“WHAT THE HECK ARE THEY TALKIN’ABOUT ?!”

GLOSSARY OF TERMS FOR COMPETITIVE SWIMMING

Kerry O’Brien   Walnut Creek Masters

This is some of the terminology used in everyday swim practices and references to races or race strategies:

Intervals: Much of competitive swimming is done as “Interval Training”. There are four parts to interval training: 1) the number of repetitions within a given set; 2) the distance to be covered within each swim; 3) the amount of time allotted to complete the distance and rest; and 4) the pace or speed of the individual swims.

Example:        8 X 75 @ 1:15 (    1-4; 5-8)

# of Reps                                       Descend Time (increasing Speed)

                                              Distance   

                                                             Amount of time to

                                                                Swim and Rest          

Build-Up: Usually refers to progressively adding speed within each individual swim (starting easy and finishing fast!).

What you might hear: “ We are going to go six times fifty, build up the odd one’s to full speed, easy on the even”

What that means: Within each odd numbered fifty (1,3,and 5), you will begin by swimming easy and gradually add speed as you go. 

Descending: Usually refers to progressively adding speed within a set of swims (starting easy and finishing fast!).

What you might hear: “We are going to go three sets of three times fifty on a moderate interval, descending one to three within each set.”

What that means: Within each set of 3 X 50, you will swim the 1^st 50 easy, the second 50 slightly faster, and the 3^rd the fastest of the three. Each set of three will progress the same way.

Negative Split: Refers to making the second half of a distance faster than the first, and is a popular way to swim distance events.

What you might hear: “We are going to swim a three hundred, a two hundred, and a one hundred, negative splitting each.”

What that means:  Begin each swim conservatively, saving energy so that you can increase your speed the second half (for the 300: 150 smooth/150 fast).

Speed Play: Usually refers to making some laps easy, some moderate, and some laps fast. The coach may or may not designate how to divide up the distance.

Stroke Drill (S.D.): Usually refers to breaking the stroke down into components to focus on certain aspects of a stroke that need more attention. Drills vary with the different strokes and are very useful when learning a new technique or warming up either at the beginning of a practice or as part of a pre-race preparation.

What you might hear: “We are going to swim eight times fifty, stroke drill on the way down, smooth on the way back.”

What that means: Within each 50 (2 lengths of the pool), the 1^st 25 (lap) is stroke drill and the 2^nd  25 is smooth swim.

Glossary of Terms (Cont.)

Kick/Swim (K/S): Refers to sets involving an alternation of laps kicking with laps swimming.

What you might hear: “We are going to do six times fifty Kick/Swim, odd Freestyle and even Choice.”

What that means: Within each 50 (2 laps), the 1^st lap is kick only, the 2^nd lap is swim. The odd 50’s will be freestyle, the even you may choose your stroke.

Active Recovery: Refers to swimming at a moderate pace that allows you to maintain proper stroke mechanics as you recover after or in between strenuous swims. A whole practice can be used as active recovery after hard practices in previous days.

Fastest Possible Send-Off (F.P.S.O.): This refers to swimming a particular set (usually short in duration) on the quickest interval (shortest rest) that allows you to recover enough to make continue and make the next swim. Variations will include FPSO +5; FPSO +10, etc.

What you might hear: “ We are going to go six times one hundred, one to three on your FPSO, four to six on a plus five interval.”

What that means: Of the six one hundreds, the 1^st three will be swum on your fastest interval, the last three on that interval plus an additional five seconds.

Distance Per Stroke (DPS): Refers to swimming with the optimum stroke length required to maintain either pace, speed, or stroke integrity. DPS helps to develop a blending of stroke efficiency and stroke tempo for race pacing.

Pace and Race Pace: Consistently maintaining a predetermined swim speed that allows for stroke and energy efficiency.

What you might hear: “ We are going to swim six times one hundred, holding your 500 race pace on a moderate interval.”

What that means: Each one hundred should be swum at a consistent speed, that is determined by the total time ideal or goal time you would like to achieve at that distance.

Broken Swims: Refers to taking short rest breaks within a given distance to allow for a brief recovery and to keep track of pacing. Broken swims are very helpful in learning specific race strategies.

What you might hear: “We are going to swim a two hundred, broken ten seconds at each fifty, and trying to maintain race pace.”

What that means: You will break the two hundred into 4 swims of 50 yards/meters, with a ten second rest between them. The objective is to maintain a pace consistent with your predetermined goal time for that event.

Hypoxic: Refers to limiting the breathing, which is often helpful when learning stroke mechanics or developing race strategies.

What you might hear: “We are going to do a hypoxic three hundred, with a breathing pattern of every two – three – four.”

What that means: Within the three hundred swim, swimmers will take two strokes and then breathe; three strokes and then breathe; four strokes and then breathe; and repeat the cycle for the rest of the distance.