Masters Swim

About Masters Swim

We welcome swimmers of all abilities, age 18 and up, who are interested in regular structured workouts. Previous experience in competitive swimming is not necessary. Masters swimmers include beginners, triathletes, former collegiate athletes, nationally ranked competitors and everything in between — all ages, shapes, and sizes. Palo Alto Masters offers 13 coached workouts per week. Every workout is different and you’ll learn something each and every time. Along with ongoing conditioning at workouts, the team provides stroke instruction, intra-club activities, competitions, and social events throughout the year. We focus on developing swimming skills, enhancing the enjoyment of swimming through regular workouts and professional instruction, and the promotion of lifetime fitness through swimming.

Workouts
Palo Alto Masters workouts are fun and challenging, full of camaraderie and high heart rates. You’ll hear a lot of laughter as well as a few groans. You’ll test yourself against high energy teammates and have some early mornings. So show up and see what happens!

The Pool
The pool is 14 lanes, 25 yards. We use some lanes or all of them depending.

Coaching and the sets
Palo Alto Masters workouts are all coached with well-defined sets. The whole pool does the same workout, just with longer intervals and fewer yards in the slower lanes. Each workout starts with a warmup and then the lane is given the first of the main sets. When you’re done with that, the second set is introduced, and so forth. Workout emphasis varies. You may do drills, stroke, or sprints. Or long distance free, pulling or kicking. We keep meets and open water swims in mind, providing opportunity to build up to those events. And look out for those relays! Check the calendar for upcoming workout focus. If you wish to swim on your own, please do so during designated lap swim times, available 7 days a week for $10 per swim.

Have fun!
Workouts are meant to be challenging but enjoyable. Communicate with your lane mates, ask questions, and get the most out of your training by putting good effort into the sets. With Palo Alto Masters, you’ll find that every workout is different and you learn something every time. Swimming is good for the mind as well as the body!

Subscribe to the Workout Email Reminder List

Check out the following team events. Details for these events can be found in recent newsletters (email). Looking forward to seeing you at one or more of them!

May Versatility Challenge has begun! 10, 10 x swims to complete in the month, two opportunities to complete each one. See the May 4 newsletter for details and a link to track your progress.

Not receiving Palo Alto Masters newsletters? Email Customer Service to get on the list.

Schedule & Pricing for Masters Swim

Schedule

Pricing

Masters
Adults – $88/month
Student/Seniors (60+): $80/month
Drop-in: $20

Masters memberships cover Masters practices only and do not pay for lap swimming.

Bundling Programs
If you are a current member of Palo Alto Masters, you can add a Lap Swim Membership or purchase Lap Swim drop-ins for 50% off. For these discounts, please contact the Service Center.

Team Fee
Our Masters membership requires an annual $30 team fee. Annual team fees are payable upon registration.

USMS membership

Palo Alto Masters is part of the US Masters Swimming association, which means all members must be registered with USMS for insurance purposes. Your USMS card is required to participate in Masters swimming events and you receive the benefits of regional and national news about Masters swimming. You may register directly on their website at www.usms.org/reg/

Upcoming Events

Palo Alto Masters – Team Events 2025

Our Master Swim Coaches

Articles & Tutorials

Palo Alto Masters wants to give its swimmers all the tools they need to make themselves the best swimmers they can be. We are, all of us, always improving, fighting and yearning for better and more effective ways to reach our goals.

Under the ‘Articles & Tutorials’ section you will find documents from previous Masters Email blasts as well as video tutorials demonstrating proper technique and lane etiquette. Videos coming soon!

Articles

February Can Do
Each year, as we wrap up the winter months and turn toward spring, February is the perfect month to lay the foundation for the swimming we will do in the seasons ahead. The Can Do is a month-long team event that encourages us to build a base level of fitness. Workouts focus primarily aerobic swims, with a bit longer distances. We encourage swimmers to keep track of the number of yards they swim, and designate a challenge for themselves that inspires them to be consistent in workout attendance over the month and to stretch themselves to swim a bit more.

