Articles and Videos
Volunteer Profile: Patrick Weiss
Michigan Masters member Patrick Weiss never swam as an age grouper or in college. He learned to swim as an adult in 2009 and swam in his first Masters meet that year.
Riding the Waves of Age
A recent study from the Stanford University School of Medicine found that aging isn’t a linear process. Though we get a year older with every trip around the sun, the health effects of age tend to spike at key moments—in our mid-40s and early 60s.
Happy 20th Anniversary!
When this magazine launched with the March-April 2005 issue, the focus was simple yet profound: keep you informed about what’s happening within U.S. Masters Swimming and providing great content to help with your swimming.
Ask the Coach: Aaron Schneider
Aaron Schneider developed a concept for his season plan for Riptide Masters in New Orleans that puts a heavy focus on counting strokes.
20 Years of SWIMMER
U.S. Masters Swimming came into existence in May 1970, and right from the beginning, the organization needed communications tools to keep members informed.
Using Strength Exercises to Improve Mobility
These three lower-body and three upper-body strength exercises will improve your mobility. Start by doing two rounds of each movement. As you build strength, you can add a third round and add weight to make these exercises more challenging.
Build Your Swimming Capacity
Think of capacity as the maximum exertion level you can sustain: your level of conditioning. You can build your capacity. You can improve the physiological adaptations that occur in your body and the mental fortitude you develop. Here’s an upper-body and lower-body circuit to help you improve your capacity.
Cool Down for Longevity and Performance
After a challenging swim workout or a dryland session, cooling down your body and mind can help you avoid nagging aches and pains and help your body transition to recovery mode.
Unlock Your Ankles to Swim Faster
Although your ankles and feet have a small surface area compared to the rest of your body, they can make a large impact if you have good mobility.
Unlock Your Extra Gear in the Water With Power
Here are three upper-body exercises and three lower-body exercises geared toward helping you develop power. Start by completing two rounds of each exercise and then add a third round as you build familiarity with the exercises.
Stabilize Your Body to Swim Better and Happier
Managing your body position is critical if you’re trying to swim efficiently. You could be very strong, but your strength won’t matter much if your hips and legs are sinking.
Build Strength Like an Olympian
Keenan Robinson works closely with the top swimmers in the country in his role as USA Swimming’s director of sports medicine and science, prescribing dryland exercises that will help them reach the top of their sport.
Assess Your Shoulders, Hips, and Ankles to Maximize Your Time in the Water
The start of a year is a great time to assess your strengths and areas for improvement. You can use the information you collect to make meaningful adjustments to your training to help you build strength and prevent injuries over the coming year.
Try This Warm-Up to Maximize Your Workout
Developing an effective dryland workout requires assessing your needs and performing exercises that improve your mobility, power, strength, and stability.
The Path to a Great Lifestyle
Learn how to establish sustainable practices that incorporate the foods you love in moderation. Finding a balanced routine, in which there is flexibility to enjoy certain things in life while also reaching your goals, is the key to long-term success.
How to Do Butterfly Kick
If you've ever felt that infamous piano on your back, you know how difficult butterfly can be. Without a strong and effective kick, butterfly can be almost impossible to swim well. Here are the key skills for developing an effective butterfly kick and how to improve.
From Fearful to Freestyle
Leana Wen, acclaimed public health expert and columnist for The Washington Post, had never learned to swim. After a frightening incident at a public pool with her children, she enrolled them in swimming lessons to help make them water safe. Then she went one step further and signed herself up for swimming lessons.
Coming Back From Knee Replacement
Although there’s plenty of information on knee replacements, there’s limited guidance on how to return to the pool and modify your swimming after surgery. Here’s an overview of knee replacement surgery, recovery expectations, and stroke modifications to help you safely return to the pool.
Black Bean–Sweet Potato Burger
Making your own plant-based burgers is rewarding in many ways. You increase your intake of whole foods while reducing your intake of ultra-processed foods. In addition, these burgers can be stored in your freezer.
It's Time to Step Up
Yes, you want to be a considerate lanemate. But passing the buck distracts from what you’re there to do and wastes valuable workout time. The real drag, though, is that if you just sit back all the time and stay second or third, you’re never giving yourself a chance.
