Pre-Pool Warm Up - Prepare Better
LAUNCHING SOON
Introducing The Swimmer’s Warm Up Deck
A practical, structured way for age group swimmers to prepare properly before they get in the water.
Most young swimmers do not warm up properly or prepare well for training.
It often gets rushed, inconsistent or skipped altogether, which leaves swimmers underprepared before the session has even started.
The Swimmer’s Warm Up Deck has been built to introduce and guide that process.
It provides a simple structure that helps swimmers begin to prepare the body effectively, move with better quality and arrive in the water ready to train or race well.
A simple, structured system
The deck and Companion Guide work together as one system.
Swimmers work through five stages:
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Temperature
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Joints
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Muscles
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Movement
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Power
Each stage has a clear purpose within the warm-up, helping swimmers move from general readiness to more controlled and then more powerful movement.
A good warm-up should feel structured and controlled.
How it works
Swimmers select a small number of exercises from across the five stages. They do not need to use every card.
The aim is not to do more. The aim is to prepare better.
Each card includes:
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A clear title
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Simple instructions
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A Perform target for reps or time
This makes the warm-up easy to follow and repeat across different sessions.
The deck is designed to work with minimal equipment.
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A low-resistance stretch band
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An optional small mat for floor-based movements
When time or space is limited
Warm-ups are often squeezed into short windows or in crowded or limited environments.
If time is tight, start the warm-up at home and finish it at the pool.
Some movements are better suited to dry, open space and should be adapted or replaced accordingly.
Top Score Game
Top Score adds a simple competitive element to the deck.
It is not used within the warm-up itself, but as a way for swimmers to engage with the movements away from training, at home, between races, or during quieter moments around sessions.
Each card includes a movement score profile across five areas:
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Coordination
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Flexibility
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Impact
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Strength
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Intensity
These scores are not about right or wrong. They show what each movement asks from the body.
Swimmers can:
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Choose a category
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Compare movement scores
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Challenge each other
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Win the round with the highest score
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Winner takes the cards
Play continues until one player or team wins the deck, or for a set time. Short on time, play for 5–10 minutes. Most cards wins.
Over time, swimmers begin to understand how different movements challenge the body and how they fit within a warm-up.
This helps build warm-up literacy, not just what to do but why it matters.
Companion Guide
The deck is supported by a full Companion Guide.
The guide explains each movement, why it is included, how to perform it properly and what to look out for.
This gives swimmers, coaches and parents a clearer understanding of:
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Why each exercise is included
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How to perform it properly
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What good movement looks like
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What to watch for
It supports better movement quality and more consistent warm-ups across squads.
The full guide is available as a downloadable PDF.
Why it matters
A warm-up is not just about getting moving.
Done properly, it helps swimmers:
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Prepare the body
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Switch on the right areas
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Move with better quality
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Arrive ready to train or race well
Over time, this builds the habits that matter most:
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Readiness
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Skill discipline
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Appropriate effort
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Learning
That is part of what it means to train well.
Building better habits
For many swimmers, having the deck makes warm-ups more visible and more likely to be done. It encourages them to follow a clear structure and begin forming good habits.
As swimmers develop, their preparation should progress, with better technique, more appropriate exercise selection and a clearer understanding of how warm-ups link to their strokes and events.
The Warm Up Deck was designed by Spencer Turner, Head of Swimming at Basingstoke Bluefins, based on real-world coaching experience working with age group swimmers across all stages of development. It has been developed in collaboration with coaches, parents and swimmers, reflecting what consistently works in practice.
Prepare better.
Move better.
Perform better.