A recent 2026 study compared three different swimming warm-up programmes in national-level competitive swimmers. The researchers examined not only the subsequent 100-metre times, but also heart rate, lactate, body temperature and perceived exertion.
Above all, the study shows one thing: warm-up should not simply follow habit. More is not automatically better, and less is not automatically more efficient.
Individualise the warm-up
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Race distance, stroke, athlete type, time of day and the interval between warm-up and the start should all be considered in planning.
Especially for short race distances, a well-matched warm-up can be an important part of immediate competition preparation.
Why warm-up can affect performance
A good warm-up should prepare the body for the upcoming effort without creating unnecessary fatigue beforehand. Body temperature, the cardiovascular system, the muscles and neuromuscular activation should be brought progressively towards race demands.
Swimming adds another factor: feel for the water and movement coordination matter greatly. Many athletes need time before stroke rhythm, breathing and body position feel truly stable.
The optimal length therefore cannot be defined by metres alone. An experienced sprinter may be well prepared with a different volume from a young athlete or a swimmer completing several races within one session.
Warm-up as an individual profile
In practice, it is worthwhile documenting warm-up routines just like race times. Coaches can record the volume swum, when the final fast repetitions were completed and how much time remained before the start.
Across several competitions, an individual pattern begins to emerge. Some athletes benefit from longer preparation, while others respond better to a more compact programme with short race-speed activations.
The environment also matters. At major events, a long time may pass between leaving the warm-up pool and the competition start. In that case, coaches need to consider how to maintain activation until the start. Warm-up therefore does not necessarily end when the athlete leaves the water.
SCIENTIFIC SOURCE
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/41369551/