Training for the 50s: Why You Should Swim Short-Course This Season

There's a stubborn myth in competitive swimming that short-course (25-meter) training is just a winter filler — a way to stay sharp until the long-course (50-meter) season starts. That's wrong. If you're a sprinter, or even a middle-distance swimmer, ignoring short-course is leaving free speed on the table. The walls come faster, the turns matter more, and the skills you develop in a 25-meter pool transfer directly to your long-course races — if you know how to use them.

We've coached swimmers from age-group to national level, and the ones who make the biggest jumps in their 50 and 100-meter times are the ones who embrace the short-course season as a technical laboratory, not just a slog through endless repeats. This isn't about racing short-course exclusively; it's about training your body and your instincts to be explosive off every wall, which is exactly what the 50-meter events demand.

But let's be honest: there's a reason many swimmers (and coaches) shy away from the 50s. The technique is unforgiving, the margins are tiny, and the rules are strict. A single illegal turn or an extra underwater kick can disqualify you. That's where the myth-busting begins.

Why should I swim the 50-meter events when they're so short?

Because the 50s are the purest test of speed and technique in our sport. For years, the 50 freestyle was the only 50-meter event on the Olympic program, debuting at the 1988 Seoul Games (NBC Olympics: Swimming at the 2028 Los Angeles Games). But at the 2028 Los Angeles Games, we'll see the 50 backstroke, 50 breaststroke, and 50 butterfly added for both men and women (NBC Olympics: Swimming at the 2028 Los Angeles Games). That's a huge deal — it means the sport is finally recognizing that the 50s aren't just a novelty; they're a legitimate test of explosive power and flawless technique.

Training for a 50 forces you to refine every part of your stroke because there's no time to hide. In a 200, you can get away with a sloppy turn or a weak kick. In a 50, one bad breakout can cost you a medal. The skills you build for the 50s — fast starts, aggressive underwater work, and precise turns — will make you a better 100 and 200 swimmer too.

What's the biggest mistake swimmers make in the 50-meter races?

Hands down, it's taking a full stroke cycle when they should be gliding or kicking. In the 50s, the race is often decided in the first 15 meters after the start and each turn, where you're allowed to stay fully underwater (World Aquatics). Yet many swimmers pop up too early, trying to get into their stroke rhythm, and lose all the speed they generated from the wall.

The fix isn't to stay underwater longer — it's to be more efficient. In backstroke, for example, your head must break the surface at or before the 15-meter mark after the start and each turn, and then you must stay on the surface until the next turn or finish (World Aquatics Swimming Rules Reference Card (2023-2025)). So you have a 15-meter runway to work with. Use it to get your body into a streamlined, high-speed position before you start stroking. That takes practice — underwater dolphin kicks, timing your breakout, and knowing exactly when to take that first stroke.

Another common mistake is neglecting the turn. In a 50-meter race, you have one turn (unless it's the 50 in a short-course pool, where you have two). If you lose a tenth on the turn, you've lost the race. In short-course training, you get twice as many turns per 50, so you get twice the practice. That's why short-course is the best place to fix your turns.

How should I adjust my stroke for the 50-meter events?

The stroke technique for a 50 is different from a 200. In the 50s, you want maximum power per stroke, but you also need to stay within the rules. Let's take butterfly, for example. Butterfly requires both arms to be brought forward simultaneously over the water and a simultaneous two-hand touch at turns and the finish (World Aquatics). In a 50, you'll be tempted to shorten your stroke and increase your tempo, but you can't sacrifice the two-hand touch. And in breaststroke, you have to be even more careful: a single butterfly kick is permitted during the first breaststroke kick after the start and each turn (World Aquatics). That's a great way to get an extra burst of speed, but if you use a downward butterfly kick during the stroke itself, you'll be disqualified (World Aquatics Swimming Rules Reference Card (2023-2025)).

So, what's the practical advice? Practice your stroke at race pace in short-course, where you get more repetitions of the technical details. For butterfly, focus on the rhythm of the two-hand touch — it's not just a rule, it's a momentum builder. For breaststroke, work on your timing so that the single butterfly kick off the wall feels natural, not forced.

