Aquatics words · Beginner

The words you will hear in your first match, grouped the way you meet them.

B · Beginner · 78 words · Step 1 of 2

Artistic swimming

Basic terms

Artistic swimming

A judged water sport in which athletes perform routines to music, combining swimming, sustained positions, lifts and throws, and precise synchronisation. It was called synchronised swimming until 2017.

Also called: synchronised swimming

Routine

A choreographed performance to music, either on the deck and in the water, finishing in the water. It starts with a walk-on and ten seconds of deck movements. A routine is either technical or free.

Technical routine

A routine that must include a set list of technical required elements in a declared order, a set number of other elements (hybrids and acrobatics) and a free choice of transitions.

Free routine

A routine with a set number of elements (hybrids and acrobatics) and a free choice of transitions, with no technical required elements.

Events and teams

Events

Women's solo and duet, men's solo, mixed duet, open team, open free combination and open acrobatic routine. The Olympic programme has the women's duet and the open team, each with technical and free routines, and the team acrobatic routine.

Duet

A routine by two athletes. In the Olympic Games it is a women's event with a technical and a free routine. A mixed duet is one woman and one man.

Team

At the Olympic Games a team is eight athletes, with a ninth as reserve. At other events four to eight. Teams are open to both sexes, with a maximum of two male athletes.

Also called: open team
See also: Events, Reserve

Routines and elements

Element

A part of a routine scored for execution and multiplied by its degree of difficulty: a technical required element, or a free hybrid or acrobatic.

Time limit

Including ten seconds of deck movements: duet technical 2:20 and free 2:45; team technical 2:50 and free 3:30; acrobatic 3:00. A five-second allowance applies, and going outside it costs eight points.

Judging and scoring

Elements score

The total, over the routine's elements, of each element's execution score times its degree of difficulty, less synchronisation errors and penalties. Five judges score the execution of each element.

Artistic impression

The second panel's scoring, made of three marks: choreography and musicality, performance, and transitions. The routine score is the elements score plus the artistic impression score, less penalties.

Degree of difficulty

The value of an element, the sum of the values of its components and bonuses plus a base mark for free elements, from the World Aquatics tables. Each element's execution score is multiplied by it.

Also called: DD
See also: Element, Execution, Base mark

The ruleHow is the difficulty of a dive worked out?

Judges' panels

Two panels of five judges: one for elements and one for artistic impression. The highest and lowest award for each score are dropped and the other three are averaged.

Penalties

Synchronisation error

A failure to move together, recorded by three controllers. Small errors take 0.1 points, obvious 0.5 and major 3.0 from the elements score, which cannot go below zero.

Also called: unequal action
See also: Elements score

Use of the bottom

Deliberately using the pool floor to propel oneself, or to assist another athlete, costs eight points. Stopping swimming or clearly using the wall before the end disqualifies the routine, unless the Referee allows it to be re-swum.

Diving

Diving terms

Springboard

A flexible diving board, 1 m or 3 m above the water, that the diver bounces from to gain height. The Olympic Games use the 3 m springboard, and the World Championships also have a 1 m event.

Platform

A rigid, non-bouncing diving structure. At World Aquatics events only dives from the 10 m platform are performed.

Degree of difficulty

A number for how hard a dive is, worked out by a World Aquatics formula from its parts and listed in tables. The judges' awards are added and then multiplied by it, so harder dives are worth more for the same quality.

Also called: DD
See also: Judges' awards

The ruleHow is the difficulty of a dive worked out?

Entry

The way the diver enters the water, which is part of the judged dive. It must be vertical, not twisted, with the body straight, feet together and toes pointed. In a head-first entry the arms are stretched beyond the head, and in a feet-first entry they are close to the body.

Dive positions

The four positions of a dive, shown as letters on the dive number. A is straight, with no bend at the knees or hips. B is pike, bent at the hips with straight legs. C is tuck, compact with the knees and hips bent and the hands on the lower legs. D is free, any mix of the others with the legs together.

