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BASIC TERMS
STROKES
- Freestyle
- Breastroke
- Backstroke
- Butterfly
WORKOUT TERMS
BASIC TERMS
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Deck: The hard surface
around the pool.
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Flags: Triangular pennants
alternating two or more contrasting colors suspended on line
stretched over each lane; Short course yard pool they are 15
feet from the wall, in a meter pool they are 5 meters from the
wall. Used primarily to notify backstrokers that the wall is
coming!
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IGLA: International Gay and
Lesbian Aquatics
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LMSC: Local Masters Swimming
Committee, a division of USMS
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Kickboard: A flat
rectangular piece of styro-foam used to isolate leg muscles in
kick sets.
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Lane: Specific area in which
the swimmer is assigned to swim.
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Lane Lines: The floating
markers which separate adjacent lanes. The first 5 yards (or
meters) and the last 5 yards (or meters) of the lane line are
usually marked as one solid color. This to alert swimmers for
turns. In between the lines usually alternate colors.
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Lap: Distance from one end
of the pool to the other end and back. In a 25 yard pool a lap
is 50 yards, in a 50 meter pool a lap is 100 meters.
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Length: Distance from one
end of the pool to the other. It could be 25 yards, 25 meters,
or 50 meters depending on the length of the pool.
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Long course: Used as both an
adjective and a noun in describing a 50 meter long pool.
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Pace Clock:
Either a large analog clock with a sixty second hand or a
digital clock displaying minutes and seconds, usually on the
deck or wall of a swimming pool.
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Pool: The body of water we
hope you will be moving through and getting out of at the end of
a workout.
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Pull buoy: Usually two
cylinders of styro-foam tied together with rope and placed
between the legs. It enables you to focus on your pull without
kicking. (also called pull girt)
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Short course: Used as both
an adjective and a noun in most of the world to describe a 25
meter long pool. In the United States, it commonly describes a
25 yard pool.
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Team: A group of swimmers
representing the same club, as in DSST (Different Strokes Swim
Team).
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Touch pad: Part of an
automatic timing device placed on wall of each lane that will
register the time when the swimmer completes the distance. The
unit is activated when touched by whatever part of the body that
hits it first, be it the hand, head or foot.
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USMS: United States Masters
Swimming, Inc.
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Wall: Vertical portion of
the pool, or the touch pad at the end of the course.
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1650 yards/1500 meters:
Equivalent to a swimmer's mile.
STROKES
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Freestyle:
Most common
stroke. Performed on the stomach using alternating arm cycles
and a flutter kick. Finish, just get to the wall. It is also a
technical description of one of the four legs of a medley event.
Usually used synonymously with crawl stroke.
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Breaststroke:
A stroke performed while body is kept on the breast and both
shoulders in line with the waters surface. The arms shall move
simultaneously and in the same horizontal plane. Hands shall be
pushed forward together from the breast on, under, or over the
surface of the water. Picture yourself drawing an upside down
heart. During the kick, all movements of the legs shall be
simultaneous; feet must be turned outward during the propulsive
part of kick. Sometimes described as the frog kick. A scissor,
flutter, or downward butterfly kick is not permitted (or you
will be subjected to other ways of torture!) At the finish of a
breastroke length, the hands must touch the wall simultaneously
and the shoulders be in line with the surface of the water.
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Backstroke:
Stroke performed while on the back. The shoulders can not rotate
past the vertical toward the breast except during a turn in
which some part of the body must touch the wall before pushing
off the wall. During the finish the swimmer must touch the wall
while on their back.
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Butterfly:
Swimmer's shoulders shall be in line with the water surface.
Both arms are brought forward over the water and pulled back
together. The kick is usually an up and down motion similar to
that of a dolphin. Any movement of the legs and feet must be
simultaneous. You can actually do a breaststroke kick while
doing butterfly arms, but No flutter kick. The finish is same as
for breaststroke, hands touch together and shoulders level with
the surface of the water.