For backstroke, remember that you start in the water and must remain on your back except during turns (World Aquatics). In the 50 back, that turn is critical. You can be completely submerged within the final 5 meters while reaching for the finish (World Aquatics Swimming Rules Reference Card (2023-2025)), but you have to nail the turn itself — the turn must be started immediately after turning onto the breast at the completion of the arm pull, the wall must be touched during the turn, and you must leave the wall on your back (World Aquatics Swimming Rules Reference Card (2023-2025)). That's a lot to think about in a race that lasts under 30 seconds.

What's the deal with the 15-meter rule and why is it so strict?

The 15-meter rule is one of the most misunderstood rules in swimming. It applies to all strokes: you may stay fully underwater for no more than 15 meters after the start and each turn (World Aquatics). But that doesn't mean you have to stay underwater for 15 meters — it's a maximum, not a target. Many swimmers think they need to push to the limit, but if your underwater technique isn't strong, you'll actually lose more time than if you broke out earlier.

The rule exists to prevent swimmers from using underwater dolphin kicks as a fifth stroke — a technique that could make the race less about swimming and more about underwater propulsion. It's also a safety rule, ensuring that swimmers surface regularly to breathe. In the 50s, where every hundredth counts, you need to know exactly how far you can go underwater without losing speed. That's a skill you can train in short-course, where you get more turns and more chances to practice your breakouts.

Here's a concrete example: if you're swimming a 50 backstroke in a long-course pool, you have one turn. If you're training in a short-course pool, you have two turns in a 50. That's double the practice of your underwater phase, your breakout, and your turn. By the time long-course season comes around, your body will know exactly when to surface, and you'll be faster because of it.

How do I avoid disqualification in the 50s?

Disqualification is the fear of every sprinter. In the 50s, there's no time to recover from a DQ. The most common DQs in the 50s are false starts, illegal turns, and improper stroke technique. For example, in breaststroke, your hands must not be brought back beyond the hip line during the stroke, and your elbows must remain under the water (World Aquatics Swimming Rules Reference Card (2023-2025)). In butterfly, your legs must kick together in an up-and-down (dolphin) motion, and alternating leg movements or breaststroke kicking movements are not permitted (World Aquatics Swimming Rules Reference Card (2023-2025)).

But here's the thing: you can avoid most DQs by training the rules until they're second nature. In short-course, you get more repetitions of each turn and stroke cycle, so you can ingrain the correct technique. For example, in relays, the outgoing swimmer's feet must remain in contact with the starting platform until the incoming teammate touches the wall, or the team is disqualified (World Aquatics Swimming Rules Reference Card (2023-2025)). That's a rule that's easy to break in the heat of the moment, but if you practice your relay exchanges in short-course, you'll be less likely to false-start.

Here's a quick checklist for the 50s:

• Practice your start and breakout — know exactly where the 15-meter mark is in your pool.
• Nail your turn — in backstroke, that means turning onto your breast and touching the wall; in breaststroke and butterfly, it's a simultaneous two-hand touch.
• Work on your underwater kick — but don't overdo it; the goal is to be fast, not to see how long you can stay under.

What's the best way to train for the 50s?

You need a mix of short-course and long-course training, but if you're serious about the 50s, you should prioritize short-course during the winter. Here's a comparison of the two:

In short-course, you get twice as many turns per 50, so you can work on your turn technique twice as often. That's invaluable for the 50s, where the turn can make or break your race. In long-course, you have more space to work on your pacing and your ability to hold your stroke together over a longer distance. But for the 50s, short-course is where you'll see the biggest gains.

So, here's our recommendation: don't skip short-course season. Embrace it. Use it to fix your turns, refine your stroke, and practice your breakouts. When long-course season arrives, you'll be faster, more confident, and ready to crush your 50s — and your 100s and 200s will benefit too. The myth that short-course is just for winter is exactly that: a myth. It's a tool, and you'd be foolish not to use it.

Sources

• World Aquatics - https://www.worldaquatics.com
• World Aquatics Swimming Rules Reference Card (2023-2025) - https://eastswimming.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/WA-Swimming-Reference-Card_13072023-Large-Print-Bold.pdf
• NBC Olympics: Swimming 101 Equipment, swimsuits and pool dimensions - https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/swimming-101-equipment-swimsuits-olympic-pool-dimensions
• NBC Olympics: Swimming at the 2028 Los Angeles Games - https://www.nbcolympics.com/news/swimming-2028-los-angeles-olympics
• Britannica: Butterfly (swimming) - https://www.britannica.com/sports/butterfly-swimming