We call it the “Can Do” as we also connect our efforts to improve ourselves to efforts to help others in our community. Thus, at the end of the month, we will collect donations of food items (in cans) from swimmers – 1 for every 2000 yards they swam during the month – which will be donated by the team to a local organization that provides food to those who may need it.

You can monitor overall and individual progress on our February Can Do page. Any swims you do anywhere, anytime in the month of February count toward the total. The link to log your yardage is shared in the team newsletter published on or just before Feb 1. For swimmers who are up for the challenge, those who reach the thresholds of 50,000 or 100,000 yards will be rewarded with an item of team gear. Questions? Need the link to log your yards? Ask the coach on deck or email. Just keep swimming!

Glossary of Terms – Article PDF
The most important article to frequent is our ‘Glossary of Terms.’ If you’re a dedicated Palo Alto Masters swimmer we highly suggest signing up for our ‘Daily Workout Emails.’ The Masters Calendar includes the days practice regiment as well as several terms and shorthand expressions you can find in this glossary.

Circle Swim Diagram – Article PDF
Palo Alto Masters adheres to the ‘Circle Swim’ curriculum during practices. This is an important article if you’re new to organized swimming and learning to swim with others.

Swim Pace Zones – Article PDF
This article discusses the benefits of swimming with Swim Pace Zones. This style of swimming can yield a much more concentrated and calculated goal set for swimmers.

Developing Core for Swimming – Article PDF
Being in great physical condition is important for maintaining and setting new goals. This article discusses the best ways to achieve an optimal core for your personal goals.

How To Improve Your Freestyle Kick – Article PDF
This article discusses the nuances and impeccable details to master the Freestyle Kick. A video tutorial is attached at the end of the PDF.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the annual Team Fee used for?
A: The fee is used for awards, food, intramural event production, and team extras — all things that go into improving the quality and value of the team.

Q: How do I pay for my Palo Alto Masters membership?
A: You pay automatic credit card payments monthly. Monthly memberships will be charged automatically until you cancel your membership. Register online.

Q: How do I cancel, suspend, or change my membership?
Cancellation requests must be submitted by the last day of current cycle (month) to terminate recurring payment/membership for the following billing cycle (month). Please fill out this form if you’re looking to cancel your membership. You may also cancel your membership in person with a Service Center representative.

Q. What is USMS Membership?

A: To swim with Palo Alto Masters, you must register for a Palo Alto Masters membership and pay the annual team fee with Palo Alto Swim & Sport. Once you have registered with Palo Alto Swim and Sport, you must also register with U.S. Masters Swimming. Since Palo Alto Masters is part of USMS, all members must be registered with USMS for insurance purposes. You may register directly on their website.

Q: Do I register with USMS directly. Or does Palo Alto Swim and Sport do so?
A: You must renew your USMS membership directly with USMS. Once you have registered with USMS, please let us know so we can update our records.

Q: I still have questions, who should I contact? (click on the link to email)
A: General information about Palo Alto Masters

