Should I go to practice?

Question

I have a meet coming up in a few days. I really need to bring up my times, but all my muslces ache because we just had field day 2 days ago. I think I pulled something and I'm not sure if I should go to swim practice. I went yesterday and I was fine, but my muscles still hurt today. Would it be best to rest one day, and then go to practice tomorrow?

Answer 1

You defiently should go to practice.

Answer 2

You think you pulled something?  Did the pain start suddenly or did the pain come about a day later?  If it came suddenly then you're correct, you injured (a pull is a partial tear of a muscle) your muscle.  If the pain came later then you are simply sore.

If you are injured, you must rest the muscle, depending on the degree of tear, for two or three days.  If you are simply sore (actually microscopic tears, but not serious), you should exercise lightly as doing so will reduce the soreness more quickly.  

If the meet is a major meet and important to you, then you must rest several days to improve your times.  In addition, you must rest so as to get your injured muscles to recover.

The best thing to eliminate the soreness more quickly is to exercise very lightly.   You're going to have to balance this whole situation and determine what is best for you.  

Finally, you should let your coach know that you are sore or injured AND, you should learn a lesson from this that prior to a big meet, you don't go out messing around.