Your swimmer finishes the 50 free in the third event of the meet. Their next race is the 100 backstroke — in event 19. That could be an hour and a half from now. Maybe two hours. They're sitting on the pool deck in a wet suit, and by the time their next event rolls around, they're shivering, stiff, and nowhere near ready to race.
This is one of the most overlooked parts of swim meets, especially for newer families. Keeping your swimmer warm between events isn't just about comfort — it directly affects performance and reduces the chance of muscle strains or other injuries. Cold muscles don't fire the way warm muscles do. A swimmer who's been sitting around freezing for 90 minutes is going to feel heavy and sluggish in the water compared to one who stayed warm and loose.
Here's how to handle it.
The Warm-Up Before the Meet
It starts before racing even begins. Most meets have a warm-up session, typically 30 to 45 minutes before the first event. This isn't optional, and it's not just splashing around.
Warm-up is when your swimmer gets their muscles activated, gets a feel for the pool (every pool is slightly different), and prepares their body for racing. Coaches usually have a structured warm-up plan for the team.
The key for parents: get there early enough for your swimmer to actually complete their warm-up. If warm-up starts at 7:00 AM and you're walking in at 7:25, your swimmer is starting the meet cold. Arrive with time to spare — at least 10 to 15 minutes before warm-up begins so they can get settled and in the water on time.
Immediately After Getting Out of the Pool
The moment your swimmer finishes a race and exits the pool, the clock starts on heat loss. Wet skin in an air-conditioned facility (or outdoors in cooler weather) drops body temperature fast.
Here's what should happen right away:
- Towel off — get the excess water off. A chamois towel is great for a quick first pass
- Team parka or heavy sweatshirt on immediately — this is the single most important piece of warm-between-events gear. A good parka traps body heat and blocks drafts. If your team has parkas, invest in one. If not, an oversized hoodie or heavy zip-up works, but a parka is better because it's designed to go over a wet suit and it's long enough to cover the thighs
- Warm pants or sweats — wet legs get cold fast. Pull on sweats or joggers over the suit
- Sandals or warm shoes — cold feet equal a cold body. Seriously. It sounds minor, but feet on cold pool deck tiles will chill a swimmer surprisingly fast. Slides are the standard, but for especially cold meets, some swimmers throw on warm socks and sneakers between events
The goal is to be bundled up within two or three minutes of leaving the water.
Staying Warm During Long Gaps
Getting dressed warm after a race is step one. Staying warm over a long gap between events is the harder part.
Keep Moving
This is where a lot of swimmers — especially younger ones — fall into the trap. They get out of the pool, bundle up, and then sit completely still for an hour and a half playing cards or staring at their phone. By the time their next event is called, they're stiff.
Some movement between events makes a huge difference:
- Light stretching — nothing intense, just keeping the muscles from tightening up. Arm circles, shoulder stretches, light hamstring stretches, ankle rolls
- Short walks — even just walking around the venue or the team area keeps blood flowing. A few laps around the concourse is better than sitting frozen in a chair
- Arm swings and leg swings — dynamic movement that mimics swimming motions without actually swimming. A few minutes of arm swings and leg shakes before heading to the blocks can make a swimmer feel noticeably better
- Light jog — if the venue has space (hallway, outdoor area), a short easy jog gets the body temperature up. Nothing strenuous — just enough to feel warm again
Find Warm Spots
Not all areas of a swim venue are the same temperature. The pool deck is usually the warmest part of an indoor facility (warm, humid air). The bleachers and lobby areas are often cooler and draftier. If your swimmer has a long wait, staying closer to the pool deck can help.
Some facilities have a designated warm area — a room or section with heaters. If one exists, it's worth using.
Timing the Pre-Race Warm-Up
About 15 to 20 minutes before their next event, your swimmer should start actively getting ready. This means:
- Taking off the layers (but keeping them nearby to throw back on if there's a delay)
- Doing arm swings, stretches, and light movement behind the blocks
- Getting mentally focused on the race ahead
If the meet has a warm-up/warm-down pool that's open during competition (many championship meets do), your swimmer can hop in for a few easy laps to get the blood flowing before their event. Even five minutes of easy swimming makes a big difference.
Indoor vs. Outdoor Meets
Indoor meets are generally more manageable temperature-wise because the facility is climate-controlled and the pool deck stays humid and warm. The main issue is drafty spectator areas and cold lobbies.
Outdoor meets are a different animal, especially early morning sessions. The air temperature at 7 AM can be 20 degrees cooler than it'll be by noon. Morning races at outdoor meets can be genuinely cold, and even the water might feel chilly during warm-up.
For outdoor meets:
- Extra layers — more than you think you need. It's easier to take off a layer than to wish you had one
- Hand warmers — the little disposable packets you can buy at any sporting goods store. Tuck them in pockets or inside the parka. They're cheap and surprisingly effective
- A blanket — not just for the parents in the stands. A warm blanket in the team area gives your swimmer something to wrap up in during long waits
- Warm hat or beanie — wet hair in cold morning air is a fast track to being miserable. A beanie between events keeps a lot of body heat from escaping through the head
- Warm-up jacket for before removing the parka — some swimmers layer a team warm-up jacket under the parka for extra insulation during cold outdoor meets
As the day warms up at outdoor meets, the temperature issue usually resolves itself. It's those first few hours that are tough.
The Warm-Down
Some meets, particularly championship-level meets, have a separate warm-down pool available during competition. If it's available, your swimmer should use it after their race.
A proper warm-down — just easy swimming for 5 to 10 minutes — helps increase blood flow to the muscles, reduces soreness, and keeps the body temperature up for the next event. It's one of the most beneficial habits a swimmer can develop, and many skip it because they'd rather sit with their friends.
If there's no warm-down pool, some light stretching and walking serves a similar (though less effective) purpose.
What to Pack for Warmth
A quick summary of everything warmth-related that should be in the bag:
- Team parka or heavy oversized hoodie/jacket
- Sweatpants or joggers
- Extra dry t-shirt (putting a warm dry shirt on under the parka feels much better than parka directly over a wet suit)
- Warm socks (for especially cold venues or outdoor meets)
- Beanie or warm hat
- Hand warmers (for outdoor and cold meets)
- 2-3 towels (wet towels don't keep anyone warm — have dry ones available)
- Blanket (optional, but great for cold outdoor meets)
Planning Around the Gaps
One of the trickiest parts of staying warm and ready is simply knowing when your next event is. If you don't know whether you've got 20 minutes or two hours until the next race, it's hard to plan when to start moving and warming up.
Knowing the gap between events helps your swimmer time their warm-up routine — when to start stretching, when to take the layers off, when to head to the staging area. SwimDeets timelines show exactly when your swimmer's events are and how long the gaps are between them, so you're not guessing about when to start getting ready.
A swimmer who's warm, loose, and mentally prepared is going to race better than one who's cold and caught off guard. It's one of those small things that adds up over the course of a long meet — and a long season.