Articles and Videos
How to Do Butterfly Pull
The butterfly pull is challenging because it demands a lot of strength, a large range of motion, great timing, and a lot of skill. You must quickly get into difficult positions and then apply a lot of force to create propulsion. Here's what you need to know to do a great butterfly pull.
Infrared or In-Fad-Red: Does Red Light Therapy Actually Work?
Claims about the benefits of red light therapy are varied, running the gamut from hair growth and skin rejuvenation to reducing muscle soreness to improvements in mental health. As a result, some athletes have started using red light therapy to help with recovery. Here's what swimmers need to know.
Lights, Camera, Chlorine!
Timothy Olyphant, a successful actor whose career has included roles in "The Office," "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "The Mandalorian," says his return to swimming was something he didn't see coming. He had switched off the swimmer part of his life after college. But the former competitive swimmer in him, once dormant, came back quickly.
Your Brain on Water
Researchers, psychologists, neuroscientists, and conservationists are spreading the word that we really are better in, on, or by the water. Their work aims to describe the exact mechanisms of that connection and provide the scientific evidence that will persuade everyone that our oceans, rivers, lakes, seas, ponds, and other waterways are worthy of preservation.
Sore Shoulders How to Know When to Push Through and When to Pull Back
Soreness is normal, but not all soreness is created equal. Some soreness is an early warning sign of injury. Other times, it’s just muscles tired from a tough workout. This article will help you distinguish between soreness you can train through and soreness that deserves closer attention.
Tart Cherry and Banana Nut Energy Balls
These energy balls are great to have for a no-bake, easy-to-make, on-the-go snack to fuel your next swimming or dryland workout. They’re portable, bite-sized treats and are good sources of carbohydrates, fat, fiber, and protein, as well as being vegan and gluten free with no added sugar.
A Bone to Pick
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Feeling Off Your Game?
One of the reasons people can feel demotivated and stuck involves how they’re relating to the feelings their self-talk is bringing up. It may seem hard to believe in the moment, but as psychologists in every discipline like to say, feelings aren’t facts, they're information. Seeing them this way allows you figure out how to change your script so you don’t stay stuck.
Open Up
Some thoughtful preparation can help ensure you’ll have a great first outing in the open water, says Kirsten Read, a USMS Level 2 Coach in Southern Maine. She's coached hundreds of Masters swimmers from pool to open water over the years and offers the following tips and suggestions for helping ease into your first 1-mile race.
Strong Shoulders for Your Summer of Swimming
Summer is almost here and now’s the time to focus on your shoulders during your dryland training. The mobility and strength you build can help you enjoy your summer of swimming. Here are three shoulder mobility and three shoulder strength exercises to help you maximize your time in the water. Do two to three sets of these exercises twice a week.
From the Center Lanes: Jennifer Brooks Crozier
New England Masters Swim Club member Jennifer Brooks Crozier, 49, can’t do as much butterfly as she did when she was younger. Doing drylands to stay strong and swimming shorter repeats allow her to do less butterfly during practice, which spares her aging shoulders and helps keep her race ready.
Ask the Coach: Jake Andersen
When getting his swimmers ready for a 200 butterfly race, Valpo Masters coach Jake Andersen makes sure to emphasize the word rhythm. This set is a prime example of Andersen’s philosophy that form and rhythm breed success in butterfly.
Saved By Swimming
Documentary filmmaker and lifelong swimmer Michele Kuvin Kupfer, who was slated to compete at the 1980 Moscow Olympics but was denied because of the boycott, has always seen swimming as her refuge. In her new film “Parting the Waters,” she shares her greatest fears, deepest pains, and ultimate triumph. The film premiered at the Oscar-qualifying Rhode Island International Film Festival in 2025, where it won first prize for best feature documentary.
Saga of an Aging Masters Swimmer
Many thoughts were percolating in my brain as I prepared for the main set. A conversation with myself ensued about strategy for this mixture of sprints and recoveries. Should I sit out a 50 or go really slow to recover before the next sprint? This strategizing on how to get through 16 x 100s isn’t something I remember doing in my much-younger days as a Masters swimmer.
A Dream Come True
For my farewell note to the bimonthly print version of SWIMMER, do I write about how I feel most free when I’m in the water? Should I admit my dirty little secret to our incredible readers that even though I’ve designed every issue of SWIMMER since March-April 2010, I’ve never actually swum inside a lane line? No, this isn’t supposed to be an open letter to water or an admission from a rambling creative. It’s a love letter to SWIMMER to help say goodbye.
Call of the Wild
Jack London, the renowned author of “Call of the Wild,” “White Fang,” and many other beloved works, had a lifelong love affair with swimming, mentions of which frequently found their way into his prose. In addition, London’s swimming prowess led professional marathon swimmer Charles Grover to call London “one of the greatest long distance swimmers of all time."
Volunteer Profile: Nicki Phillips
Nicki Phillips’s passion for open water swimming has had a huge impact within the Minnesota LMSC. She took on the role of race director for an existing 5K swim, sanctioned it, and bid for and received a 1-mile open water national championship. Because of her efforts, her club, Minnesota Masters, has experienced membership growth and many current members who had never participated in an event did so.
3 Drills to Make Your Breakouts Great
Next time you’re at a swim meet, pay special attention to what happens just off the wall in, say, a 200 freestyle or 200 backstroke. Many swimmers pause or glide after they push off the wall. During those moments, many spectators (and coaches for that matter) don’t notice it because they’re looking at splits, and rightly so, as that’s an important metric.
Boost Your Freestyle Power
Turtle sculling drill works the final push of the freestyle pull to help swimmers learn to push straight backward while using their triceps.
Four Keys for a Powerful Freestyle Kick
A sizable percentage of the propulsion in your freestyle comes from your kick, but you need to have proper technique, strength, and endurance to take advantage of your legs. Here are four keys for getting a more technically sound freestyle kick.
