First, you need to know where to find the swimming pools. Visit our online Places to Swim directory and find the pools in your area. You may need to get a new swimsuit, goggles, or equipment. Our National Sponsors offer valuable discounts for members of USMS. You may also need to know how things work in the lap swimming environment. Our Fitness Committee has collected some outstanding resources to help make this process fun and easy for everyone. In this section, you will find some informative articles about getting started.

Starting a Swimming Routine by Bill Volckening (excerpted from "It's Never Too Late" by Gail Kislevitz)

Pool Etiquette by Phil Whitten (from "The Complete Book of Swimming")

Using the Pace Clock by Scott Rabalais (courtesy of Sports Publications)

Pace Chart (courtesy of Mike Collins and Doug Garcia)

Circle Swim Diagram (courtesy of Bill Volckening, USMS Fitness Committee)

Ways to Win at Weight Loss by Marilynn Larkin (courtesy of the Food and Drug Administration)