The four competitive strokes are freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. Each swim meet offers a variety of events and distances, depending on the age group and classification. Each athlete may enter a limited number of events as specified in the meet information. Twelve and under athletes who have not achieved national times participate in meets in which the sessions are four hours or less.

In freestyle events, the competitor may swim any stroke desired. The stroke used is generally the crawl, which is characterized by the alternate overhand motion of the arms and an alternating up-and down flutter kick.

In the backstroke, the stroke consists of an alternation motion of the arms with a flutter kick while on the back. Turns can include roll to the breast and a continuous turning action and some part of the swimmer must touch the wall.

The breaststroke requires simultaneous movements of the arms on the same horizontal plane. The hands are pulled from the breast in a heart shaped pattern and recovered under or over the surface of the water. The kick is a simultaneous somewhat circular motion similar to the action of a frog. On turns and at the finish, the swimmer must touch the wall with both hands simultaneously.

The butterfly is the most beautiful of the strokes. It features a simultaneous overhand stroke of the arms combined with an undulating dolphin kick. In the kick, the swimmer must keep both legs together and may not flutter, scissor or use the breaststroke kick. The butterfly was developed in the early 1950’s as a variation of the breaststroke. It became an Olympic stroke in 1956 in Melbourne.

The individual medley, commonly referred to as the “I.M.”, features all four strokes. In the IM, the swimmer begins with the butterfly, then changes after one-fourth of the race to backstroke, then breaststroke, and finally freestyle.

In the medley relay, all four strokes are swum. The first swimmer swims backstroke, the second, breaststroke, the third butterfly and the final swimmer, the freestyle.

The freestyle relay events consist of four freestylers, each swimming one-quarter of the total distance of the event.

Starts and turns: Many races are won or lost by the athlete’s performance in the start or turn. In the start, the swimmer is called to the starting position by the starter who visually checks that all swimmers are motionless. When all swimmers are set, the gun, starting alarm or whistle is sounded to start the race. If the starter feels that one of swimmers has moved, left early or gotten an unfair advantage, the race will be recalled. Under USA Swimming rules, one false start disqualifies the swimmer.

Strategies: The sprint races (25, 50 and 100) are an all-out race from start to finish. The middle distance events (200 to 500) require a sense of pace, as well as an ability to swim controlled sprint. In the 400 and 500 events, some athletes negative or even split (see below).

The 800 meter, 1000 yard, 1500 meter and 1650 yard races require the athletes to constantly be aware of where they are in the competition and how tired they are. Starting too fast can sap an athlete’s strength for the finish, while starting too slowly can separate the swimmer from the pack and make catching up impossible.

There are a number of ways to pace a middle distance or a distance race. Athletes may elect to swim the race evenly, (holding the same pace throughout the race, sprinting the last 100), or they may negative split the race. Negative splitting occurs when an athlete deliberately swims the second half of the race faster than the first half.

The course: Competition pools may be short course (25 yards or meters), or long course (50 meters). The international standard (used in the Olympics) is 50 meters. World records are accomplished in meter pools. USA Swimming maintains records for 25 yards, 25 meters and 50 meters.