Swimmer Dictionary
When you are new to swimming on a competitive team, talking to swimming veterans can occasionally be like talking to someone speaking a completely new language. Here's a list of terms and abbreviations to help get you up to speed.
BACKSTROKE / BACK/ BA. : (n.) One of the four competitive swimming strokes, and the only one swum on one's back. This has the advantage of easy breathing, but the disadvantage of swimmers not being able to see where they are going. It is also the only stroke that starts from the water.
BACKSTROKE FLAGS/ FLAGS: (n.) Backstroke flags are hung across the lanes of the pool on both ends. They are positioned about 5 yards from either wall and serve as a useful tool for backstroke swimmers who need to know when they are approaching the wall.
BEEP: (n.) The starting sound from an electronic timing system that signals the swimmers to start their race.
BLOCKS: (n.) The starting platforms located behind each lane. Some pools have blocks at the deeper end of the pool, and some pools have blocks at both ends. Blocks have a variety of designs and can be permanent or removable. They are not diving boards!
BREASTSTROKE/ BREAST/ BR. : (n.) One of the four competitive swimming strokes. Swimmers are on their breast and do not rotate during this stroke. Although it is extremely popular among swimmers because of the ability to keep the head out of the water for a good portion of the race, breaststroke is one of the most difficult swimming strokes to perfect at a competitive level as it requires a mastery of timing and synchronicity.
BULLPEN: (n.) The holding area where swimmers wait to receive their lane and heat assignments for a swimming event. The bullpen is usually set up away from the pool and has rows of chairs or bleachers for the swimmers to sit. Once swimmers are called to the bullpen and organized into their proper heats, they are filed through directly behind the blocks into their lanes where they will step up and start their race. Depending on which teams are running the meets or the size of the meet, there may or may not be a bullpen present.
BUTTERFLY/ FLY: (n.) One of the four competitive swimming strokes. Swimmers are on their breast and have both arms moving simultaneously. It is one of the hardest strokes for new swimmers who have not built up the proper shoulder muscles needed to power through the water. Until technique is polished, fly is difficult for beginning swimmers, even those with more developed shoulder muscles.
CAP: (n.) A silicone, latex or lycra cap worn on the head by competitive swimmers, male or female. Caps help keep hair out of the face and mouth while swimming during practices and meets. Caps also help reduce drag in the water caused by loose or free-flowing hair.
CHAMPIONSHIP MEET: (n.) A meet held at the end of a season. Usually these meets require swimmers to meet some sort of qualification time or condition in order to swim.
CHASE STARTS: (n.) Usually used in 50 meter pools, chase starts are a type of start in which the swimmer in the next heat is started before the swimmer in the heat before has finished in order to complete the meet in a timely manner.
CIRCLE SWIM: (v.) When swimming with two or more swimmers in one lane, it becomes necessary to circle swim in order to give every swimmer the appropriate space in which to work within their lane. Swimmers stay on the right side of the black line that runs down the middle of each lane. You will be on one side of the lane going down the pool, and the other side of the lane coming back. Think of the black line as a double yellow line in the middle of a road.
DISQUALIFICATION/ DQ: (n.) A swimmer's performance cannot be counted because of a rules infraction. A disqualification is shown by an official raising one arm with an open hand above their head. DQs may occur because of illegal starts, strokes, turns, or finishes. False starts in relays are also DQs.The rules for disqualification vary among the strokes. For example, there are more things you can do to get disqualified in butterfly than in freestyle.
DIVE: (n.) Entering the water head first in a streamlined position. Diving is not allowed unless monitored by a swim coach. Swimmers start a race by diving into the water (except in backstroke) from the block or from the side of the pool if they are less advanced.
DIVE OVER: (n.) A type of start in which swimmers who have just completed a race remain in the water until the swimmers on the blocks for the next heat dive over them to start the next race.
DRAG SUIT: (n.) A loose-fitting suit worn over a tighter practice suit in order to increase drag/resistance during practice.
DRILL: (n.) A swimming exercise or specific maneuver involving a portion of a stroke, used to improve technique.
DROPPING TIME: (v.) Swimmers drop time anytime they swim an event faster than their previous performances.
DUAL MEET: (n.) A meet where two teams compete against each other. These meets are generally more laid-back and are run by the host team, although volunteer timers may be requested by the visiting team.
EVENT: (n.) A swim meet is made up of “events,” which are the specific age groups, boys or girls, swimming specific strokes, such as the “Boys 13-14 50 Yard Fly."