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I.M. (Individual Medley):
All four strokes are swum in the following order: butterfly,
backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle. Each stroke is swum one
fourth of the total distance.
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Relay:
A race consisting of four swimmers where each person swims 1/4
of the event distance. Stroke depends upon the event; free relay
is all freestyle; medley relay is backstroke, breaststroke,
butterfly and freestyle in that order.
WORKOUT TERMS
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Build:
Increasing in effort or speed within a specified distance.
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Descending:
Swim each distance faster within a given set as the set
progresses, usually on the same time interval. Typically, you
begin at an easy pace and progress to a faster one by the end of
the set. Your actual swim time "descends", giving you more rest
time in the allotted interval.
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Fast Average:
Within a set, each given distance is fast (in time). The goal is
to maintain each distance consistently fast.
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Interval:
A specific time period to complete a specified distance. e.g. A
set of ten 50 meter swims on a 1:30 (one minute and thirty
seconds) interval means that you must complete each swim in less
than 1:30. If you complete your 50 meters in 50 seconds, then
you have forty seconds to rest before your next swim. Most
people feel that if you are going to gain the greatest physical
benefit from swimming, you have to incorporate intervals into
your workout.
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Negative Split:
For any given distance, the second half is faster (in time) than
the first half.
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On the Top/On the Bottom:
An expression used to signal when a group will be starting a
distance or set: Top meaning, top of the pace clock (the 60),
bottom meaning bottom of the pace clock (the 30).
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Rest Interval:
The time between completing one distance and beginning another
distance.
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Set:
A number of repeated swims at specified distances with a stated
rest interval between each swim.
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Taper:
A pattern of reduced, but high intensity, yardage leading up to
an important meet. Early taper workouts may feel just like
regular workouts, but at the end of a taper, a workout may be a
warm-up, and a few sprints, and warm-down.
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Warm-Up, Warm-Down:
The beginning (warm-up) or ending (warm-down) section of a
practice where the effort is not on speed or distance but rather
to gently familiarize the body to exercise. Very important
pieces of any workout as it assists in preventing injury.
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DRILLS
- Freestyle Drills
- Backstroke Drills
- Breastroke Drills
- Butterfly Drills
DRILLS
A drill is used to break down parts of a stroke in order to
emphasize certain aspect of the body's movements. Drills maybe
used to learn a new stroke or strengthen certain areas of a
stroke.
Freestyle Drills
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Catch Up:
Hand A stays over the head in a stretched out position while
hand B goes through the entire stroke, returns to touch hand A,
Hand B becomes stationary while hand A goes through the entire
stroke and returns to touch hand B. Repeat until length is
complete. Flutter kick is used during the stroke. In short: One
hand catches up to the other before the next stroke is taken.
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Drag Your Finger Tips:
On the recovery portion of the stroke (where the arm and hand is
out of the water) the finger tips of the hand should drag across
the surface of the water until arm is fully extended. This works
on high elbows.
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6 beat kick:
Kick six times per arm stroke. Number of kicks can be altered to
emphasize continuous kick and/or lengthen time between arm
strokes.
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1 Arm Only:
Arm A stays over the head while pulling is done only with arm B.
Flutter kick used throughout stroke. Variation: arm A stays at
side while arm B pulls, allowing maximum body roll through
strokes.
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Tarzan / Waterpolo heads up:
Freestyle with the head and mouth totally out of the water. Used
to strengthen shoulders and emphasize kick.
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Alligator:
Variation of Tarzan/waterpolo drill where the water level is
just below goggles/eye line. Used to help get a feel for body
position in the water.
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Redline:
(Not on a heart monitor). Pretend your thumb is a red marker. On
the recovery portion of Freestyle drag the red marker (your
thumb) up the side of your body, from thigh to arm pit.
Emphasizes pulling all the way through stroke to touch thigh and
works on high elbows during recovery.
