GLOSSARY OF SYNCHRO TERMS
Ballet Leg: A basic position in which the swimmer lays on their back with one leg extended along the surface of the water. The other leg is lifted and extended perpendicular to the surface.
Boost: A boost is a rapid whip-kick that swimmers use to propel their upper body and torso high out of the water, without touching the bottom of the pool. This creates the effect that swimmers are “jumping” out of the water. Choreographed arm movements may be added to a boost for creative effect.
Eggbeater: Eggbeater is an alternating, circular movement of the legs that is used by artistic swimmers and water polo players to keep their upper body steady above the surface of the water. The eggbeater kick is more technical and challenging to master than traditional treading water, but it allows for better height and control in the upright position.
Figure: A figure is a series of artistic swimming positions performed in a defined sequence without music. Figures require a great deal of control, body awareness, flexibility, extension, and sculling technique. In competition, each swimmer performs 2-4 figures individually in front of a panel of judges. Swimmers’ figure scores are then combined with their routine score to determine final standings.
Hybrid: A hybrid is a sequence of choreographed leg movements performed during a routine while swimmers are upside down and holding their breath. Similar to gymnastics, each hybrid has a calculated degree of difficulty based on the specific combination of movements that is performed.
Knox: Knox is the gel-like substance that keeps swimmers’ hair in place during a routine performance. Long hair is pulled back into a tight bun and secured with bobby pins and a hairnet. Knox is then prepared by mixing packets of unflavored gelatin powder with hot water to make a gel, which is painted over the swimmer’s hair to create a water-resistant shell. A piece of fabric embellishment called a headpiece is then pinned into the hair to provide extra support and sparkle.
Land Drilling: Swimmers use land drilling to practice their routines outside of the pool. This involves moving their arms to mimic the way their legs would move in the water, while counting out loud to the music.
Lift: A lift is a spectacular athletic feat that involves one or more swimmers being thrown or lifted out of the water by their teammates. In a stationary lift, the featured swimmer (the “flyer”) stands or balances on the body of another swimmer (the “base”), who is supported by additional swimmers using the eggbeater kick. Other types of lifts include airborne “throws,” in which the flyer is launched high into the air to perform a backflip, dive, or other exciting movement. All lifts require a high level of teamwork, coordination, and timing in order to achieve maximum effect.
Noseclip: A noseclip is a small, U-shaped piece of plastic, silicone, or metal that pinches the nostrils shut to keep water out of a swimmer’s nose while they are upside down and underwater. A noseclip is arguably the most important piece of equipment in an artistic swimmer’s bag!
Routine: Routines are pieces of choreography set to music, incorporating lifts, hybrids (leg movements), and strokes (arm movements) to portray a creative theme. Competitive routines are typically 2 -3 minutes long. They range in size from solos (one swimmer synchronized with the music), duets, and trios, to larger groups of 8-10 swimmers. Routines are judged and scored based on their degree of difficulty, execution, and overall artistic impression.
Sculling: Sculling is a generalized term for movements of the arms and hands that help swimmers maintain balance, stability, and height in the water. There are over a dozen sculling techniques used for distinct purposes - to hold stationary positions, to transition between different positions, to spin or rotate the body, and to travel through the water. One of the most important sculls is support scull, which allows swimmers to maintain stable height while upside down with one or both of their legs in the air.
Spins, Twirls, and Twists: These are different types of rotations, performed upside down with one or both legs in the air. A spin is a rapid rotation with a “sinking” or “rising” action. A twirl is a rapid rotation that maintains a consistent height, while a twist is a slower rotation that maintains a consistent height.
Synchro Age: A swimmer’s competitive age, or “synchro age”, may be different from their actual age. Synchro age is determined by subtracting a swimmer’s birth year from the competitive year. For example, a swimmer born in 2015 would compete as a 10-year-old in the 2024-2025 season. Swimmers are allowed to “swim up” into a higher age category, but they may not swim down to a younger category.
Transitions: "Transition” refers to any section of a routine that is not a lift or a hybrid. This includes arm strokes, boosts, pattern/formation changes, leg movements performed with the head above water, and propulsive actions that move the routine down the pool. Transitions can be used to tell a story or express a theme, and are an important artistic component of routines.
Vertical: In the vertical position, both legs are extended vertically above the surface of the water, with the swimmer’s torso directly underneath. Athletes achieve this difficult position by engaging their core and using their arms for support scull. Many increasingly difficult moves are possible once an athlete has mastered a basic vertical position.
Walkout and Deckwork: “Walkout” refers to a team’s synchronized walk onto the pool deck at a competition when it is their turn to swim their routine. When they get to the middle of the deck, they may strike a pose or perform a quick section of choreography called “deckwork” before the music begins. Swimmers are allowed up to 30 seconds on the deck, from the time they start their walkout to the moment they hit their opening pose.
