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This list explains important terms used in competitive swimming. Knowing these words can help swimmers, coaches, and fans understand the sport better. Whether you're just starting or want to learn more, this glossary is a great resource. Let’s dive in!

A

• Anchor Leg: The final swimmer in a relay race.

B

• Backstroke: A stroke performed on the back, using an alternating arm movement and a flutter kick.
• Back Flip Turn: A turn used in backstroke, where swimmers rotate onto their stomachs before initiating the turn.
• Block: The starting platform; the area from which a swimmer dives into the pool to begin a race. 
• Body Position: The alignment of the swimmer's body in the water, crucial for minimizing drag.
• Body Roll: The rotation of the swimmer's body during strokes, particularly in freestyle and backstroke, to enhance efficiency. 
• Breaststroke: A stroke characterized by a frog-like kick and simultaneous arm movement. 
• Breaststroke Pullout: A specific technique used in breaststroke starts and turns, involving a glide and a powerful kick. 
• Breathing Pattern: The number of strokes a swimmer takes between breaths.
• Butterfly: A stroke that involves simultaneous arm movement and a dolphin kick.

C 

• Catch: The initial phase of the stroke where the swimmer's hand enters the water and begins to pull. 
• Check-In: The process where swimmers confirm their participation in an event before it starts. This usually involves signing in.
• Competitive Swimwear: Specialized, tight-fitting swimwear designed to reduce drag and improve performance.
• Cool-down: A period of light swimming after a workout or race to help the body recover. 

D

• Deck: The poolside area around the pool.
• Distance: How far a swimmer swims. Distances for short course are: 25 yards (1 length), 50 yards (2 lengths), 100 yards (4 lengths), 200 yards (8 lengths).
• Disqualification (DQ): A penalty that occurs when a swimmer breaks a rule, resulting in their time being invalidated. 
• Diving Start: The technique used to enter the water from the starting block, maximizing speed and momentum. 
• Dolphin Kick: A kick used in races, characterized by simultaneous leg movement.
• Drafting: Swimming closely behind another swimmer to reduce drag and conserve energy. 
• Dropped Time: When a swimmer goes faster than the previous performance they have "dropped their time".
• Dryland Training: Exercises performed out of the water to improve strength, flexibility, and endurance.

E

• Entry Time: A swimmer’s best time for a particular race before a competition.
• Event: A specific race or competition category, such as 100y freestyle or 200y IM. 

F

• False Start: When a swimmer moves or jumps the gun before the race officially begins, leading to disqualification. 
• Finish: The technique used to touch the wall at the end of a race, often crucial for timing. 
• Fins: Training tools worn on the feet to help improve kick strength and technique. They make it easier to swim faster and enhance leg movement.
• Flags: Pennants that are suspended over the width of each end of the pool approximately 15 feet from the wall. They enable backstrokers to execute a turn more efficiently by providing a mark by which to count their strokes.
• Flip Turn: A quick, somersault-style turn used in freestyle and backstroke to maintain speed. 
• Format: The order of events and type of swim meet being conducted.
• Freestyle: A swimming stroke where the swimmer can use any technique, typically referring to the front crawl. 

G

• Goggles: Protective eyewear that helps swimmers see underwater and protects their eyes from chlorine. 

H

• Heat: A group of swimmers competing in the same event during a race.
• Heat Sheet: A document that lists the swimmers competing in each event, including their heat and lane assignments. 
• Hand Entry: The way a swimmer's hand enters the water during a stroke, crucial for efficiency. 
• Hydration: The process of maintaining fluid balance, crucial for optimal performance during training and competition. 

I

• Individual Medley (IM): A race that combines all four strokes in a specific order: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle. 
• Interval Training: A training method that alternates between high-intensity swimming and rest or lower-intensity swimming. 

J

• Jammers: A type of male swimwear that fits snugly and extends from the waist to the knees, commonly worn in competitive swimming for reduced drag.
• Jump: An illegal start done by the 2nd, 3rd, or 4th member of a relay team. The swimmer on the block breaks contact with the block before the swimmer in the water touches the wall.

