Swim, Bike, & Run - Performance +

Warming Up Correctly

Whether you're preparing for a threshold swim set, a hard turbo session, or a fast-paced run off the bike, warming up properly is one of the most important parts of your training routine. Yet it's often rushed or skipped entirely. If you’re serious about getting the most out of your sessions—and reducing your risk of injury - a well-structured warm-up isn’t optional, it’s essential.

Warm up correctly before you Swim, Bike or Run.

What Does Warming Up Correctly Do?

A warm-up does far more than just get you moving. Physiologically, it:

• Prepares your cardiovascular system for higher demands.

• Helps mentally transition from rest to performance mode.

• Activates the neuromuscular system for better coordination and efficiency.

• Raises your core temperature and increases blood flow to working muscles.

For triathletes, this preparation across swimming, cycling, and running not only protects the body but can also improve your session quality and race performance.

Pre session coffee is not a warm up

Performance Gains from a Quality Warm-Up

Research shows that an effective warm-up can increase performance significantly across all three triathlon disciplines:

Discipline	Potential Performance Improvement
Swimming	4–6% increase in stroke efficiency and pace, particularly over short–mid distances
Cycling	3–5% improvement in power output during intervals or time trial efforts
Running	2–4% boost in speed and stride economy, especially in the first 10 minutes of effort

These gains come from better oxygen delivery, reduced muscle stiffness, and a quicker transition to aerobic metabolism.

Warm-Up Principles for Triathletes

For most high-intensity or structured sessions, aim to spend 10–20 minutes warming up, progressively increasing intensity and including discipline-specific movements.

Swimming:

• 200–400m easy swim (choice stroke)

• 4–6 x 50m drills (e.g., sculling, catch-up, finger-drag)

• 4–6 x 25m building effort (Zone 2–3)

Cycling (Indoor or Outdoor):

• 5–10 mins easy spinning (high cadence)

• 4–6 mins progressive build into upper Zone 2

• 3–5 x 30-second high cadence or power surges (Zone 3–4) with equal recovery

Running:

• 5–10 mins Zone 1–2 easy jog

• Dynamic mobility: leg swings, walking lunges, arm circles

• 3–4 x 20-second strides (building to Zone 3)

What Happens If You Skip It?

Going straight into intensity with cold muscles or a low heart rate can:

• Increase injury risk (especially hamstrings, calves, shoulders)

• Delay your aerobic system's full activation

• Lead to higher perceived effort and poorer pacing

• Compromise technique and coordination under fatigue

Put simply, skipping a warm-up can make you slower and more prone to injury.

The Takeaway

A proper warm-up isn’t just a ritual - it’s a performance tool. Whether you’re in the pool, on the bike, or hitting the track, give your body the preparation it needs to train well, race fast, and stay injury-free. Warming up is a pre-conditioned strategy to improve your performance, don't miss out.