FALSE START: (n.) An illegal start at the beginning of a race that occurs when a swimmer is moving, in any way, prior to the sound of the official start of the race (signified by the beep from the electronic timing system). False starts result in DQs for the swimmer, or swimmers if it occurs during a relay, but officials may try be flexible by saying "step down" or "relax" to delay the start if they believe a swimmer is on the verge of doing a false start.
FINISH: (n.) In a race, the last few yards to the wall and the swimmer's actual touch at the wall are all included as part of the finish. In breast and fly, swimmers must finish with both hand simultaneously touching to avoid disqualification. In backstroke, swimmers must finish on their backs (no rolling over) to avoid disqualification.
FREESTYLE/ FREE/ FR: (n.) One of the four main competitive swimming strokes. Freestyle is swam on the breast, most often as a front crawl, and is usually regarded as the fastest of the four competitive strokes.
FREE RELAY/ F.R. : (n.) Four different swimmers, each swimming one or more laps of freestyle according to their age group. Younger swimmers swim one lap each, and older swimmers swim two or more laps each.
HEAT: (n.) Because there are only 8 lanes in a pool, there are often more swimmers in an event than can race at the same time. Due to the limited amount of space, swimmers must swim in shifts or groupings. Every event is composed of one or more groups of swimmers, called heats. The fastest group of swimmers, based on previous best times, are usually in the last heat. The next-to-last heat for the event has the next-to-fastest swimmers, etc. For more on heats, visit the How to Read a Heat Sheet page on our site.
HEAT SHEET: (n.) The program for the meet, showing all of the heats (or races) in chronological order, including swimmers’ names and seed times. These are generally available at the pool entrance or concession stand for several dollars. For more on heat sheets, visit the How to Read a Heat Sheet page on our site.
INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY/ IM: (n.) An individual medley of strokes where an individual swimmer will swim one or more laps each of butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle, in that order.
INTERVAL: (n.) A specific time interval determined by the coaching staff within which swimmers are required to perform specific maneuvers or stroke drills during a training session. Interval training is a technique used to assist in gaining endurance and overall conditioning of the swimmers.
KICK: (n.) The leg movements of a swimmer. The kick varies for all four primary strokes.
KICK BOARD: (n.) Used by swimmers during practice to focus technique on the kick, although it can be used for a variety of other exercises as well. A lightweight object used with great accuracy by coaches.
LANE: (n.) The specific area in which a swimmer is assigned to swim (i.e. lane 1 or lane 2). As the swimmers stand behind the blocks, lanes are numbered from right (lane 1) to left (lane 8).
LANE ROPE/ LANE LINE: (n.) The continuous floating markers attached to a cable stretched from the starting end to the turning end for the purpose of dividing each lane and quieting the waves caused by racing swimmers.
MEDLEY RELAY/ M.R. : (n.) Made up of four swimmers each swimming one of the four strokes. Stroke order is backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle, in that order. Younger swimmers swim one lap each in the 100 MR, and older swimmers swim two laps of their stroke in the 200 MR.
NO SHOW/ NS: (n.) A swimmer who does not start or show up for their event by the time their heat begins their race. A No Show is an automatic DQ.
NO TIME/ NT: (n.) The notation used on a heat sheet to indicate that the swimmer has not swam that event before and therefore has no time to seed them with in their event. Generally, swimmers with NT will be seeded in the slowest heat of their event.
PACE CLOCK/ CLOCK: (n.) The large clock with highly visible numbers and second hand, positioned at the end or side of a swimming pool so swimmers can read their times during warm-ups or swim practice. Reading the pace clock is an integral part of being able to complete a mature swimming workout.
PULL: (n.) The arm movements of a swimmer. The pull varies for all four primary strokes.
PULL BUOY: (n.) A flotation device used by swimmers for focusing technique on the pull of a stroke.
RECALL ROPE: (n.) A rope across the width of the racing pool for the purpose of stopping swimmers who were not aware of a false start.
SCRATCH: (v.) To withdraw from an event after having declared an intention to participate. Some meets have scratch deadlines and specific scratch rules, and if not followed, a swimmer can be disqualified from remaining events.
SEED: (v.) To assign the swimmers' heats and lanes according to their submitted or preliminary times.
START: (n.) The beginning of a race. The dive used to begin a race.
STREAMLINE: (n.) The most hydrodynamic body position for a swimmer. The swimmer’s body is as straight and tight as it can possibly be. The arms are positioned above the head with elbows locked, hand over hand. The head is tucked down between the arms and the legs are held together tightly with knees locked and toes pointed. This technique is used to reduce drag, gaining maximum distance beneath the water during a start and/or pushoff from the wall.
