As a member of WSU Masters Swimming, you will be instructed in the four competitive swimming strokes: Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Freestyle. We will not force you to do anything in workout that you do not want to do, but we encourage everyone to attempt to do the sets as given. Learning to master new strokes is a significant accomplishment in itself. Also having more strokes in your repertoire makes possible a better variety of sets, thus allowing for more diversity in your workouts. If you are unable to perform a specific task (because of injury, fatigue, or any other reason) you may substitute a different task that you can perform without disrupting the flow of the workout for the others in your lane.

When you first start swimming with WSU Masters, it may sound like a foreign language when the workout is given. This is normal; even seasoned swimmers must get used to new terminology when swimming with different clubs. We advise you to study the terms noted below so that you are familiar with the way your new swim club communicates. However, don't hesitate to ask us to explain a set again if you don't understand.

Parts of the Workout
Warm-up: The beginning part of the workout. Usually builds in intensity, gearing your body and mind for more intense swimming.

Kicking: Using only the legs for propulsion. Sometimes done with the use of a kickboard.

Pulling: Using little or no kick to focus on the upper body. Sometimes using paddles and/or a pull buoy.

Main set: That part of the workout usually 20 minutes in duration in which the heart rate is elevated.

Drill set: Focuses on one part of a particular stroke. Most commonly meant to be done with precision, not speed.

Cool down: The concluding part of the workout in which the heart rate should be gradually lowered.

Blue zone: Refers to sets that are relatively low in aerobic intensity. Usually the warm-ups and cool downs are blue zone swimming.

Green zone: Refers to sets that are aerobically moderate. Pulling and kicking sets will often be green sets.

Red zone: Refers to sets that are the most aerobically challenging. Your face will be red once you have finished one of these sets.

Sprinting: Refers to short intense swims of usually not more than 100 yards, usually Red Zone swimming.

Easy: Refers to a distance of relaxed swimming used as part of a recovery from a more intense set of swims. Sometimes refered to as active recovery.

Build: Getting progressively faster within a swim. Example: 1 x 400, build by 100's. The pace should increase after each 100, but one should not stop swimming until the 400 yards are completed.

Descend: Swim progressively faster within a set of repeats. Example: 3 x 100 Freestyle at 2:00 descend; swim times could be 1:35, 1:33, 1:28.

Rest interval: A specific and constant period one should wait between swims in a given set. Example: 6 x 75 Backstroke at RI :15 is six 75-yard Backstroke swims with 15 seconds rest afer each one.

Swim interval: A specific time for which to swim a specific distance and get rest before repeating. For example swim a set of 5 x 100 on an interval of 2:00. If you swim the first 100 yards in 1:45, your rest would be 15 seconds before starting the next 100 yard swim. If you swim the second 100 in 1:40, your rest would be 20 seconds before starting the next 100 yard swim.

Negative split: Swim the second half of a distance faster than the first half. Example: 2 x 400 Freestyle Negative Split-the second 200 of each 400 should be swum a few seconds faster than the first, but there should not be a break between the 200s.

Pace: Hold a steady speed throughout a set, often trying to match a goal race tempo. Example: 4 x 50 Breaststroke at 1:00 holding a 200 race pace. Most people can swim shorter distances at a faster average speed than they can hold for longer distances. This instruction says to swim all four 50's at the average speed one would normally do a 200.

Cruise interval: Used to explain the pace for the lane. Example: All the members of the lane are able to do 100s on the 1:30. Be sure your cruise interval is compatible with the other members of the lane in which you are swimming.

Sculling: A relaxing motion using the hands in a back and forth motion under the water. Used to feel the water, especially for warm-ups, cool downs, and easy swims. Use a flutter or whip kick.

Elementary backstroke: Used mainly for cool down and easy swims. Pulling with both arms at the same time: both the pull and the recovery are under the water. Uses a whip kick.

Other Swimming Terms
Backstroke start: Consists of using the starting block while in the water to begin a Backstroke event.

Break out, The transition from the push off mode into the full swimming pattern.

Breaststroke kick (whip or frog kick): Where the legs and feet come apart in a symmetrical motion keeping the feet under the water.

Catch phase: The beginning part of the stroke where the arms and hands start to propel the body.

Dive start: Using the starting blocks and diving into the water from the side of the pool as opposed to pushing off from the side while in the water.

Dolphin kick: Used in the Butterfly where the thrust of the kick comes from the hips, and the feet and legs are held together.

Flip turn: Competitive racing turn by utilizing a somersault where the feet push off from the wall.

Flutter kick: Used in both Freestyle and Backstroke where the feet and toes are pointed and kick the water in an alternating motion.

Individual Medley: Refers to an event in which the four competitive strokes are done equally in the order of Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Freestyle.

Open turn, Noncompetitive turn by touching the wall with one hand and pushing off with the feet.

Push off: Refers to pushing off from the wall and into the streamline position.

Recovery phase: The conclusion of the stroke where the hand and arms finish pulling and set up to start the next stroke cycle.

Taper workouts: Done a few days to a few weeks prior to an important race (usually at the end of a season). Depending on your training style and plan for racing, your taper workout may be just dropping 200-300 yards off your total yards for your daily workout for a week, or it could mean gradually tapering off from 4,000 yards a day to 2,500 during the two–three week period prior to a racing period. Many competitive swimmers (particularly men) shave their body hair at the end of the taper period and just before the important race. This is thought to provide less drag and a better feel for the water in addition to providing a psychological advantage. Taper workouts will be provided to those swimmers who would like to compete. Taper workouts and shaving are not a requirement of membership in WSU Masters Swimming.

Transition: Generally refers to the change of strokes in the Individual Medley event. For example the transition from Butterfly to Backstroke.

Club: Groups of teams that compete on a national basis.

Team: WSU Masters is a team and a member of the Inland Northwest Masters Swim Club. Locally we refer to ourselves as the WSU Masters Swim Club.

Local Masters Swimming Committee (LMSC): The local organization that registers swimmers and runs swimming events. Our LMSC is Inland Northwest Masters, which is from the Cascade Range east to the Montana border, south to the Oregon border, and north to the Canadian border.

United States Masters Swimming (USMS): The parent organization for all masters swimming in the United States.

Northwest Zone: In addition to the LMSCs, the country is divided up into larger areas called zones Inland NW Masters is in the Northwest Zone which is comprised of the Pacific Northwest Association LMSC (western Washington), Oregon LMSC, Utah LMSC, Snake River LMSC (southern Idaho), Montana LMSC and Alaska LMSC.

Recognized Student Organization (RSO): A designation from the Office of Student Involvement at WSU. This status maintains that we have student leadership and allows us to have members from the WSU community (faculty and staff).

Postal Event: A swimming competition that is conducted at your local pool with the results sent in to the event host for tabulating. At this level you would be competing with all swimmers of your gender and age group from across the country. This is a great way of competing without leaving home. Postal events that WSU Masters participate in include: One Hour Swim in January, the February Fitness Challenge, and the 3000/6000 Postal Championships in September and October.

USMS/Aquatic Sports Convention, an event that happens each fall where the leadership of United States Masters Swimming meets to conduct the business of the organization. Such business might include coaching seminars, rule changes, and determining the host locations for national championships. In addition to USMS, other national aquatic governing bodies also meet during the same convention, including USA Swimming, USA Water Polo, Synchronized Swimming, and USA Diving.

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