K

• Kick: The leg movements of a swimmer. A popular word to "yell" to encourage swimmers during a race.
• Kickboard: A flotation device used during training to focus on leg strength and kicking technique. 
• Kick Set: A training set focused specifically on improving kicking technique and strength. 
• Kick Timing: The synchronization of leg kicks with arm strokes, crucial for maintaining speed and rhythm. 

L 

• Lane: A marked section of the pool designated for each swimmer during a race or practice.
• Lane Assignment: The designated lane a swimmer is assigned to during a race, often based on seed times.
• Lane Lines: Continuous floating markers attached to a cable stretched from the starting end to the turning end for the purpose of separating each lane and quieting the waves caused by racing swimmers.  
• Lap: Swimming to one end of the pool and back. In a 25-yard pool, one lap is 50 yards.
• Length: The distance from one end of the pool to the other. In a 25-yard pool, one length is 25 yards.
• Lifeguard: A trained individual responsible for ensuring swimmers’ safety at pools or open water venues.
• Long Course: A swimming competition held in a 50-meter pool.

M

• Mark: The command to take your starting position.
• Masters Swimming: Swimming for adult athletes, often focused on fitness and competition.
• Medley Relay: A relay event where each swimmer uses a different stroke: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle.

N

• NT: No Time. The abbreviation used on a heat sheet to designate that the swimmer has not swam that event before.

O

• Olympic-Size Pool: A pool measuring 50 meters in length.
• Open Turn: A type of turn used in freestyle and backstroke, where the swimmer turns sideways to the wall. 

P 

• Pacing: The strategy of managing speed and energy throughout a race to optimize performance. 
• Paddle: A training tool worn on the hands to increase resistance and improve stroke technique.
• Personal Best (PB): The fastest time a swimmer has achieved in a specific event. 
• Pull Buoy: A device placed between the legs to isolate the arms during swimming, helping to improve upper body strength. 
• Psych Sheet: A document that lists swimmers' best times for each event, used to seed heats and lanes based on performance. Not to be confused with the heat sheet.

R 

• Race Pace: The speed a swimmer aims to maintain during a race, often practiced in training. 
• Race Strategy: A plan that outlines how a swimmer intends to pace themselves and execute their strokes during a race. 
• Relay: A team event where each swimmer swims a portion of the race before passing off to the next swimmer. 
• Relay Exchange: The moment when one swimmer hands off to the next in a relay race, requiring precise timing. 

S 

• Scratch: To withdraw from an event in a competition.
• Seeding: The process of arranging swimmers in heats based on their previous times to ensure fair competition.
• Set: A specific group of swims or drills performed during practice, often with a defined distance or time.
• Short Course: A swimming competition held in a 25-yard/meter pool. This format is commonly used in many local competitions and what we swim (25-yards).
• Splash Meet: A fun swim competition for kids or beginners. It focuses on having a good time and gaining experience rather than being very competitive.
• Split Time: The time taken to swim a specific segment of a race, often used for pacing.
• Stand-up: The command given by the Starter or Referee to release the swimmers from their starting position.
• Streamline: A position where swimmers extend their body in a straight line underwater to reduce resistance during dives and turns.
• Stroke: A swim style, such as freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, or butterfly.
• Stroke Count: The number of strokes taken to cover a specific distance, used to gauge efficiency. 
• Stroke Efficiency: A measure of how effectively a swimmer uses energy to maintain speed and technique. 
• Stroke Rate: The number of strokes taken per minute, important for pacing and efficiency. 
• Swim Cap: A snug-fitting cap worn by swimmers to reduce drag and protect hair.
• Swim Meet: A competition where swimmers race in various events and distances.

T

• Timer: The volunteers sitting behind the starting blocks/finish end of pool, who are responsible for getting watch times on events and activating the backup buttons for the timing system.
• Touchpad: The electronic sensors placed at the end of each lane to record times in competitive swimming.
• Turn: A technique swimmers use to reverse direction at the end of a lap.

U

• Underwater Dolphin Kick: A powerful kick used during starts and turns, maximizing speed before surfacing. 

W

• Wall Start: A start technique where the swimmer holds the wall while in the water as the race begins. This is typically the slowest start you can take in a race.
• Warm-Up: A series of exercises or swims done before a race to prepare the body.
• Warm-Up Pool: A separate pool used for warming up before races, allowing swimmers to prepare without competing.