Reducing Niggles and Injuries Through a Proper Land Warm Up
- Spencer Turner
- 18 hours ago
- 5 min read
Parent Guide Series
A good training session starts before swimmers dive in.
An effective land warm up prepares both body and mind for the work ahead. When done properly, it improves movement quality, supports healthier joints and reduces the risk of injury as training demands increase. For many swimmers, it also sets the tone for how well the session begins.
Why Preparation Matters in a Real Club Environment
In a busy club setting, land based warm ups can be difficult to carry out consistently. Limited pool space and staggered arrival times can make a productive warm up routine harder to complete.
Because of these constraints, preparation becomes even more important. When warm ups are simple, understood and repeatable, young swimmers are more likely to take responsibility for their own preparation regardless of space or supervision.
This encourages strong habits such as arriving early, preparing without being prompted and communicating with fellow swimmers about shared space and routines, helping swimmers prepare for the pool session rather than rushing straight into it.
Over time, this builds independence and reinforces the understanding that preparation is part of training rather than something that only happens when conditions are ideal.
The Swim England Framework for Land Warm Ups
Guidance from Swim England is clear that effective land warm ups should follow a structured sequence designed to prepare the body without causing unnecessary fatigue.
The recommended order is:
1. Raise
Gradually increase heart rate and body temperature through light movement. This helps tissues become more elastic and reduces stiffness before swimming begins.
2. Mobilise
Move key joints through controlled ranges of motion, particularly the shoulders, thoracic spine, hips and ankles. This restores usable movement before repetitive swimming actions place load on the body.
3. Activate
Engage the muscles that support posture and control, including the core, glutes and shoulder stabilisers. Activation improves awareness and helps swimmers hold stronger, more stable positions in the water.
4. Prime
Finish with short swimming related movements that link land posture to water skills. This prepares the nervous system for the start of the session and improves the quality of the first lengths.
This structure is simple, repeatable and adaptable, which makes it realistic for clubs working with limited time or space.
Quick Start Downloads: Guides for Pre Pool and Post Pool Exercises.
Why This Becomes More Important as Swimmers Progress
Swimmers at this stage are developing as athletes, which brings a responsibility to prepare, fuel and recover with greater focus. During the Age Group years, the consequences of poor preparation become more visible.
Some swimmers start experiencing knee, hip and shoulder discomfort, often linked to cold muscles, limited mobility and inconsistent post pool care. As training load increases, these issues can accumulate quickly when preparation and recovery are inconsistent.
Understanding Niggles and When to Act
In swimming, a niggle usually refers to low-level discomfort that comes and goes. It may feel like tightness, stiffness or a dull ache rather than sharp pain and it often eases as the body warms up.
Common examples include mild shoulder tightness, sore knees during growth phases or general hip stiffness following heavier training weeks. These sensations are often linked to load, fatigue or reduced mobility rather than injury itself.
Managing niggles is part of athlete development. Good preparation, consistent land warm ups and appropriate recovery all help reduce how often they appear and how long they linger.
When a Niggle Needs Closer Attention
A niggle should not be ignored if it begins to change.
Warning signs include discomfort that:
Becomes sharper rather than dull
Persists after sessions rather than easing
Affects technique or movement quality
Appears earlier in sessions or without obvious cause
Is present at rest or during daily activities
When discomfort reaches this point it is no longer just a niggle. It may indicate overload or the early stages of an injury and should be discussed with a coach and an appropriate qualified professional*. *SOPhysical Physiotherapy & Sports Injury Clinic details below.
When Swimmers Struggle to Describe Discomfort
Age Group swimmers do not always have the language or experience to clearly describe what they are feeling. Discomfort may be reported as “tight”, “a bit sore” or “feels odd”, even when the underlying cause is fatigue, stiffness or early overload.
This does not mean the feeling should be dismissed. It reflects where swimmers are in developing body awareness and learning how to recognise different sensations.
Encouraging simple conversations such as when a feeling started, whether it changes during a session and if it affects movement can be more useful than asking for a precise description. Over time, swimmers become better at recognising early warning signs and communicating them clearly, which supports smarter training decisions and injury prevention.
Building Better Habits Over Time
The aim is not perfection, but consistency. Even short land warm ups done properly support healthier movement, while basic post pool mobility helps maintain joint range and muscle balance.
Over time, these habits accumulate and support more sustainable training. This is how preparation becomes part of club culture rather than an optional extra.
This approach reflects guidance published by Swim England on the use of land warm ups as part of safe and effective swimmer preparation.
Guide to entry level Land Warm Up exercises (Level 1)
When Niggles Need Checking Out
When niggles do not settle or begin to change, early assessment can make a real difference.
SOPhysical is our club-aligned independent physiotherapy practice in Basingstoke, working to bridge the gap between standard physiotherapy care and a swimmer’s full return to training and performance.
Led by Simon Orr, the clinic has experience working with young, growing swimmers and understands the challenges created by growth, changing biomechanics and increasing training load. This includes recognising the difference between normal adaptation, temporary niggles and pain that requires further investigation.
A timely check can help clarify whether a niggle is part of normal training stress or something that needs targeted support, helping swimmers return to training with confidence and clarity.
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