Men's Artistic Swimming — What You Need to Know
Men's artistic swimming is growing fast. Once called synchronized swimming, the sport changed its name to artistic swimming in 2017 and opened more doors for male athletes. Today you'll find men competing at World Aquatics events, in mixed duets, and in national-level teams. Want a quick primer on rules, events, training, and how to watch? Read on.
How the sport works
Artistic swimming combines swimming, dance, and gymnastics in the water. Routines are done to music and judged on execution, artistic impression, and difficulty. Judges watch for timing, lifts, clean lines, and how well swimmers hide their breathing. Men often bring extra power to lifts and acrobatic moves, which changes routine dynamics when a male swimmer is part of a duet or team.
Events include solos (where allowed), duets, mixed duets, and team routines. Mixed duet — one male and one female swimmer — became an official event at World Aquatics Championships in 2015. The Olympic program still focuses on female events, so men don't have a full Olympic pathway yet, but World Aquatics and many national federations now run regular competitions for men.
Training tips and practical advice
If you're starting out, join a local club that offers artistic swimming or synchronized swimming classes. Key skills to build: breath control, strong core, flexible hips and shoulders, and precise sculling (the hand placements that control movement). Work on land too — ballet basics, Pilates, and weight training help with posture, balance, and power.
Practice breath-holding safely. Use gradual increases and never train breath holds alone. Learn to read music underwater so you hit beats accurately. Film your routines from above and below the water to spot timing or line problems. For lifts, practice the timing on the pool deck before trying them in deep water.
Equipment is simple: a good nose clip, competition swimsuit, and water-resistant makeup or silicone caps if allowed. Check your federation's rules on costume and makeup — judges penalize rule breaks.
Want to follow competitions? World Aquatics (formerly FINA) streams major events, and many national federations post routines on YouTube. Social channels like Instagram and TikTok are great for short highlights and technique clips. Look for mixed duet finals and team free routines — they show the sport's creativity and athleticism at its best.
Men's artistic swimming still faces challenges — limited Olympic spots and less funding in some countries — but interest is rising. Clubs are adding boys' programs, and more young men are choosing artistic swimming as a serious sport. If you love choreography, strength training, and water skills, this sport could be a perfect fit.
Questions about starting or finding a club? Reach out to your national swimming federation or search local pools for synchronized or artistic swimming classes. You'll find a friendly community and clear steps to improve fast.