Also called: tuck, pike, straight, free
See also: Dive number

Twist

A rotation of the body along its length, as against a somersault, which rotates it end over end. Twisting dives are their own group (group 5), and at the entry the twist must not be 90 degrees more or less than announced.

Also called: somersault
See also: Entry

Dive number

A code of three or four numerals and a letter that names a dive. The first digit is the group: 1 front, 2 back, 3 reverse, 4 inward, 5 twisting, 6 armstand. A second digit of 1 means a flying action, the next digits count half somersaults, and the letter is the position.

Dive groups

The six families of dives: front, back, reverse, inward, twisting and armstand (platform only). A competition requires dives from different groups: women's springboard and platform have five dives from five groups, and men's six dives from five groups on springboard and six on platform.

Competition format

Women dive five dives and men six, with no dive repeated. For the 3 m springboard and 10 m platform at the Olympics and World Championships there is a preliminary, a semi-final of the top 18 and a final of the top 12, each starting from zero.

Judges' awards

Each judge gives a mark from 0 to 10 in half points for the technique and grace of the starting position, approach, take-off, flight and entry. With seven judges the two highest and two lowest are cancelled and the other three added, then multiplied by the degree of difficulty.

Swimming

General swimming terms

Pool

The competition venue. Olympic and World Championship events are swum in a 50 m pool (long course), and World Aquatics also holds a Championships in 25 m pools (short course). Heats use 8 lanes at the Olympics, and may use 10 at the World Championships.

Lane

The strip of water assigned to a swimmer, marked by lane ropes. A swimmer must start, stay and finish in the allocated lane, and must not pull on the lane rope.

Heat

A preliminary race. Swimmers are seeded by their entry times, with the fastest in the last heats, and the best times go through to the semi-finals or the final. If only one heat is needed it is swum as a direct final.

Stroke

The specific swimming technique/style used (see below).

Length

One full pass from one end of the pool to the other.

Split

The time recorded for a part of a race, for example at each 50 m, as against the whole race. In relays, the splits at 50 m and 100 m of the first swimmer are published.

PB

A swimmer's fastest-ever recorded time in an event.

Also called: personal best

The four competitive strokes

Freestyle

A race in which any style may be swum. In a medley race, freestyle means any style except backstroke, breaststroke and butterfly. Almost everyone swims front crawl. A swimmer must touch the wall at each length, may be fully submerged for no more than 15 m after a start or turn, and may stand on the bottom.

Also called: front crawl
See also: Length, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly, Touch

Backstroke

Swum on the back. The start is in the water, holding the starting grips, and the swimmer must stay on the back, with a roll of less than 90 degrees allowed, except at the turn. A swimmer must finish on the back and touch the wall.

Breaststroke

A stroke in which the arms move together, with the hands pushed forward and brought back at or below the surface and not beyond the hip line, and the legs kick together with the feet turned outwards. Each cycle is one arm stroke then one kick, and the head must break the surface each cycle. One underwater arm pull and a single butterfly kick are allowed after the start and each turn. The touch is with both hands together.

Butterfly

A stroke in which both arms are brought forward over the water and back under it together, with up-and-down leg movements that are simultaneous. A breaststroke kick is not allowed. The touch is with both hands together.

Individual medley

A race in which one swimmer swims all four strokes, each for a quarter of the distance, in the order butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, freestyle. Olympic distances are 200 m and 400 m.

Also called: IM
See also: Freestyle, Backstroke, Breaststroke, Butterfly

Medley relay

A relay in which four swimmers each swim a quarter of the distance in a different stroke, in the order backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly, freestyle. The Olympic programme has men's, women's and mixed 4 x 100 m medley relays.

Starts, turns and technique

Dive start

The start used in freestyle, breaststroke, butterfly and individual medley races. At the long whistle the swimmers step onto the platform, at "take your marks" they stand with at least one foot at the front, and the starter fires the signal when all are still.

