AGE GROUP

 Swimmers compete in age groups of 8&Under, 9-10 (or 10 & Under) 11-12, I3-I4, 15-16 and 17-18 (or 15-18).

AGGREGATE TIME

Times achieved by four individuals in separate starts which are added

together to arrive at a relay time for entry purposes.

ASCA

American Swimming Coaches Association.

ASCENDING SET

Training set where repeat times get progressively slower each time the set is swum.

BANDS (SURGICAL TUBING)

Surgical tubing can be used both in the water and as a part of a

dryland training program. In the water, the tubing is attached to the swimmer to allow assisted and resisted training can be accomplished. On land the tubing provides a strength training tool while mimicking actual swimming motions.

BROKEN SWIMS

Interval training where a race is broken into swims with a specific rest interval between each segment. This allows the swimmer to swim at race speed. These swims are motivational for the swimmer and gives a coach an idea of a swimmers potential.

CARBOHYDRATE

Primary source of energy used by athletes in workouts and meets. Foods such as cereals, fruits, breads, pasta and vegetables are excellent sources of carbohydrates.

CIRCLE SWIMMING

 Swimmers stay on the right of the black line when swimming in a lane

effectively swimming up and back in a circle. This allows more swimmers in a lane.

CLOSED

A meet is "closed meet" when it is only open to swimmers from specified teams.

COACHES SAFETY CURRICULUM

YMCA and United States Swimming requires all coach members

to hold a valid and-current card in First Aid, CPR and Safety Training for swimming coaches.

CONSOLATION

Consolation finals is the competition for the fastest swimmers who did not qualify for the finals.

CUT

(a.k.a. Qualifying time) Time standard qualifying time necessary to attend a particular meet or event.

DECK ENTRY

A meet where entries are accepted on the first, or later day of the meet and swimmers are subsequently seeded into events. Some meets do not allow any deck entries.

DECK SEEDING

A procedure of assigning swimmers to proper lanes and heats immediately before each event by the clerk-of course or by the referee on deck.

DESCENDING SET

Training set where repeat times get progressively faster each time the set is swum.

DRAG SUIT

A second loose-fitting suit worn by swimmers in workout and during warm-up to add weight and resistance to the water. This concept is similar to a batter swinging with two or three bats while on deck.

DRILL

A portion, or part of a stroke, which works on a specific part of the stroke and to perfect swimming technique.

DRYLAND TRAINlNG

Training done out of the water that aids and enhances swimmer’s

performance. This usually includes stretching, calisthenics or weight-lifting program.

DUAL MEET COMPETITION

Competition between two (2) clubs.

EASTERN ZONE (USA)

LSCs including Adirondack, Allegheny Mountain. Connecticut, Maine.

Maryland, Metropolitan, Middle Atlantic, New England, New Jersey, Niagara, Potomac Valley

and Virginia.

ENDURANCE TRAINING

endurance is best achieved when training at speeds of approximately

70-80% of MAX. VOL..

ENERGY

Fuel, heat. Fuel for work. Conversion of carbohydrates and fats to actual fuel which enable the body to work.

FAT

The second source of energy used by athletes. It takes up to 20-30 minutes to tap into this source. Most swimmers, however, consume too much fat.

FINAL

The championship heat of an event in which the top swimmers from the preliminaries compete.

FINALS

The session of a meet where qualifying rounds were held previously to determine the finalists (6 to 16 depending on the pool size and whether there are consolation finals). The finalists compete to determine the winner.

FINISH

The final phase of the race or touching the wall at the end of the race.

GOAL

A specific time or achievement a swimmer sets and strive for. Can be short or long term.

HEATS

An event is divided into heats when there are too many swimmers to swim at one time.  The slowest swimmers are in the first heat and the fastest swimmers are in the last heat.

ICAR (FLUME)

International Center for Aquatic Research. Home of the Flume, a swimming treadmill which enables researchers to study training response.

INTERVAL

The measure of time in which the swimmer has to complete a repeat, and rest, before going again.

INTERVAL TRAINING

Involves completing a specific number of repeats at a specified speed with a specified rest period between swims. These are four variables to consider: I) Number of repeats. 2) Distance of each repeat. 3) Average speed of the repeat. 4) Rest interval between repeats. This is the most widely used method of swim training.

JUNIOR NATIONALS (USA)

A national level meet held twice a year, one in the east and one in

the west, for swimmers 18 and over. These have qualifying time standards and swimmers are limited to four individual events and three relays.

JUNIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (USA)

All registered swimmers 18 years of age and younger

who meets qualifying times, attend this meet head east and west of the Mississippi River.

JUNIOR OLYMPICS (a.k.a. JOs; USA)

Usually local, state or LSC championship. In most LSCs, one

must qualify to enter this competition.

