Masters Swimming is all about promoting a fit and healthy lifestyle in a fun and supportive way.
When you join your local masters swim club you are linking up with a group of like-minded people who may, or may not, be into swimming fast; but are into getting fit, and enjoying every minute of it. Most members swim two to three times per week for fitness and health, it’s certainly not all about competition. The beauty is you can make of it what you want. Set yourself a goal and go for it!
If you like to compete in swim meets, there are plenty of inter-club meets each year plus there are fun pop-up events. Some swimmers sign up to a Masters swim club to get ready for an ocean swim and stay on because it’s fun, social and good for their health. Some members love to race and step up to the challenge of competing in the World Masters Swimming championships so you can indulge your passion as you travel the world! But you don’t have to be a superstar swimmer. It’s about staying in shape, meeting like-minded fitness buddies and enjoying the experience.
Here are a few commonly asked questions:
What does Masters mean?
Don’t be intimidated by the term ‘Masters’, you don’t have to be an expert. Masters just means you need to be over 18 years old to be a member.
I’m not sure I’m fast enough to be a Masters swimmer?
It doesn’t matter how fast or fit you are, Masters Swimming encourages adults of all ages and abilities to take the plunge to improve their fitness and overall good health. Clubs cater to swimmers of all levels and many clubs provide coaches and advice on stroke technique to help improve your swimming.
Do I have to compete in swim meets?
Absolutely not! Many swimmers join a Masters Club to get fit, have other swimmers to train with and stay motivated. Some join purely for social reasons.
The swim meets are fun and you’re welcome to come along and cheer on your swim squad mates or even lend a hand as a volunteer time keeper.We have a few popular, non-competitive programs you can take part in to challenge yourself – the Vorgee Endurance 1000 and the Vorgee Million Metres.
I’ve signed up for an ocean swim – how can Masters Swimming help?
We have many members who join Masters to get fit and ready for an ocean swim. Doing a structured swim training program with other swimmers is a sure-fire way to improve your fitness, plus you’ll pick up tips on how to handle an open water event from seasoned ocean swimmers.
So, what’s it like to take part in a Masters Swimming meet?
Firstly, it’s not the Olympics – it’s a relaxed and friendly event with a social gathering at the end.
Swimmers of all abilities participate in interclub and championships meets – some who can only manage one 50m freestyle event and maybe one relay.
Swim meets are a great opportunity to test how your training is going. It can be viewed as a challenge where members aim to do personal best times or enjoy the fun of swimming with team mates in relays. There are no finals – you enter a nominated time for an event and are placed in a heat to swim with other swimmers who have entered similar event times, no matter how old or what gender. If you have family or other commitments you can swim in one event only, you don’t have to stay for the whole day.