What does im mean in swimming?
Emma Payne
Published Jan 21, 2026
You'll here the shorthand "IM" used often during the Olympics. It's an abbreviation for the individual medley event in swimming, in which swimmers use all four competitive strokes: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle, in that order.
What is free IM in swimming?
“FRIM:” This stands for “Free IM,” meaning you will swim freestyle in place of butterfly. This variation allows you to start the backstroke and breaststroke fresh, and makes your IM sets more aerobic. A 100 FRIM would look like: 25 Freestyle. 25 Backstroke.
What is IM switch in swimming?
"Reverse IM order" refers to a change in the order: Freestyle, Breaststroke, Backstroke, Butterfly. "IM Switch" is usually in context with a set of 50s. The first 50 will be 25 Fly/25 Back, the second 50 will be 25 Breast/25 Free. Repeat until you have completed the given number of repetitions.
What is a 200m IM?
The 200 metres individual medley is a race in competitive swimming in which swimmers compete in all 4 strokes (butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke, and freestyle) in one race.
What is the IM order?
In individual medley events, the swimmer covers the four swimming styles in the following order: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle. In medley relay events, swimmers will cover the four swimming styles in the following order: backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly and freestyle.
44 related questions foundHow can I get 200$ fast?
Your goal in the 200 IM should be to negative split each 50. Negative splitting means that you'll swim faster on the second half of each 50. Essentially, you're building each ¼ of the 200 IM. This strategy helps you avoid going out too hard on the first few strokes of each 50.
When did Im order change?
Since 1952 when the butterfly was defined as a separate stroke from the breaststroke, the orders of the strokes in the individual and relay swimming medleys have been the same at every Olympics. In the relay medley, the order goes backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly then freestyle.
What is the oldest stroke in swimming?
The breaststroke is believed to be the oldest of strokes and is much used in lifesaving and recreational swimming as well as in competitive swimming. The stroke is especially effective in rough water.
What stroke Do you breathe on the side?
Why Breathing on Both Sides is Important
The classic way to do this is to breathe every third arm stroke so that you alternate from one side to the other every breath. This is called “a crossover” – it causes you to snake through the water and makes it difficult to get good propulsion on the following arm stroke.
What is an IM final?
It's an abbreviation for the individual medley event in swimming, in which swimmers use all four competitive strokes: butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle, in that order.
What is an IM set?
Commonly known as the “IM”, the individual medley is a combination of all four competitive swimming strokes put into a single swim. The order of the strokes go as butterfly, backstroke, breaststroke and freestyle.
What does BK mean in swimming?
BK: Backstroke. Fly: Butterfly. IM: Individual Medley (Fly, Bk, Br, Fr in. order) IMO: IM Order – swim the reps in the order.
What does IM stand for?
abbreviation for instant message: a written message that can be sent over the internet to someone who is using the internet at the same time: Thanks to the internet, students say that if they get stuck on a math problem, help is only an IM away. IT.
What is the order of 100 IM?
100 IM (individual medley) is an event in which ONE swimmer swims all four strokes in one race: 25 yards of butterfly, 25 yards of backstroke, 25 yards of breaststroke and 25 yards of freestyle, in this order (note that the IM order is different from the medley relay order).
What race is Michael Phelps?
Phelps is of English, German, Irish, Scottish, and Welsh descent. His parents divorced in 1994 when he was nine years old, and his father remarried in 2000.
Who is the fastest swimmer alive?
Meet Caeleb Dressel, the Fastest Swimmer in the World.
Which swimming style is easiest?
One of your first questions is likely to be which stroke you should learn first. While you are welcome to start with any stroke you like, breaststroke is typically the easiest for beginners to learn. One of the key reasons for this is that breaststroke allows you to keep your head above water at all times.
What state has the best swimmers?
Top States for Competitive Swimming
- California. California is home to the largest Local Swim Committee, or LSC, in the country. ...
- Colorado. Colorado earns a spot on the top training centers list as a result of one swimming pool in Colorado Springs. ...
- Texas. ...
- Pennsylvania.
What are the phases of freestyle swimming?
For me it's pretty simple—there are four phases: the catch phase, the pull phase, the super-powerful exit phase that people often cut short, and the recovery.
What are the five biggest mistakes of the swimmers in freestyle?
Polish Your Freestyle Swimming Technique – Avoid These 5 Common Mistakes
- Mistake #1: Head position. ...
- Mistake #2: Arm extension and pull. ...
- Mistake #3: Body rotation. ...
- Mistake #4: Kick. ...
- Mistake #5: Breathing.
What is the benefit of wearing a swim cap?
Swim caps also keep hair away from eyes and mouths so that swimmers can see and breathe. It also ensures that hair won't get tangled with other swimmers or lane ropes. A swim cap can even help focus a distracted swimmer during lessons by keeping them from playing with their hair.
What does 4x100 mean in swimming?
4x100 = swim 100 yards (or meters) 4 times, with a short rest between each set; 6x50 = swim 50 yards (or meters) 6 times, with a short rest between each set.
What does NS mean in swimming?
NS (No Swim) - In results, NS indicates that the swimmer did not compete in the event. NST (No Slower Than) - A swimmer entered in this event must have achieved a time equal to or faster than the NST qualifying time for the event.
What does OC mean in swimming?
Legend: # – Record awaiting ratification by Swimming Australia; WR – World record; OC – Oceanian record; CR – Commonwealth record; Records not set in finals: h – heat.