False start

Starting before the signal. The swimmer may be disqualified: if the signal has already been given the race continues and the swimmer is disqualified at the end, and if not the start is stopped with "stand down please" and repeated.

Flip turn

A quick somersault turn at the wall, used in freestyle and backstroke. A swimmer must still touch the wall with some part of the body at each turn.

Also called: tumble turn
See also: Freestyle, Backstroke, Touch

Open turn

A turn in which the swimmer touches the wall and pushes off without a somersault. In breaststroke and butterfly the touch at each turn and at the finish must be made with both hands, separated, at the same time.

See also: Breaststroke, Butterfly, Touch

Streamline

The tight, arms-extended body position swimmers hold off the wall and during starts to reduce drag and move faster underwater.

Touch

Touching the wall at the end of each length and at the finish. It is with both hands together in breaststroke and butterfly, on the back in backstroke, and with any part of the body in freestyle. Automatic equipment records the time to one hundredth of a second.

Race formats

Relay

A team race in which four swimmers each swim a quarter of the total distance. The next swimmer's feet must stay on the starting platform until the incoming swimmer touches the wall, and there is no running start. A mixed relay has two men and two women.

Split time

The time it takes an individual swimmer to complete their leg of a relay.

Lane assignment

Lanes are given by seeding. In an 8-lane pool the fastest swimmer takes lane 4 and the second-fastest lane 5, and the rest alternate outwards, so the fastest swimmers are in the middle.

Open water swimming

Swimming in a river, lake, sea or other open water. Races are freestyle. The Olympic race is 10 km for men and women, and the World Championships add 5 km and a mixed team relay. Competitors follow an escort craft and may be fed from a pole.

Semi-final and final

The rounds after the heats. The fastest eight swimmers, by their times in the previous round, go through to the final, which decides the medals. Semi-finals are seeded so the fastest swimmer is in the second semi-final.

Rules and officials

Take your marks

The starter's command that tells the swimmers to take their starting position. The starter fires the signal when all swimmers are still. At the Olympics and World Championships the command is in English.

Referee and starter

The referee has control of all officials, signals the start with whistles, and disqualifies swimmers. The starter controls the swimmers from the referee's signal until the race has begun.

Water polo

Basic terms

Water polo

A team ball game in a pool: two teams of seven try to throw a ball into the opponents' goal. Players tread water and may not touch the pool floor, and contact between players is part of the game.

Period

A game is four periods of eight minutes of actual play. The clock stops at every stoppage. There are two-minute breaks after the first and third periods, and three minutes at half time, when the teams change ends.

Also called: quarter

Possession clock

A team may keep the ball for no more than 25 seconds of actual play in a men's match, or 30 in a women's, without shooting at the goal. It is reset to 15 seconds after, for example, a corner throw or an exclusion foul.

Also called: shot clock
See also: Corner throw, Exclusion foul, Exclusion

Timeout

Each team gets two one-minute timeouts per game. The coach of the team in possession asks for it, including after a goal. A timeout asked for by the team without the ball is penalised with a penalty throw.

The pool

Field of play

The part of the pool used, 25 m between the goal lines for men and women (the whole area is 25.60 m by 20 m). The water is at least 2 m deep at the Olympics and World Championships. Lines or buoys mark the goal line, the 2 m, 5 m and 6 m lines and the half-distance line.

Goal

Two posts 3.0 m apart inside and a crossbar 0.9 m above the water, with a net. A goal counts when the whole ball has passed over the goal line between the posts and under the bar.

6 metre area

The zone out to the 6 m line from the goal. Only the goalkeeper may use two hands on the ball or strike it with a fist there, and fouls there that would probably have prevented a goal are penalty fouls.

See also: Goalkeeper

Players and officials

Team

A team starts with seven players, one of them a goalkeeper. At World Aquatics events a squad is at most fourteen: twelve field players and two goalkeepers.