TOUCH PAD: (n.) The removable plate (on the end of pools) that is connected to an automatic timing system. A swimmer must properly touch the touch pad to register an official time in a race.
TRI MEET: (n.) A meet with three teams competing.
BACKSTROKE FLAGS/ FLAGS: (n.) Backstroke flags are hung across the lanes of the pool on both ends. They are positioned about 5 yards from either wall and serve as a useful tool for backstroke swimmers who need to know when they are approaching the wall.
BEEP: (n.) The starting sound from an electronic timing system that signals the swimmers to start their race.
BLOCKS: (n.) The starting platforms located behind each lane. Some pools have blocks at the deeper end of the pool, and some pools have blocks at both ends. Blocks have a variety of designs and can be permanent or removable. They are not diving boards!
BREASTSTROKE/ BREAST/ BR. : (n.) One of the four competitive swimming strokes. Swimmers are on their breast and do not rotate during this stroke. Although it is extremely popular among swimmers because of the ability to keep the head out of the water for a good portion of the race, breaststroke is one of the most difficult swimming strokes to perfect at a competitive level as it requires a mastery of timing and synchronicity.
BULLPEN: (n.) The holding area where swimmers wait to receive their lane and heat assignments for a swimming event. The bullpen is usually set up away from the pool and has rows of chairs or bleachers for the swimmers to sit. Once swimmers are called to the bullpen and organized into their proper heats, they are filed through directly behind the blocks into their lanes where they will step up and start their race. Depending on which teams are running the meets or the size of the meet, there may or may not be a bullpen present.
BUTTERFLY/ FLY: (n.) One of the four competitive swimming strokes. Swimmers are on their breast and have both arms moving simultaneously. It is one of the hardest strokes for new swimmers who have not built up the proper shoulder muscles needed to power through the water. Until technique is polished, fly is difficult for beginning swimmers, even those with more developed shoulder muscles.
CAP: (n.) A silicone, latex or lycra cap worn on the head by competitive swimmers, male or female. Caps help keep hair out of the face and mouth while swimming during practices and meets. Caps also help reduce drag in the water caused by loose or free-flowing hair.
CHAMPIONSHIP MEET: (n.) A meet held at the end of a season. Usually these meets require swimmers to meet some sort of qualification time or condition in order to swim.
CHASE STARTS: (n.) Usually used in 50 meter pools, chase starts are a type of start in which the swimmer in the next heat is started before the swimmer in the heat before has finished in order to complete the meet in a timely manner.
CIRCLE SWIM: (v.) When swimming with two or more swimmers in one lane, it becomes necessary to circle swim in order to give every swimmer the appropriate space in which to work within their lane. Swimmers stay on the right side of the black line that runs down the middle of each lane. You will be on one side of the lane going down the pool, and the other side of the lane coming back. Think of the black line as a double yellow line in the middle of a road.
DISQUALIFICATION/ DQ: (n.) A swimmer's performance cannot be counted because of a rules infraction. A disqualification is shown by an official raising one arm with an open hand above their head. DQs may occur because of illegal starts, strokes, turns, or finishes. False starts in relays are also DQs.The rules for disqualification vary among the strokes. For example, there are more things you can do to get disqualified in butterfly than in freestyle.
DIVE: (n.) Entering the water head first in a streamlined position. Diving is not allowed unless monitored by a swim coach. Swimmers start a race by diving into the water (except in backstroke) from the block or from the side of the pool if they are less advanced.
DIVE OVER: (n.) A type of start in which swimmers who have just completed a race remain in the water until the swimmers on the blocks for the next heat dive over them to start the next race.
DRAG SUIT: (n.) A loose-fitting suit worn over a tighter practice suit in order to increase drag/resistance during practice.
DRILL: (n.) A swimming exercise or specific maneuver involving a portion of a stroke, used to improve technique.
DROPPING TIME: (v.) Swimmers drop time anytime they swim an event faster than their previous performances.
DUAL MEET: (n.) A meet where two teams compete against each other. These meets are generally more laid-back and are run by the host team, although volunteer timers may be requested by the visiting team.
EVENT: (n.) A swim meet is made up of “events,” which are the specific age groups, boys or girls, swimming specific strokes, such as the “Boys 13-14 50 Yard Fly."
FALSE START: (n.) An illegal start at the beginning of a race that occurs when a swimmer is moving, in any way, prior to the sound of the official start of the race (signified by the beep from the electronic timing system). False starts result in DQs for the swimmer, or swimmers if it occurs during a relay, but officials may try be flexible by saying "step down" or "relax" to delay the start if they believe a swimmer is on the verge of doing a false start.
