What Exactly is Master's Swimming?

If you are really into the swimming lifestyle, you have probably heard of an organization called “Master’s Swimming.” You may also be aware of the fact that they hold events where really good swimmers race against one another.

Beyond that, it is somewhat mysterious what this organization entails. My curiosity has gone on too long. I decided to find out the answers for myself.
 

The Official Acronym

The official title is “United States Master’s Swimming” or USMS. It is a national, non-profit organization and it is membership-operated. Pretty cool! I had no idea it was non-profit.
 

What are The Benefits and how do I qualify?

The idea is to create a community and offer membership benefits.
For example, some of these benefits are: sanctioned events, online workouts, magazine subscription, online fitness logs, insurance, technique tips etc.
The benefits are great perks offered to people who are serious about swimming. You do not have to qualify at a certain level of performance.
It doesn’t matter how fast you are or whether or not you want to compete. You can compete if you want, but you certainly don’t have to. This is just a commited group of athletes… a swimmer’s society- if you will.
 

How Many People are in this Organization?

There are about 60,000 people who are considered Master’s Swimmers in the U.S. that belong to this this organization. There are 1,500 Master’s Swimming “clubs and workout groups” that these 60,000 people are a part of. And there are 52 Local Masters Swimming Committees that offer direction over the smaller segments.
According to their website:
“Structure and organization of USMS programs vary and are driven by factors such as pool availability, instructor or coach availability, community support, and finances. The majority of locations offering Masters Swimming programs have coaches on deck. Coaches write workouts and provide feedback and instruction.”
 

In the Meanwhile, There’s Always Underwater Audio

Until you are ready to get involved on a bigger scale, you can always rely on Underwater Audio.
They have an awesome waterproof iPod shuffle.
And they have technique tips and a swim workout you can download online.
So, if you don’t have a coach through Master’s Swimming yet, you can still work on your technique while listening to music and tips on your iPod.
If you have any comments or questions, please let us know by writing a message in the section below.