TOTW - Warming Up for the Swim

This is a really good topic. And I am big on getting in a good swim warm up. If the race doesn't offer an opportunity to get in the water, I guess the only choice is a dry land swim warm up?

Something like this > http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=34An62M23zc

But this really doesn't get the HR up...

A light jog with a couple of sprint pickups thrown in to get the HR cycled a couple of times is all I do. <5 minutes tops. Guess I am too busy hanging out, chatting with friends and hitting the bathroom one last time to worry too much about it.
That is counter to some others on here but I figure I only have so much energy to give, so why blow it all during the warmup......thus getting the HR up once or twice before I hit the water or running starting line, is all I need.

Before Lake Lanier last fall we weren't supposed to get in the water after a certain time so it was a challenge to warm up. (didn't want to anyway as it would have been chilly standing there wet) Coach Harvey had me run 10-15 min with some pick-ups before I had to line up with my wave. I was doubtful beforehand but it did help.

In the past, I'm one of those who didn't warm up before sprints but after doing it I did feel better. I went in to that race well trained so that run got the blood pumping and my HR up. I've done races both ways and I admit I like the feeling of being warmed up better. After many seasons I've also learned to back off at the start because I have the tendancy to go out too fast so maybe it was a placebo affect. Either way, I like warming up. Being in the water is ideal but I'm not going to freeze waiting for 15+ minutes waiting for the women to start.

As I get older I have also found it takes longer to get warmed up and primed.

How do I warm up?  Pee in the wetsuit.

You don't get info like this in books, my friends...

If an OLY or more, I like to swim out to a distance buoy easy with exaggerated roll in the stroke, swim back with some effort, when I get back to the shore, I will windmill the arms a few times on each side, then swim with some medium effort out (but not as far as the first time), turn around and swim 50-75 years with race effort and finish by easy effort.   I find this loosens up the shoulders perfectly.   

If no water access before a tri, I like to do what McQ said...I do a 1 mile easy run when there's about 10 minutes to race time. Make that mile easy and do a few pickups to get the hr in range.

Works OK for me...still get a HR spike or two at the start.