to exit the pool upon completion of warm-ups
• The pool is not for visiting or playing during the warm-up or session
• The same policy applies to warm-up lanes or pool once competition has started
• Report to the Meet Referee any unsafe areas on deck, including loose wires, slippery areas, loose blocks or too many swimmers in a lane
• Remind swimmers as needed:
  • there is to be no running on deck
  • three point entry is required for entry into the pool.  when dive / start lanes have been opened, they are excluded.
• Be alert for electronic equipment cords/pad cords/buttons etc. that may fall into the pool during warm-up
• Some meets may pre-assign warm up times and lanes
  • if that is the rule for that meet, this must be posted throughout the pool area
• Coaches can’t take over lanes for their sole use during warm-up
• Coaches cannot do a drill or a warm-up set that prevents others from using that lane
  • i.e. having swimmers swim in the wrong direction

Previous  Next