If the major car companies, electronics companies and other industries can get together ad agree on certain industry standards, why not swimming? Do you think that all computer firms just suddenly come up with the USB? No, they all agreed to the design, capabilities and limitations, so all could compete and flourish on par.
Same goes for swimming, but it hasn't happened yet. Lap or Length have been argued to death here, with no consensus. This morning I was reminded of another set of easily confused terms; build and descend. I was taught that build meant increase speed (or at least effort) during the individual swim you are about to perform, descend was to make each swim in a set a little faster, so the last 100 (or whatever the distance) was faster than the first one .
Anyone else have terms of inconsistency or ambiguity? Can we get the coaches to issue forth a letter of understanding on certain terms, so we have an interchangeable vernacular across the country?
My reason for starting this thread was not to see if you knew (or thought you knew) various terminology, but get the coaches to agree and use common terms exclusively instead of interchangeably.
Most long time swimmers will know the difference between build and descend and if negative splits are involved. But how many of you see others in your lane looking as if the coach was speaking Basque instead of English, and the lane is getting ready to go? There is no time to explain and you have to trust that swimmers #3, 4, 5, and others will be doing what is intended.
And those terms were only examples. There are many terms that are used in training, some very specific to one coach or region. Most of us know what the catch up stroke drill is, but how many have heard of the mustard stroke? Me too, until one day at a workout many years ago.
Any response from coaches would be welcome, although most have way better things to do than cruise the forums looking for complaints.
My reason for starting this thread was not to see if you knew (or thought you knew) various terminology, but get the coaches to agree and use common terms exclusively instead of interchangeably.
Most long time swimmers will know the difference between build and descend and if negative splits are involved. But how many of you see others in your lane looking as if the coach was speaking Basque instead of English, and the lane is getting ready to go? There is no time to explain and you have to trust that swimmers #3, 4, 5, and others will be doing what is intended.
And those terms were only examples. There are many terms that are used in training, some very specific to one coach or region. Most of us know what the catch up stroke drill is, but how many have heard of the mustard stroke? Me too, until one day at a workout many years ago.
Any response from coaches would be welcome, although most have way better things to do than cruise the forums looking for complaints.