LACTATE

Lactate acid which forms in the muscle with the onset of exercise. Prohibits muscle contraction when accumulations exceed certain levels.

LEGAL

A race or stroke swim according to the current YMCA / USA rules.

LOG BOOK

A book in which swimmers record their time achieved at any given meet or time trial.

LONG COURSE

A pool 50 meters in length. World records may only be set in long course meters.  The Olympics and most international meets are long course.

LSC (USA)

Local Swimming Committee. Governing body for swimming on a local level.

LSC RACING CAMP

A one-day camp held within the LSC for the top 9-10 year olds, boys and girls. It involves water sessions, videos and group talks.

MARYLAND SWIMMING (USA)

LSC whose boundaries include all of MARYLAND except Prince

Georges and Montgomery County.

MINI-MEET

For swimmers eight years old and under only.

NATIONAL AGE GROUP TOP 16 TIME

Times set by the 16 fastest individuals within an age group.

Time standards are established for both long course and short course.

NATIONAL AGE GROUP CAMP (USA)

A two day camp held within the LSC for 11-13 year old girls

and boys. Involves training, testing and education of swimmers.

NATIONAL AGE GROUP TIME STANDARDS (USA)

A set of time standards which have been set up

by USA for all events in each age group for all levels of meets to ensure that all competitions are of reasonably the same ability in the respective meets. Standards include C, BB, B, A, AA, AAA

and AAAA divisions. These designations are National times and may be used for entry or qualifying purposes. Many LSCs have their own time standards as well.

NEGATIVE SPLIT

Swimming the second half of the race, either equal to, or faster than the first half.

NUTRITION

The process by which a living organism assimilates food and uses it for growth and replacement of tissues.

OFFICIAL

A pool deck judge, at sanctioned competitions who enforces USA rules. There are stroke and turn judges, administrative officials, starters, timers and referees.

OLYMPIC TRAINING CENTER

One of two centers operated by the United States Olympic

Committee to prepare athletes for elite level competition. Colorado Springs is the home for the United States Swimming headquarters which hosts a variety of swimming camps and coaches education programs. This is also where the National Team goes for training and testing.

OPEN

A meet is an "open meet” when it is open to all swimmers.

OVC

Official Verification Card required to enter any national competition.

PACE

The time a swimmer holds for each segment of a race.

PELICAN PETE

USA safety mascot.

PHILLIPS 66 NATIONALS (USA)

USA's biggest level of senior competition. This meet is held twice a

year, in the spring and summer.

PRELIMS

The qualifying round of heats heId for each event to determine the finalists.

PROOF OF TIME

A requirement at some meets (usually AA and above) to make certain that all swimmers have legally met the time standards for that meet.

PROTEIN

Found throughout the body and is necessary to build all body cells. Only during starvation or extreme malnutrition is protein used as an energy source.

PSYCHE SHEET

A ranking by seeding times of all the swimmers entered in each race of a meet sometimes used at meets in place of a heat sheet.

PULL BUOY

Styrofoam devices put between the legs to isolate the use of arms and keep legs afloat in pulling exercises.

QUALIFYING TIME

Qualifying time necessary to compete in a particular event and / or

competition.

RACE PACE

Swimming at speeds comparable to race speeds.

READY BENCH

(Clerk of Course) An area at the meet where swimmers report before their event to be arranged into their heat and lane assignments.

RECOVERY

Swimming at sub-maximum speeds to allow the swimmer to recover back to prerace heart rates and lactate levels more quickly. This is used as active recovery between hard repeats as well as races at a meet.

REFEREE

The YMCA / USA official who has the authority over a final decisions and sees that the meet is run efficiently.

REGIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (YMCA)

Typically held in Princeton, NJ.. East Coast YMCA teams

from Maryland to New Jersey compete. Requires that a swimmer qualify based on a time achieved during a YMCA dual or championship meet and have represented his/her YMCA

team in at least 3 dual meets during the current season.

RELAY MEET

A meet of relays only.

REPEAT

The actual distance used in a set. For example, a 10 x 50 (ten fifty’s), the 50 would be the repeat distance and 10 would be the be number of times the 50 is repeated. Sometimes a

repeat time to hold is given.

SCRATCH

To withdraw from an event of a competition.

SEEDING TIMES

The time a swimmer uses to enter a meet. This time, written on an entry form determines a swimmers heat and lane in an event.

SELECT CAMP (USA)

Camps in the USA Camp Program where swimmers must achieve certain time standards to qualify and attend. Select camps are held in Colorado Springs at the Olympic Training Center.

SET

A specific segment of practice, an example is 10 x 100.

SENIOR NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (USA)

Held nationally at one site. Any swimmer who qualifies

may swim regardless of age.