Pool Rules

General Pool Rules

• No swimming allowed unless a lifeguard is on duty.
• Children ages fourteen (14) and under must be supervised by an adult at all times while at the pool facility.
• Children 5 years and under must have a parent/guardian in the pool, within arm’s reach at all times.
• Roughhousing, shoving, and dunking are not allowed. No pushing or pulling into the pool, hitting with noodles or other objects.
• No spins, flips, belly flops, back dives, or back jumps.
• No long breath holding, hyperventilating, or extended underwater swimming is allowed.
• No playing, swinging, jumping, or diving on stairs, ladders, or railings.
• No diving into the Instructional Pool. Jump in feet first, facing forward only.
• Water wings and other inflatable devices are not allowed.  Only Coast Guard approved flotation devices are permissible and must be provided by the patron.
• Non-toilet trained children must adhere to the double diaper policy.  They must wear a water-proof diaper and a diaper cover; a swim suit over the diaper counts as a diaper cover.
• Swimmers must wear proper swim attire at all times.
• No glass or ceramic containers are allowed anywhere in the facility.
• No running or skipping on deck. Walk at all times to avoid accidents.
• No unauthorized swim lessons or coaching.
• Please do not visit with or distract the lifeguards. If you have questions, inquire inside at the Front Desk.
• Only lifeguards who are properly trained are allowed on lifeguard chairs.
• No sitting on, pushing down, or swimming over lane lines.
• Kickboards, pull buoys and fins provided by Palo Alto Swim and Sport are for lap swimming only. They are not allowed in open swim areas.
• Starting blocks are for use by competitive programs only when directly supervised by a qualified coach.
• No smoking (including electronic cigarettes), alcohol, or drugs allowed in the facility.
• No food or drink on the pool deck. Eating is permitted at tables, benches and grassy areas.
• Bicycles, skateboards, in-line skates, scooters and other vehicles are not allowed to be operated in the pool area and must be walked while on deck.
• No dogs or other pets are allowed in the facility except service animals.
• Persons currently having active diarrhea or who have had active diarrhea within the previous 14 days shall not be allowed to enter the pool water.
• Changing clothes on deck is not allowed.
• In the event of an emergency, follow directions from the staff.
• Any action or behavior that is deemed unsafe or inappropriate by the aquatics staff will not be allowed. All aquatics staff have full authority over guests using the pool area and as situations warrant, they may enforce rules not listed.
• The Pool Manager on Duty may close the entire pool complex or any portion(s) of the pool complex, for any safety or maintenance reason.
• Please respect the rights of others to feel safe and secure.
• Please refrain from using profanity or offensive language, loud conversations or music, inappropriate public display of affection, or any other disruptive behavior
• Admission price is for one entry only.  No in and out privileges.
• Palo Alto Swim and Sport, Team Sheeper, Inc. and City of Palo Alto are not responsible for any lost or stolen personal items and assume no liability for the loss or theft of a patron’s personal belongings.
• Lockers are provided to secure personal belongings. They are for day use only and will be emptied at the end of the day.

Facility Rules

• Locker rooms will close 20 minutes after the pool closes.
• Emergency doors are to remain closed and be used in case of emergency only.
• Emergency doors, facility doors, storage areas, and safety equipment are not to be blocked by guests or objects.
• Please dispose of all trash in receptacles provided.
• Restrooms and locker rooms may not be used for loitering or other unintended uses. Cell phone use in locker rooms is prohibited
• Offices and areas marked as “Employees Only” are not for use by the general public unless approved by staff.

Masters Program

• Only participants who are registered for a class or program may attend.
• Siblings of a participant may not join any class or program without registering.
• During a class or registered program, parents must wait in designated areas.  Please respect the instructors, counselors, or coaches, as well as the other participants of the class by avoiding any interruptions.
• Participants and parents must follow all specific class and program policies unless otherwise specified.
• For programs that require parents to sign in and out their children, ONLY a parent or designated guardian (over 18 years old) will be allowed to pick up and/or drop off the child unless otherwise communicated with staff.

Diving Board

• Diving boards are for Open Swim use only.
• Only one person on the board at a time.
•  Second person in line must have both feet on the cement waiting their turn.  They may not start their dive until the previous diver has cleared the cone zone.
• The dive must be face front and forward off the board.  No side or back or spin jumps.
• One bounce only.
• When resurfacing after the dive, the diver must return to the wall immediately but 8 feet away from the board (on the other side of the cone) and on the right side of the right board and on the left side of the left board.
• Ladders are to remain clear unless being used to exit/enter the pool.

Slide

• Slide may be used ONLY when a lifeguard is standing next to it.
• Slide is for children’s use who are shorter than the height of the slide.
• Slides are to be done sitting down only; no standing nor belly slides.
• Second person in line must wait with both feet on the cement.
• After completing a slide, the slider must clear the slide drop area immediately.
• A swimmer may exit the pool near the slide with a three tile clearance of the slide.
• The pool ladders may be used for entering and exiting the pool only.  No standing on the railing.

Ramp

• The ADA ramp is for use by physically challenged swimmers only.  The railing in this area is to have five feet of clearance at all times.

Thank you for helping keep our swimming pool safe and enjoyable for everyone!