W

warm-down

A slow swim of 100 to 200 yards at the end of a workout, designed to allow the muscles to rid themselves of lactic acid while gradually slowing the heart rate to its resting level. A proper warm-down helps the body recover from fatigue and may reduce muscle soreness later. Also known as a cool-down.

warm-up

An easy swim of about 200 to 1000 yards using a mixture of strokes and kicking designed to get your muscles limber and ready for additional, more intense swimming. Usually, the warm-up follows a period of stretching at the start of a workout.

wart

A local growth of the outer layer of the skin caused by a virus and transmitted through direct contact.

wasp

Any of the various social or solitary winged hymenopterous insects with a smooth, slender body, biting mouthparts, and (in the workers and other females) an often formidable sting.

water

A tasteless, odorless, colorless liquid (with the chemical formula H2O) that forms the rain, rivers and lakes, and the sea, and makes up a large portion of the bodies of most organisms, including humans.

water blister

A vesticle with clear, watery content that does not include pus or blood.

waterborne illness

An illness due to infection caused by bacteria or other pathogen contaminating a water source used for drinking or recreational activities such as swimming. Signs and symptoms include fever, diarrhea, weakness, abdominal pain, etc.

water bottle

A plastic or metal container of water, especially with a closeable “sports cap,” used by athletes, fitness swimmers, lifeguards, etc. to stay hydrated.

water intoxication

A lowered blood concentration of sodium due to excessive consumption of water. Also known as hyponatremia.

water loading

The practice of staying hydrated during aquatic exercise, fitness swimming, lifeguarding, and swimming workouts. For lifeguarding, exercise programs, and workouts under one hour, plain water is best. For longer activities, fluid replacement sports drinks with electrolytes allow for quicker absorption by the body, which results in better mental and physical performance, faster recovery after exercise, etc.

wave-action breaststroke

A variation of the breaststroke developed Hungarian Coach Jozsef Nagy in the mid-1980s in which the shoulders and upper body come well out of the water at the end of the inward sweep of the arms allowing the arms to recover over the water and the body to extend forward in an exaggerated wavelike motion.

wave drag

Resistance in the water caused by wave action and turbulence around the swimmer.

webbed swim gloves

Gloves with webbing between the fingers worn by participants during aquatic exercise, fitness swimming, and swimming workouts to increase resistance and build arm strength.

wedge kick

An outdated kick for the breaststroke consisting of three actions: a recovery to catch position by bending at the hips and knees with toes pointing outward, an outward sweep of the legs to an inverted V, and a squeezing together of the legs into a glide position. This kick is also called the frog kick. The wedge kick was replaced by the whip kick, developed by James E. “Doc” Counsilman in 1960.

weight loss

A voluntary or involuntary decrease in body fat and, in cases of extreme weight loss, proteins and other body substances.

welt

A red bump of unbroken skin caused by trauma or an allergic reaction.

WF

White female.

wheezing

A whistling noise in the chest during breathing when the airways are narrowed or compressed.

whip kick

An efficient kick for the breaststroke, completed by recovering legs to catch position by bending at the hips and knees with toes pointing outward and then thrusting outward and downward in a circular sweep until legs are extended with toes pointed.

white blood cell

One of the cells the body manufactures to fight infections. Another name for white blood cell is leukocyte. The two most common white blood cells are lymphocytes and neutrophils. Lymphocytes identify pathogens in the body and produce antibodies that specifically target them. Neutrophils travel from the bloodstream into tissue infected by bacteria and attack the infection.

WHO

World Health Organization.

wind chill

The rate of heat loss on the body resulting from the combined effects of low temperature and wind. As winds increase, heat is carried away from the body at a faster rate, driving down skin temperature and eventually core body temperature.

windpipe

A tube-like portion of the respiratory tract extending from the larynx (voice box) to the bronchial portion of the lungs. The trachea is another name for the windpipe.

wing bone

A common name for the scapula (the shoulder blade).

withdrawl symptoms

Abnormal physical or psychological features that follow the abrupt discontinuation of a drug that has the capability of producing physical dependence. Common withdrawal symptoms include sweating, tremor, vomiting, anxiety, insomnia, and muscle pain.

WM

White male.

womb

The hollow, pear-shaped organ in a woman’s lower abdomen between the bladder and the rectum. During pregnancy, the womb receives the fertilized egg and holds the growing fetus until full term when it contracts to deliver the baby and the placenta. The medical term for the womb is uteris.

workout

A training session consisting of stretching, a warm-up, an aerobic set (the main part of the workout), a muscular development set, and a cool-down period. The specific makeup of aerobic set depends on the individual fitness goal of the athlete (e.g., fitness swimming or competition, stroke selection, distance, etc.).

World Health Organization (WHO)

An agency of the United Nations established in 1948 to further international cooperation in improving health conditions and practices worldwide.

X

x-ray

1. High-energy radiation capable of penetrating most substances to varying extents and acting on a photographic film or plate to permit radiography. 2. An image obtained by means of an x-ray.

xiphoid process

An arrowhead-shaped cartilage attached to the lower end of the sternum (breastbone). Also known as the ensiform cartilage or process.

xerosis

Abnormal dryness of the skin, the conjunctiva of the eye, and/or the mucous membranes.

Y

yawn

An involuntary opening of the mouth with exaggerated inhalation and exhalation, sometimes accompanied by stretching. Repeated yawning can be a sign of drowsiness or depression.

yeast infection

An overgrowth of yeast that affects the skin, the mouth, the vagina, and other parts of the body.

yellow fever

An acute, systemic illness caused by a Flavivirus transmitted through the bite of an infected mosquito. In severe cases, yellow fever causes high fever, bleeding into the skin, necrosis of the kidneys and liver, and severe jaundice.

yellow fever vaccination

A live, attenuated (weakened) viral vaccine recommended for people traveling to tropical areas of the Americas and Africa where yellow fever may be present. Because it is a live viral vaccine, it should not be given to infants or people with a compromised immune system.

yellowjacket

A predatory wasp with distinctive yellow and black markings and a characteristic rapid side-to-side flight pattern when landing. Female yellowjackets are capable of delivering a painful sting.

youth

The time between childhood and maturity.

youth violence

Aggressive, harmful behaviors (e.g., verbal abuse, bullying, fighting, rape, mayhem, homicide, etc.) involving young people between the ages of 10 and 24. The young person may be the victim, the perpetrator, or both.

Z

zinc oxide

An inorganic compound used as a sun block (among other uses).

zona

Shingles.

Zoomers

A brand of speed fins designed by Finis to increase cardiovascular conditioning during workouts.

zoonosis

An infectious disease in animals that can be transmitted to people. Examples of zoonotic diseases include anthrax, Lyme disease, rabies, typhus, and West Nile fever.

zooparasite

A living parasite, such as a worm or protozoa.