Minnow info

Swimspeak

(Just so you'll know all of these things and won't be embarrassed to ask, and also so we won't be embarrassed when you ask and we don't know the answers)

ASCEND ...(timing for practice sets) each part of the set is a little slower than the previous one -- the time ascends, or rises, for each part

 

BUILD ...in practice, you swim each part of a set a little harder than the previous part

 

DESCEND ...(timing for practice sets) each part of the set is a little faster than the previous one -- the time descends, or decreases, for each part

 

FINS ...(equipment for practices) gives the legs a good workout; fit on your feet and come in a variety of shapes and sizes, but the good old-fashioned long ones work just as well as the short fins and monofins, although they aren't as stylish and fashionable, and they cost a heck of a lot less

 

HEAT SHEET ...at a meet, the list of competitors and which heat and lane each is assigned to swim in for each of the events.

 

INTERVAL ...an amount of time for each part of a practice set; doing 50's on a 45-second interval means that you watch the clock and start to swim another 50 every 45 seconds, regardless of how long it takes to actually swim the distance.

 

KICKBOARD ...(equipment for practices) a floating device that allows you to practice your kicking without your face sinking; when you use it, hold it at arm's length in front of you (it's not a small raft, so don't float on it); your back tends to arch more than usual, so if you have back problems, it's a toy you may not want to play with very much.

 

KICK IN PLACE ...you get in the water that is deeper than you are tall and then kick in a vertical position -- you kick hard and get a good workout, but you never go anywhere.

 

LMSC ...Local Masters Swimming Committee; a collection of Masters clubs in a geographic area. San Carlos Merry Minnows is in the Florida LMSC; on an entry form, write 14-FL.

 

POSTAL ...a competition where either (1) you see how far you can swim in a set amount of time -- in a one-hour postal, you see how far you can swim in one hour; or (2) you see how long it takes you to swim a set distance -- a 3000/6000 Postal means you see how long it takes you to swim either 3,000 or 6,000 yards. These are usually held at each club's practice pool and the times are mailed to the sponsoring club.

 

PULL ...you swim with only your arms and you don't kick

 

PULL BUOY ...(equipment for practices) another floating device (see kickboard); it allows you to pull, either with paddles or without, and keep a somewhat streamlined body position where the legs don't sink; place it between your legs just above the knees; doing turns at the end of the pool takes some getting used to.

 

SCULL ...one method of practicing where you use your hands and sometimes arms like oars, sculling the water's surface; front scull, mid-scull, and final scull are variations depending on where the hands are; sculling builds a good feel for "catching" the water, which helps in the actual stroke

 

SEED TIME ...on meet entry forms, the time you estimate it will take you to swim an event

 

SET ...a group of exercises in a workout

 

WARM DOWN ...easy swimming after an event or practice to loosen up and prevent your muscles from tightening up on you

 

WARM UP ...swimming to get the heart and muscles ready for the actual practice or event