First MAC Practice… What You Need To Know

1) A good suit that will stay put while swimming

2) A swim cap if you have long hair. Caps are made with two different materials, silicone or latex. Latex caps are cheaper and a little tighter. They are also more prone to break. Silicone caps are a little more expensive, a little more comfortable, but may slide off in competition. We suggest buying a cheap latex cap for your first practice and then you can try a couple different ones as you continue. You can buy caps at local sporting goods stores, by clicking on the link and purchasing through our swim outlet website Swim Outlet MAC Store, or we have caps for purchase at the pool.

3) A good pair of goggles. Same places to buy as caps as above but goggles may be a little tricker. The best way is to go somewhere that you can try them on and make sure that they fit your face correctly. You can also buy them through our website and we have several types we recommend on the home page Swim Outlet MAC Store. We have different ones to try at the pool and once you get going you may go through several different pairs to find the ones you like the best.

4) Hydration – Water is best but any other fluid to keep you hydrated during practice is a must.

A USMS membership is required to attend MAC practices. Full or trial memberships are available online at USMS. If you are new to Masters Swimming and would like to try out MAC, we offer a 1-week free trial. All MAC membership requirements and options are available on the Membership Page.

When you get to the pool deck introduce yourself to the coach on deck. Give us a little information about us and your swimming background so that we can correctly place you in a lane. The workout is written on the board and you will have a slight learning curve as you learn the swimming language! Your lane mates are friendly though and they will help you as you muddle through understanding what at first glance seems just like a different language (on our home page we do have a cheat sheet if you want to read it before you come). Feel free to ask your lane mates or the coach on deck if you are not understanding something – we are all there to help.