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Fist:
Form a fist with hands while swimming Freestyle. Works on using
forearms, high elbows underwater and forces swimmers to kick!
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Scultina:
A waving motion under the water (someone is not trying to flirt
with you) with the hands that helps propel the body and adds
lift to the stroke. Helps with wrist strength and flexibility.
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Alternate Breathing:
Breathing on different sides of the body on an odd stroke count.
Example: breathing every 3rd stroke or 5th stroke, will enable a
swimmer to breath once to the left side then to the right side.
Alternate breathing balances out the body roll during each
stroke.
Backstroke Drills:
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Single Arm:
Backstroke with one arm stationary at the swimmer's side.
Concentrate on body roll, getting the shoulders to break the
surface of the water, and pushing the water all the way through
past the hips.
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Double Arm:
Both arms recover over the body at the same time. From hands at
the hips (thumb comes out of the water first) to above the head
where the pinkie of each hands enter the water. This works on a
wide hand entry point (shoulder width or wider), not allowing
hands to enter the water directly above the head.
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Sexy Shoulder:
On back with strong flutter kick, head back looking directly
upwards and still roll body from side to side getting shoulders
out of the water and almost under the chin. Timing should be
more than 6 kicks per side.
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Soldier:
On back with flutter kick, hands at body sides. While kicking,
roll body to side A. Hand A exits water thumb first, lift
straight up, elbows locked, tilt perpendicular to the water's
surface, then place hand (pinkie first) back at side A. This is
not a complete stroke, the arms do not go above the head or pull
any water. Repeat with arm B. Emphasizing rolling of body (sexy
shoulder), thumb exiting water first, and straight arms.
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Spin(sit):
Excessively fast turnover of arms while doing backstroke. The
arm turnover is so fast the swimmer almost sits up as if in a
chair, with their back out of the water. Usually only done for
12 1/2 yards, distance per stroke or technique is overlooked
during this drill.
Breaststroke Drills
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1 pull 2 kick:
A breastroke pull and kick (normal stroke) hold a glide position
of hands fully extended above head and feet together for 1
count, then take a second kick without moving the hands. Glide
again for 1 count. Repeat. Great for learning to glide and lots
of breath control.
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1 kick 2 pull:
A variation of 1 pull, 2 kicks, emphasizing pull.
3.2.1 hesitation:
Take one full breast stroke (1 complete pull and kick), hold
glide position for 3 counts, take a second complete stroke and
hold glide for 2 counts, take a third complete stroke and hold
glide for 1 count. Repeat one full stroke and hold for 3 counts,
etc.
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Breast Arms Dolphin Kick:
Breaststroke arm movements with a dolphin or butterfly kick.
This speeds up the stroke tempo and adds a dolphin like wave
motion to the stroke.
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Breast Arms Free Kick:
Variation of breast arms and dolphin kick. It continues to speed
up the tempo of the arm movements but uses a flutter kick.
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Swim Breaststroke with a Pull buoy:
With a buoy between the thighs, concentrate on kicking from the
knees down (a whip kick). For swimmers that have a very wide
kick, or kick the water to the side instead of kicking the water
back. It may also help you go somewhere while pulling
breaststroke but it is usually the only time you are supposed to
kick with a buoy.
Butterfly Drills:
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1 Arm Fly:
Can be done two ways, the arm not being used in the streamline
position above the head or, at the side. Allows swimmers to
concentrate on timing of kick and breathing. For a variation try
breathing forward instead of to the side.
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3 Right 3 Left 3 Both:
Three strokes with right arm, then three strokes with the left
arm followed by three strokes with both arms. Allows swimmers to
do butterfly for longer distances until endurance has been built
up.
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Triple Kick:
One fly pull with both arms followed with 3 kicks. Concentrate
on the timing of taking a breath (start to raise the head as the
hands enter the water, this allows the breath to be completed by
the time the arms come forward over the head). Also, try to kick
as the hands enter the water and as the hands pass below the
hips.
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