SESSION

Any portion of a meet distinctly separated from other portions by locale, time or type of competition. There are preliminary and final sessions, morning and afternoon sessions, age group and senior sessions.

SHAVE

Prior to major competitions a swimmer will shave his / her entire body to reduce drag (resistance) and heighten the sensation of moving fast through the water.

SHORT COURSE

A 25 yard or 25 meter pool.

SPLIT

A per lap (or length) time recorded by coaches for a swimmer. Splits are used to teach the concept of pacing. A swimmer's time for a 100 yard event is broken down into 25 yard splits.

SPRINT ASSISTED TRAINING

Usually done with surgical tubing and/or fins This form of training allows swimmers to swim faster than they could unassisted. This improves muscle recruitment as well as the ATP-CP energy system.

STARTER

The YMCA/USA official at a meet who is responsible for starting each heat and calling the next heat to the blocks.

STREAMLINE

The position used to gain maximum distance during a start and / or push off from the wall. The swimmer's body is as tight as it can be forming a pencil-like position with the hands forming the point.

STROKE JUDGE

A certified YMCA/USA official, who determines the legality of a swimmer’s stroke and disqualifies any swimmer who does not conform to YMCA/USA rules.

SWIM-A-THON

A marathon swim used to raise funds. Each team member solicits per-length sponsors for a 200 Iength (maximum) swim. A portion of the proceeds goes to the International Swimming Hall of Fame and the rest goes to the team hosting the marathon.

SWIM BENCH

A piece of equipment used for dry land training that allows the swimmer to exercise on land using actual swim pulling pattern. The resistance can be adjusted as well as the time of the exercise.

SWIMMING VENUE

The physical area for a swim meet, located on the sides and ends of the pool, spectator’s area, team areas within the pool facility, locker rooms and other areas that may be specifically designated by the host club or organization, meet director or referee.

TAPER

The resting process in training. Prior to major competition training is tapered off to allow the swimmers to compete in a rested state (sometimes referred to as super-compensation).  When rested properly, a swimmer will usually achieve lifetime best times.

NATIONAL TIME STANDARDS

Same as National Age Group National Time Standards. A set of

time standards which have been set up by USA for all events in each age group for all levels of meets to ensure that all competitions are of reasonably the same ability in the respective meets.  The swimmer's goal should be improving their times starting from a "C" time standard to a National time standard; standards include C, BB, B, A, AA, AAA, AAAA, Junior National, Senior National, and Olympic Trial Qualifying Time

TIME TRIALS

An event, or series of events where swimmers may achieve or better a required time standard. Time Trials are sometimes conducted after regular swimming sessions to try and achieve a valid qualifying time.

TIMED FINALS

Swim meets where there are no preliminaries. The final places for each event are determined by the times performed in the heats.

TOUCH PAD

The part of an electronic timing system that rest in the water at the end of each lane. Swimmer's times are recorded when they touch the pad.

USA

United States Swimming, Inc. is the National governing body for swimming in the United States and is responsible for the conduct and administration of swimming in the United States. It is affiliated with the Federation Internationle de Nation Amateur (FINA), and the International Federation for Aquatics, through United States Aquatic Sports, Inc. (USAS).

USA CAMP PROGRAMS

USA sponsors an organized camp program.

USA CARD/NUMBER

The number given to a swimmer when they join USA. No two swimmers can have the same number. This card number is required at any given competition.

WARM DOWN

Used by a swimmer to rid the body of excess lactic acid generated during a race or workout.

WARM-UP

Used by the swimmer, prior to the main workout set or race, to get muscles loose and warm prior to competing.

WINNING SPIRIT CAMP

A team-building camp used by USA clubs to promote stroke technique.

Used for recruiting and teaching summer swimmers and coaches the proper stroke mechanics.

WORK / REST RATIO

This ratio compares the actual work to how much rest the swimmer is given.  For example. 1:1 1/4, if a swimmer held 1:00 on 100 repeats their interval would be 1: l5.

YOUNG MEN’S CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION (YMCA)

The national organization governing all activities of the local YMCAs. The YMCA promotes the development of youth through mind,

body, and spirit. The YMCA swim team uses competitive swimming as the means for this development.

YMCA NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIPS (YMCA)

Held at the Swimming Hall of Fame pool in Ft.  Lauderdale, FL.. All YMCA teams from the United States are eligible to compete. Requires that a swimmer qualify based on a time achieved during a YMCA dual or championship meet and have represented his/her YMCA team in at least 3 dual meets during the current season.

ZONE COMPETITIONS (USA)

A highly competitive age group competition held within each of the

four zones: Eastern, Western, Central and Southern. Swimmers compete for the LSCs, not their

clubs.