Q Why are workouts so early in the morning?
A For many of the participants in WSU Masters, the early morning is the only time they have in their schedule to exercise: school, work, family, and other training all factor into our member’s lives. Triathletes who are serious about training often train two of the sports each day in addition to being full-time students, faculty, or staff. In order to train two sports a person might have to train one in the early morning, and the other at noon or in the evening. In addition, experts agree that doing aerobic exercise in the morning is the best time to train. Working out in the morning gets you physically and mentally prepared for the day. By trainig in the morning, you boost your metabolism allowing it to work all day long. Finally, Gibb pool, the facility we use most often, is booked during other parts of the day.

Q I'm a fitness/lap swimmer. What are the benefits of Masters Swimming?
A Many fitness swimmers are reluctant to join a coached club, thinking incorrectly that they're only for competitive swimmers. USMS clubs are filled with swimmers of all ages and all abilities. The structure and variety a coach provides benefits both fitness and competitive swimmers. It is difficult for an individual swimmer to avoid the tedium of doing the same thing week after week. Coaches are trained to provide the variety needed. Coaches also use their knowledge and experience to help with stroke technique. Swimming is a much more pleasant and rewarding experience when you have improved stroke technique and swim with a group of friends
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Q How far would I swim in a workout?
A In an hour and 15 minute workout, our experienced swimmers will typically swim 3,000-3,500 yards, our less experienced swimmers will cover 1,500-2,500 yards. We do not require swimmers to finish a workout. New swimmers or swimmers returning from a layoff may only do half a workout.

Q Am I fast or good enough to be in Masters Swimming?
A This is a tough question as WSU Masters is open to all levels of swimmers. However, WSU Masters is not a learn to swim program, so we ask that you have some swimming skills before you join. As a guideline, we ask that participants be able to swim four lengths of the pool (100 Yards in 2:30 or 500 yards in 14:00). If you feel that you may not be able to keep up with the group, you might want to look into the Masters Swimming 101 session, or other swimming lessons.

Q Do I have to compete?
A You do not, though we certainly encourage it. Swimming competitions (swim meets) are meant to test yourself and to compete against others. Competition is a great way to see if you have improved technique and fitness. Many of our swimmers do compete in triathlons and meets. About a third of our members swim primarily for fitness and social reasons and do not compete.

Q Do I have to wear a racing suit or Speedo?
A You do not, though we encourage it. Men will find that baggier trunks will slow them down.

Q I am a triathlete and want to work on my swimming. What are my options?
A A large percetange of our members are triathletes. Many triathletes say, "I only want to work on my Freestyle, as that's what I use in a triathlon." At WSU Masters we focus on distance and triathlon training on Wednesdays, but the rest of the week we mix in all four of the competitive strokes (Freestyle, Backstroke, Butterfly, and Breaststroke). We believe (as do expert triathletes and triathlon coaches) that working all strokes is important to becoming a better swimmer and triathlete.

Q How do I find out the current swim schedule?
A Once you have registered with the WSU Masters Swim Club, we put your name and email address in our database, and you will receive weekly updates on all WSU Masters schedules and activities. In addition you should also check the Schedule & Location section of this Web site.