Glossary of Swimming Terms
Age Group
Swimmers or competitions for athletes under 16 years old.
ASA
The Amateur Swimming Association, now referred to as Swim England, is the governing body for swimming in England.
Cambridgeshire County Age Group Championships (County Championships)
Often referred to as the Counties, this competition is open to swimmers who achieve qualifying times during licensed meets. Swimmers represent their clubs and compete for county-level honors.
CQT (County Qualifying Time)
The time a swimmer must achieve to qualify for entry into the County Championships.
DNC (Did Not Compete)
Indicates that a swimmer entered an event but did not participate.
DNF (Did Not Finish)
Indicates that a swimmer started a race but did not complete it.
DQ (Disqualified)
Swimmers may be disqualified for rule violations, such as false starts, incorrect stroke technique, or improper turns.
Energy Systems
Swimmers train at different intensity levels based on energy usage and heart rate. Key systems include:
- VO2 Max: High-intensity effort, near sprint level.
- Threshold: Sustained effort at a challenging pace.
- A2 (Aerobic 2): Moderate intensity, maintainable pace.
- A1 (Aerobic 1): Low-intensity, recovery-focused effort.
Form Stroke
Includes Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Butterfly (not Freestyle).
Freestyle
Technically, any stroke that is not a form stroke; however, it is almost always swum as Front Crawl because it is the fastest.
HDW (Heat Declared Winner)
A competition format where the fastest times from all heats determine the winner, without finals.
IM (Individual Medley)
A race where swimmers complete all four strokes in this order: Butterfly, Backstroke, Breaststroke, and Freestyle. Medley relays use a different stroke order: Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, and Freestyle.
Lane Order
In finals or spearheaded heats, the fastest qualifier swims in lane 4, second-fastest in lane 5, third-fastest in lane 3, and so on, creating a “spearhead” formation.
Licensed Meets
Sanctioned galas with specific standards. Level 1 and 2 meets are for regional/national qualification, while Level 3 is for club-level swimmers.
Long Course
Races held in a 50m pool. Times are often slower than in a 25m pool due to fewer turns.
Midland Times (Regional Qualifying Times)
The times swimmers must achieve to compete in the Swim England East Region Championships.
NQT (National Qualifying Time)
The time standard required for entry into National Age Group or Youth Championships, held annually in the summer.
One-Start Rule
Once the starting signal is given, any movement on the blocks before the start results in disqualification.
Open Meet
A gala open to swimmers from any club, provided they meet the specified qualification criteria.
Over-the-Top Start
Swimmers from the previous heat remain in the water until the next heat has started, speeding up the event.
PB (Personal Best)
A swimmer’s fastest time in a specific event, tracked separately for short course and long course.
Regional Championships
The next competitive level above Counties, involving swimmers from the East Region who have achieved qualifying times at licensed meets.
Short Course
Races held in a 25m pool, where times are often faster due to more frequent turns.
Splits
The breakdown of a swimmer’s time into 25m or 50m segments, used to analyze pacing.
Swim Down
Gentle swimming after training or competing to aid muscle recovery.
Taper
A period of reduced training intensity to prepare for peak performance at a major competition.
Warm-Up
Gentle swimming or land-based exercises before a session or gala to prepare the body for performance.