The word "Masters" has nothing to do with your skill level or competency, just your age. Unfortunately, the name can be intimidating to some. The only requirements to be a Masters swimmer are that you must be 18-years-old and registered with US Masters Swimming. Nationally, there are over 65,000 registered US Masters swimmers!
Everyone in the pool has a story. Everyone's journey is unique. Becoming a Masters swimmer provides a lifelong opportunity to exercise, train, compete, learn, grow, and socialize with others who love the water. No matter what your skill level, there is a place for you in the SwimMAC program. If you're concerned about your swimming abilities and that concern is keeping you from joining our amazing community of swimmers, please contact us for an individualized evaluation of your skill level and a warm welcome. See how it can change your life!
Masters swimming provides many local, national, and international racing opportunities for those who are interested. While competition is not mandatory, we find that our swimmers enjoy the additional motivational and social aspects of competing and training to race. The SwimMAC Masters team includes former collegiate, high school, and club swimmers of all ages that still participate in pool and open water races throughout the year. We even have competitive swimmers who never raced before joining Masters! At swim meets athletes are divided into roughly five-year age groups, ranging from 18-24 all the way up to 100+. We attend short course yards, short course meters, and long course meters meets throughout the year as a team.
Many of our SwimMAC Masters compete at the national and world levels in sprint and distance triathlons. We have several Ironman competitors on our team and find that their dedication and effort brings great value to the entire Masters team. Our triathletes also train with triathlon groups and find that the practices and coaching received at SwimMAC Masters greatly benefit their overall results. Find out from Jarrod Shoemaker why swimming Masters is a “game-changer.”
In our program swimmers will receive direction and encouragement from both the coaches and their teammates at each practice, creating a positive atmosphere that makes hard work fun. Every SwimMAC Masters workout offers different rest interval options for each set. Practices are designed to accommodate each individual regardless of speed and fitness level, and we find that many adults underestimate their swimming ability. Proper breathing technique is often the biggest obstacle for adults who want to enjoy swimming as a form of fitness, but with patience and repetition our members soon become comfortable and realize the many benefits of swimming for exercise.
In order to participate in our Masters program we recommend that swimmers are able to swim at least 2 lengths (50 yards) of freestyle without stopping and preferably 1 length (25 yards) of another stroke (backstroke, breaststroke, or butterfly). For those who need to improve their basic skills as a swimmer or become more comfortable in the water, the SwimMAC Swim School offers an Adult-Learn-to-Swim (ALTS) program.