Term/Abbreviation/Acronym

 Meaning

Age Group

 Division of swimmers according to age

Anchor

 Final swimmer in a relay

CQT

 County Qualifying Time

DQ

 Disqualified

Entry Limit

 Maximum number of swimmers accepted for a race

False Start

 When a swimmer leaves the blocks or moves on the   block before the starter has started the race.

Faulty Start

 When the swimmer leaves the block due to an official   error or equipment failure

Final

 The last race of an event where medallists are   determined. Typically, the final comprises the eight   fastest swimmers from two preceding semifinal races.

Heat

 A grouping of swimmers assembled to compete in a   race. It can refer to individual races of the preliminary   round, semifinals, or finals.

Leg

 The part of the relay event swum by a single swimmer

Meet/Gala

 Competition

NQT

 National Qualifying Time

NTR

 No Time Recorded

Open Competition

 A competition any qualified club, organization, or   individual may enter.

Over the top start

 At some meets, swimmers will remain in the water   after their event until the next race starts to save time.

Split Time

 Swimmer's intermediate time in a race, usually   recorded at 25m or 50m, to determine if the swimmer   is swimming at a consistent pace.

Step-Down

 Instruction for swimmers to move off the blocks.

Term/Abbreviation/Acronym

 Meaning

Fins

 Help improve speed and efficiency through effective   kicking.

Paddles

 Hand paddles that help make strokes more efficient   and isolate your pull to increase arm strength.

Parachute

 Worn around the waist to add resistance while   swimming.

Snorkel

 Helps maintain a neutral head position, correct   excessive hip roll, and focus on technique without   worrying about breathing.

Term/Abbreviation/Acronym

 Meaning

Blocks

 Platform located at the start of each lane, where   swimmers dive into the pool.

Flags

 Hanging markers above the pool that help back     strokers execute turns efficiently.

Lane Lines/Ropes

 Dividers used to create lanes, made of individual discs   that rotate when hit by waves, dissipating surface-   tension waves.

LC

 Long Course Pool (50 meters)

Pace Clock

 A clock showing seconds in intervals, used for timing.

SC

 Short Course Pool (25 meters)

Term/Abbreviation/Acronym

 Meaning

BR

 Breaststroke

CH/Ch

 Choice - Your choice of stroke

FC

 Front crawl

Fly/BF/FL

 Butterfly

FR

 Freestyle

FRIM

 Freestyle IM (An IM with no butterfly)

IM/IMO

 Individual Medley - Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke,   Front crawl

K

 Kick only

K/Fins

 Kick with Fins

Medley Relay

 4 swimmers each swim a different stroke in the order:   Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, Freestyle

NF

 No freestyle

Open Turn

 A turn generally used in Breaststroke or Butterfly

PP/Pull P/PAD

 Pull with paddles

PR

 Primary Stroke - Your best stroke

Pull

 Arms only (no kick)

Pullout

 The beginning of a breaststroke start or turn involving a   long pull with a butterfly kick followed by a breaststroke   kick.

Rev IMO/RIMO

 Reverse Order Individual Medley - Front crawl,   Breaststroke, Backstroke, Butterfly

UW

 Underwater - Refers to dolphin kick or other underwater  movements

Term/Abbreviation/Acronym

 Meaning

Aerobic

 Longer distance, moderate intensity, short rest periods   to build endurance

Anaerobic

 Shorter distance, high intensity, longer rest periods to   build power

Asc

 Ascend - Swim each rep increasingly easier

BBM

 Beats Below Maximum - A heart rate measurement

BE

 Breath Every (e.g., BE 5 = Breath every 5 strokes)

Bi-Lat

 Breath to both sides

Bld/Build

 Get progressively faster

Catch

 The front part of your stroke where your arms and   hands start to propel you.

CSS

 Critical Swim Speed

Desc

 Swim each rep increasingly faster

DPS

 Distance Per Stroke - Swimming a specific distance   with as few strokes as possible

DR/Dr

 Drill

EVF

 Early Vertical Forearm - Reduces drag by keeping the   elbow high during the catch & pull phase

EZ/Ez

 Easy

FAD/OTB

 From A Dive/Off The Blocks

HR/HRT

 Heart Rate

HVO

 High Velocity Overload - Swim at full speed with no   breathing for part of the length.

Lactate

 Lactic acid produced during anaerobic sets.

Negative Split

 Swim the second half of the distance quicker than the   first

PB

 Personal Best

RPE

 Rate of Perceived Exertion

SPL

 Strokes Per Length - The number of strokes per 25m or   50m

SWOLF

 A score combining Swim and Golf; adding strokes taken   to the time for the length

Taper

 Training period designed for peak performance before   competition

Test Set

 Repeated set to gauge a swimmer’s progress

Track Start

 Positioning on starting blocks with one foot in front, one   foot further back

Term/Abbreviation/Acronym

 Meaning

AFAP

 As Fast As Possible

Alt

 Alternate (e.g., 4x200m alt FR, BK means alternate   between Freestyle and Backstroke)

Asc

 Ascend - Swim each rep increasingly easier

Dryland

 Exercises and strength programs swimmers do outside   the water

Flip Turn

 Somersault at the wall to change direction

Hyp/Hypox

 Hypoxic, normally followed by a number (e.g., Hyp 5 =   5 strokes between each breath)

Interval

 Swim time + rest time (e.g., 8x50m @ 1:00 means   swim each 50m in under 1 minute)

KOB

 Kick on Back

Main Set

 The primary focus of the swim workout

Post Set

 Done after the main set, usually a final push before the   cool down

Pre-set

 Exercises to develop coordination and water feel

R or r or RI

 Rest/Rest Interval - Time interval between repetitions

Recovery

 The part of the stroke when your arm is out of the water

SC

 Scull (stroke type)

SKPS

 Swim, Kick, Pull, Swim (exercise)

Sprints

 Fast swimming for short distances while maintaining   technique

Steady

 Swimming at a pace that is easily maintained

Swim Down

 Easy swim to help lower heart rate and flush lactic acid

Turnaround

 Time expected to complete a set (e.g., 4x100m FR on   3:00)

W/d or C/d

 Warm down/Cool down

W/Up

 Warm Up - Prepares muscles for the main workout