U.S. Masters Swimming Offers Series of Daily Workouts
to Support Individual Swimmers
Maybe you've signed up for a local triathlon, decided the pool is the place to be in the summer heat, or just want to get more serious about cross-training. Whatever the reason, it's time to take your swimming up a notch.

Swimmers interested in tightening their times or tweaking their technique now can visit the United States Masters Swimming (USMS) Web site - www.usms.org - for a pool of free, daily workouts.

Three former USMS "Coach of the Year" honorees each provide a weekly cycle of six daily workouts that changes each week. Available to USMS members and non-members alike, the programs include:

1. L.A. Workouts by Bonnie Adair and Clay Evans, co- founders of Southern California Aquatic Masters Swimming Club (SCAQ), one of the largest USMS clubs. Evans is a two-time Olympian, while Adair was a top age group and national swimmer. The L.A. Workouts series gleans the best from SCAQ's 8 to 10 daily workouts, with some tips to maximize results from each workout.

2. Out of the Box and Into the Pool by Mo Chambers, USMS coach at Cathedral Oaks Athletic Club in Goleta, Calif. Dubbed "creative workouts for the improving swimmer," Chambers's Out of the Box series pushes swimmers to perfect their techniques and tighten their training levels while also engaging the mind.

3. Swimming Practice With Purpose by Michael Collins, chairman of the USMS coaches committee. Gleaned from Collins's extensive coaching career, the Practice With Purpose program emphasizes stroke mechanics, spicing each week with a variety of workouts and endurance practice. The varied programs offer yardage ranges from 1,800 for rookies to 3,500 for advanced swimmers.

"Serious athletes know a varied routine gets them past the risk of burnout and teaches the body new ways of working efficiently," says Collins. "These complete workouts take swimmers through the paces, from warm-up to distance, with technique drills. It's like having a virtual coach."

Individuals can turn to the online workouts when they do not have the opportunity to swim with a coach or if they simply want to take their swimming workouts to new heights. Also of note on the USMS Web site: for swimmers away from home, a "Places to Swim" guide lists pools and open-water venues around the world.

United States Masters Swimming is a national organization that provides organized workouts, competitions, clinics, and workshops for adults aged 18 and over. Programs are open to all adult swimmers (fitness, triathlete, competitive, non-competitive) who are dedicated to improving their fitness through swimming. Founded in 1970, USMS is organized with 500 clubs in 53 regions throughout the nation.