See also: Goalkeeper

Goalkeeper

The player in the red cap, with privileges in the 6 metre area: using two hands, striking the ball with a clenched fist, and standing on the pool floor. After the start a team may play with no goalkeeper in the water.

Cap

A numbered cap. The first team listed wears white or its national colours, the other blue or a contrasting colour. Goalkeepers wear red, and the red cap gives the privileges of a goalkeeper.

See also: Goalkeeper

Substitution

A player may be substituted at any time by leaving through the exclusion re-entry area or the flying substitution area. Substitutes may also come in from anywhere during intervals, after a goal, during a timeout, or for a bleeding or injured player.

Referees

At World Aquatics events two referees, two assistant referees, timekeepers, secretaries and a video assistant referee. Referees may award or hold back a foul to encourage the advantage of the attacking team.

Scoring and restarts

Start of a period

Players line up on their goal lines about one metre apart. The referee whistles and releases or throws the ball at the half-distance line, and the clock starts when a player touches it.

Goal scored

A goal may come from anywhere in the field of play, with any part of the body except a clenched fist. After some restarts an immediate shot does not count unless at least two players have touched the ball first, with exceptions for shots taken from outside six metres. A shot in flight at the end of the possession time or period still counts.

Free throw

The restart for an ordinary foul or when the ball goes out over the side. It is taken where the ball is, with no undue delay. The player must be seen to release it, and may carry or dribble before passing or shooting where allowed. A defender must move at least a metre away before raising an arm.

Goal throw

Awarded to the defence when the ball goes over the goal line, outside the posts, last touched by an attacker or blocked by a defender. It is taken from within the 2 m area.

Corner throw

Awarded to the attack when the ball goes over the goal line having last been touched by the goalkeeper or deliberately by a defender. It is taken from the 2 m mark, with no attackers in the goal area.

See also: Goalkeeper

Penalty throw

A throw at the goal from any point on the 5 m line by one attacker with the goalkeeper in goal and the other players back, awarded for a penalty foul. The throw must be one uninterrupted movement, and a rebound from the post or goalkeeper stays in play.

Fouls and exclusions

Ordinary foul

A minor foul punished with a free throw to the other team. Examples: holding the ball under water when tackled, using two hands on the ball, pushing off an opponent without the ball, pushing off the side or goal post, exceeding the possession time, and standing on the pool floor.

Exclusion foul

A major foul: the offender is excluded and the other team gets a free throw. Examples: holding, sinking or pulling back a player who does not have the ball, blocking with two hands outside six metres, splashing in the face, and interfering with a free throw.

Also called: kick-out
See also: Free throw

Exclusion

The excluded player must leave the field at once and go to the re-entry area. They, or a substitute, may come back after 15 seconds of actual play, when a goal is scored, or when their team regains the ball or gets a free throw, goal throw or penalty throw.

Also called: kick-out, ejection
See also: Free throw, Goal throw, Penalty throw

Penalty foul

A foul that earns a penalty throw: for example a foul in the 6 metre area that would probably have stopped a goal, interfering with play from exclusion, pulling the goal over, or impeding a shooter from behind inside six metres. A referee may wait to see whether a goal is scored first.

Cards and discipline

Personal foul

A foul recorded against any player who commits an exclusion or penalty foul. On the third a player is out of the game, and a substitute may enter after the next occurrence in Article 9.3.

Yellow card and red card

A yellow card is an official warning to the head coach or the team. A red card means the head coach, official or player must leave the pool area. A red card is also shown for misconduct by a player in the water.

Tactical terms

Counterattack

A fast attack after a change of possession. On a free throw during a counterattack the second-nearest player may take it so the attack does not lose its advantage.

Extra-man

The advantage when a defender is excluded, so the attack has one more player in the water for a time. The rules do not use the term.

Also called: man-up, power play, six on five

Eggbeater

The circular kick players use to tread water and rise high enough to pass, shoot and defend without touching the floor.

I · Intermediate · 64 wordsNext: Intermediate words