FINISH: (n.) In a race, the last few yards to the wall and the swimmer's actual touch at the wall are all included as part of the finish. In breast and fly, swimmers must finish with both hand simultaneously touching to avoid disqualification. In backstroke, swimmers must finish on their backs (no rolling over) to avoid disqualification.
FREESTYLE/ FREE/ FR: (n.) One of the four main competitive swimming strokes. Freestyle is swam on the breast, most often as a front crawl, and is usually regarded as the fastest of the four competitive strokes.
FREE RELAY/ F.R. : (n.) Four different swimmers, each swimming one or more laps of freestyle according to their age group. Younger swimmers swim one lap each, and older swimmers swim two or more laps each.
HEAT: (n.) Because there are only 8 lanes in a pool, there are often more swimmers in an event than can race at the same time. Due to the limited amount of space, swimmers must swim in shifts or groupings. Every event is composed of one or more groups of swimmers, called heats. The fastest group of swimmers, based on previous best times, are usually in the last heat. The next-to-last heat for the event has the next-to-fastest swimmers, etc. For more on heats, visit the How to Read a Heat Sheet page on our site.
HEAT SHEET: (n.) The program for the meet, showing all of the heats (or races) in chronological order, including swimmers’ names and seed times. These are generally available at the pool entrance or concession stand for several dollars. For more on heat sheets, visit the How to Read a Heat Sheet page on our site.
INDIVIDUAL MEDLEY/ IM: (n.) An individual medley of strokes where an individual swimmer will swim one or more laps each of butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle, in that order.
INTERVAL: (n.) A specific time interval determined by the coaching staff within which swimmers are required to perform specific maneuvers or stroke drills during a training session. Interval training is a technique used to assist in gaining endurance and overall conditioning of the swimmers.
KICK: (n.) The leg movements of a swimmer. The kick varies for all four primary strokes.
KICK BOARD: (n.) Used by swimmers during practice to focus technique on the kick, although it can be used for a variety of other exercises as well. A lightweight object used with great accuracy by coaches.
LANE: (n.) The specific area in which a swimmer is assigned to swim (i.e. lane 1 or lane 2). As the swimmers stand behind the blocks, lanes are numbered from right (lane 1) to left (lane 8).
LANE ROPE/ LANE LINE: (n.) The continuous floating markers attached to a cable stretched from the starting end to the turning end for the purpose of dividing each lane and quieting the waves caused by racing swimmers.
MEDLEY RELAY/ M.R. : (n.) Made up of four swimmers each swimming one of the four strokes. Stroke order is backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, and freestyle, in that order. Younger swimmers swim one lap each in the 100 MR, and older swimmers swim two laps of their stroke in the 200 MR.
NO SHOW/ NS: (n.) A swimmer who does not start or show up for their event by the time their heat begins their race. A No Show is an automatic DQ.
NO TIME/ NT: (n.) The notation used on a heat sheet to indicate that the swimmer has not swam that event before and therefore has no time to seed them with in their event. Generally, swimmers with NT will be seeded in the slowest heat of their event.
PACE CLOCK/ CLOCK: (n.) The large clock with highly visible numbers and second hand, positioned at the end or side of a swimming pool so swimmers can read their times during warm-ups or swim practice. Reading the pace clock is an integral part of being able to complete a mature swimming workout.
PULL: (n.) The arm movements of a swimmer. The pull varies for all four primary strokes.
PULL BUOY: (n.) A flotation device used by swimmers for focusing technique on the pull of a stroke.
RECALL ROPE: (n.) A rope across the width of the racing pool for the purpose of stopping swimmers who were not aware of a false start.
SCRATCH: (v.) To withdraw from an event after having declared an intention to participate. Some meets have scratch deadlines and specific scratch rules, and if not followed, a swimmer can be disqualified from remaining events.
SEED: (v.) To assign the swimmers' heats and lanes according to their submitted or preliminary times.
START: (n.) The beginning of a race. The dive used to begin a race.
STREAMLINE: (n.) The most hydrodynamic body position for a swimmer. The swimmer’s body is as straight and tight as it can possibly be. The arms are positioned above the head with elbows locked, hand over hand. The head is tucked down between the arms and the legs are held together tightly with knees locked and toes pointed. This technique is used to reduce drag, gaining maximum distance beneath the water during a start and/or pushoff from the wall.
TOUCH PAD: (n.) The removable plate (on the end of pools) that is connected to an automatic timing system. A swimmer must properly touch the touch pad to register an official time in a race.
TRI MEET: (n.) A meet with three teams competing.