B
Beeping - This is the way that synchronized swimmers count for each other
underwater when there is no music available. The “beeper” makes a noise
like a little grunt for each count for the rest of the team to follow.
D
D.D. - Abbreviation for degree of difficulty.
F
Falling on a spin - It’s not quite as disastrous as it sounds, but falling on a spin means
that your spin isn’t straight and tipped over in one or multiple
directions.
K
Knoxing - Knox is one of the brands of unflavored gelatin that synchro swimmers
make into a gel and then use to slick their hair back with for
competition. It became a verb for the gelling process. For example you
might hear, “I’m gonna go knox now.”
M
Move in - This pattern correction means you are too far away from the center of the pattern, so move in!
O
On your back - This correction is the opposite of “on your face.” It means that your
leg or legs are tipped back closer to the surface instead of straight
up.
On your face - This is a correction for an upside-down position that is supposed to be
vertical. It means that your leg or legs are tipped forward, making the
front of your legs closer to the surface of the water.
Over-piking - When you get this correction, it means that your pike position is too closed; your body is forward and too close to your legs.
P
Pelvic tilt - This is often the recommendation for curing a piked vertical. Pelvic
tilting means tipping your pelvis so that your hips curl forward and the
curve in your lower back flattens out.
Piked - If your coach tells you are piked, it means that you should be in
vertical alignment, but instead, your behind is sticking out. Usually
this leads to you leaning on your face.
Pre-deckwork - The pre-deckwork is the way the swimmers assume their deckwork position
after finishing the walk-on, before the music starts; it is sometimes
elaborate and sometimes just striking a pose.
R
Reach! - This is the coach’s way of asking (telling) you to stretch your arms
and/or legs out so you have a larger range of motion. Reaching will make
you look longer too.
S
Sharpness - This qualitative term refers to the way a swimmer does a move. The
faster and more forcefully energetic the move is performed, the sharper
it is said to be. Most of the time, sharper is considered better.
U
Up! - When you hear this, do whatever you are doing higher out of the water.
W
Walk-on - This is the part before a routine when the swimmers walk from the edge
of the pool to the center of the deck. Usually, it’s done in unison with
counts, and sometimes, a little added theme-related flare.
Windows - A window is the space in a pattern between two other swimmers that you
can look through. If you’re in the window, that means that you are one
row behind and centered between two people.