Boost: A boost is a rapid whip-kick that swimmers use to propel their upper body and torso high out of the water, without touching the bottom of the pool. This creates the effect that swimmers are “jumping” out of the water. Choreographed arm movements may be added to a boost for creative effect.
Eggbeater: Eggbeater is an alternating, circular movement of the legs that is used by artistic swimmers and water polo players to keep their upper body steady above the surface of the water. The eggbeater kick is more technical and challenging to master than traditional treading water, but it allows for better height and control in the upright position.
Figure: A figure is a series of artistic swimming positions performed in a defined sequence without music. Figures require a great deal of control, body awareness, flexibility, extension, and sculling technique. In competition, each swimmer performs 2-4 figures individually in front of a panel of judges. Swimmers’ figure scores are then combined with their routine score to determine final standings.
Hybrid: A hybrid is a sequence of choreographed leg movements performed during a routine while swimmers are upside down and holding their breath. Similar to gymnastics, each hybrid has a calculated degree of difficulty based on the specific combination of movements that is performed.
Knox: Knox is the gel-like substance that keeps swimmers’ hair in place during a routine performance. Long hair is pulled back into a tight bun and secured with bobby pins and a hairnet. Knox is then prepared by mixing packets of unflavored gelatin powder with hot water to make a gel, which is painted over the swimmer’s hair to create a water-resistant shell. A piece of fabric embellishment called a headpiece is then pinned into the hair to provide extra support and sparkle.
Land Drilling: Swimmers use land drilling to practice their routines outside of the pool. This involves moving their arms to mimic the way their legs would move in the water, while counting out loud to the music.
Lift: A lift is a spectacular athletic feat that involves one or more swimmers being thrown or lifted out of the water by their teammates. In a stationary lift, the featured swimmer (the “flyer”) stands or balances on the body of another swimmer (the “base”), who is supported by additional swimmers using the eggbeater kick. Other types of lifts include airborne “throws,” in which the flyer is launched high into the air to perform a backflip, dive, or other exciting movement. All lifts require a high level of teamwork, coordination, and timing in order to achieve maximum effect.
Noseclip: A noseclip is a small, U-shaped piece of plastic, silicone, or metal that pinches the nostrils shut to keep water out of a swimmer’s nose while they are upside down and underwater. A noseclip is arguably the most important piece of equipment in an artistic swimmer’s bag!
Routine: Routines are pieces of choreography set to music, incorporating lifts, hybrids (leg movements), and strokes (arm movements) to portray a creative theme. Competitive routines are typically 2 -3 minutes long. They range in size from solos (one swimmer synchronized with the music), duets, and trios, to larger groups of 8-10 swimmers. Routines are judged and scored based on their degree of difficulty, execution, and overall artistic impression.
Sculling: Sculling is a generalized term for movements of the arms and hands that help swimmers maintain balance, stability, and height in the water. There are over a dozen sculling techniques used for distinct purposes - to hold stationary positions, to transition between different positions, to spin or rotate the body, and to travel through the water. One of the most important sculls is support scull, which allows swimmers to maintain stable height while upside down with one or both of their legs in the air.
Spins, Twirls, and Twists: These are different types of rotations, performed upside down with one or both legs in the air. A spin is a rapid rotation with a “sinking” or “rising” action. A twirl is a rapid rotation that maintains a consistent height, while a twist is a slower rotation that maintains a consistent height.
Synchro Age: A swimmer’s competitive age, or “synchro age”, may be different from their actual age. Synchro age is determined by subtracting a swimmer’s birth year from the competitive year. For example, a swimmer born in 2015 would compete as a 10-year-old in the 2024-2025 season. Swimmers are allowed to “swim up” into a higher age category, but they may not swim down to a younger category.
Transitions: "Transition” refers to any section of a routine that is not a lift or a hybrid. This includes arm strokes, boosts, pattern/formation changes, leg movements performed with the head above water, and propulsive actions that move the routine down the pool. Transitions can be used to tell a story or express a theme, and are an important artistic component of routines.
Vertical: In the vertical position, both legs are extended vertically above the surface of the water, with the swimmer’s torso directly underneath. Athletes achieve this difficult position by engaging their core and using their arms for support scull. Many increasingly difficult moves are possible once an athlete has mastered a basic vertical position.
Walkout and Deckwork: “Walkout” refers to a team’s synchronized walk onto the pool deck at a competition when it is their turn to swim their routine. When they get to the middle of the deck, they may strike a pose or perform a quick section of choreography called “deckwork” before the music begins. Swimmers are allowed up to 30 seconds on the deck, from the time they start their walkout to the moment they hit their opening pose.