Swimming etiquette?
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BrokenSomething
Posts: 11 Member
Now this might sound strange but I've never been in a pool that was designed for exercise (i.e. I've been in hotel pools, water parks etc). Even the swimming lessons in school took place in a lake.
Long story short, I grew up and moved away to go to uni. Which meant there were no more lakes around I could just jump into and swim. The old pool at my uni gym was...not particularly tempting. However, they are now opening a new one and I really, really want to add swimming to my workout.
The problem? I haven't got a clue when it comes to swimming etiquette. I am a strong swimmer but I can totally see me making a fool of myself. Usually, I would happily entertain the public but I just had to take a two month break from working out due to health issues. I consequently put on some weight and my confidence is a little low right now - showing myself in public in a swimsuit AND stumbling from faux pas to faux pas is not a great prospect :frown: .
Thus: Could somone please enlighten me? What lane am I meant to choose? What do you do when you share the lane with someone? What ridiculous mistake should I avoid by all means?
I apologize if that sounds like a stupid question; I honestly don't know those things :ohwell:
Long story short, I grew up and moved away to go to uni. Which meant there were no more lakes around I could just jump into and swim. The old pool at my uni gym was...not particularly tempting. However, they are now opening a new one and I really, really want to add swimming to my workout.
The problem? I haven't got a clue when it comes to swimming etiquette. I am a strong swimmer but I can totally see me making a fool of myself. Usually, I would happily entertain the public but I just had to take a two month break from working out due to health issues. I consequently put on some weight and my confidence is a little low right now - showing myself in public in a swimsuit AND stumbling from faux pas to faux pas is not a great prospect :frown: .
Thus: Could somone please enlighten me? What lane am I meant to choose? What do you do when you share the lane with someone? What ridiculous mistake should I avoid by all means?
I apologize if that sounds like a stupid question; I honestly don't know those things :ohwell:
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Replies
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Just pick the slowest lane first, they usually have them marked. People can overtake you, just keep over and let them, and go in the sign marked direction. It's pretty straightforward. Everyone ignores all the rules anyway!0
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Usually the stronger the swimmers want the middle lanes, and the outside lanes are for slower swimmers. Sharing lanes if its two people you should talk half the lane and give the other half to the other swimmer. If you have 3 or more in a lane then you should swim down on one side and return on the other. Other then than that enjoy a great workout and make sure to take cues from the people around you.0
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I used to have to share at the public pool- occasionally I had to share with a complete strangers which could be really intimmidating (least for me) but we just lapped.
There was a clear "we start here side" and then "the far side"
usually i'ts clear because- well- i'ts the one closest to the door- and everyone's stuff is set up on that side.
If there are no lanes- I always waited till I found someone looking to swim my speed and they came up between laps. I felt like it was rude to just jump in and not ask.
We always stayed to the right- so on the way out- you were right- and if someone was returning- they were on their respective right- which is left of you. just
far side
I v ^ I
I v ^ I
I v ^ I
start
we never just share the lane and stayed on our respective sides- we always just lapped around like on a circuit.
Slow peoples stayed on the outside lanes and that was about that.0 -
:explode: I wrote a whole response and lost it.
Ask the lifeguard for suggestions on what lane to swim in. At my Y, there are usually two lanes marked "fast" (they don't tend to be fast). If there are none marked, there doesn't seem to be any designation.
I also belong to a swim club. There the two middle lanes are fast (they are really fast) the two wall lanes are the slowest, the other two are moderate pace.
Rule #1 is obviously choose the lane most appropriate for you. If you end up swimming with regulars, you will get the idea. You can also switch lanes if you feel you need to.
The fastest swimmer in the lane should go first, slowest swimmer last. If you are constantly being caught by the trailing swimmer, send them ahead of you next time.
As a general rule, start each interval 5 seconds after the swimmer in front of you. Some people are surprised to know that there is a significant “drafting” advantage in swimming, similar to cycling. Even if the lead swimmer is faster than you, starting on her heels will make the interval seem too easy, and you will actually catch her and hit her feet with your hands (bad etiquette!). Leaving at least 5 seconds cures this (more if you are a very similar speed). On the other hand, if you are constantly losing large amounts of time to the swimmer in front of you, it is quite reasonable to start closer behind her.
If you do find yourself in a lane with someone who is much faster or you are at different spots in a workout and are being lapped by a faster swimmer, try to allow this to happen at the end of the pool. i.e.: be aware of them catching you, and NEVER push off the wall just in front of a faster swimmer who is catching you. Wait at the end until they have passed, and push off behind them (or allow more than one swimmer to go by if necessary). This avoids the potentially dangerous situation of forcing a swimmer to cut out around you, which can lead to collisions with oncoming swimmers.
Swim on the right hand side of the lane always.
If you are stopping or resting at the wall and there is a swimmer behind you, leave them room to reach the wall. When there are 3 or 4 in a lane its a pain to have to stop short of the wall because someone is blocking it. Move to the corners.
This is for a regular lap swim. If you join a club, they may have a few more, especially if they do a prescribed workout.0 -
:explode: I wrote a whole response and lost it.
Ask the lifeguard for suggestions on what lane to swim in. At my Y, there are usually two lanes marked "fast" (they don't tend to be fast). If there are none marked, there doesn't seem to be any designation.
I also belong to a swim club. There the two middle lanes are fast (they are really fast) the two wall lanes are the slowest, the other two are moderate pace.
Rule #1 is obviously choose the lane most appropriate for you. If you end up swimming with regulars, you will get the idea. You can also switch lanes if you feel you need to.
The fastest swimmer in the lane should go first, slowest swimmer last. If you are constantly being caught by the trailing swimmer, send them ahead of you next time.
As a general rule, start each interval 5 seconds after the swimmer in front of you. Some people are surprised to know that there is a significant “drafting” advantage in swimming, similar to cycling. Even if the lead swimmer is faster than you, starting on her heels will make the interval seem too easy, and you will actually catch her and hit her feet with your hands (bad etiquette!). Leaving at least 5 seconds cures this (more if you are a very similar speed). On the other hand, if you are constantly losing large amounts of time to the swimmer in front of you, it is quite reasonable to start closer behind her.
If you do find yourself in a lane with someone who is much faster or you are at different spots in a workout and are being lapped by a faster swimmer, try to allow this to happen at the end of the pool. i.e.: be aware of them catching you, and NEVER push off the wall just in front of a faster swimmer who is catching you. Wait at the end until they have passed, and push off behind them (or allow more than one swimmer to go by if necessary). This avoids the potentially dangerous situation of forcing a swimmer to cut out around you, which can lead to collisions with oncoming swimmers.
Swim on the right hand side of the lane always.
If you are stopping or resting at the wall and there is a swimmer behind you, leave them room to reach the wall. When there are 3 or 4 in a lane its a pain to have to stop short of the wall because someone is blocking it. Move to the corners.
This is for a regular lap swim. If you join a club, they may have a few more, especially if they do a prescribed workout.
/end thread
perfect response!0 -
:explode: I wrote a whole response and lost it.
Ask the lifeguard for suggestions on what lane to swim in. At my Y, there are usually two lanes marked "fast" (they don't tend to be fast). If there are none marked, there doesn't seem to be any designation.
I also belong to a swim club. There the two middle lanes are fast (they are really fast) the two wall lanes are the slowest, the other two are moderate pace.
Rule #1 is obviously choose the lane most appropriate for you. If you end up swimming with regulars, you will get the idea. You can also switch lanes if you feel you need to.
The fastest swimmer in the lane should go first, slowest swimmer last. If you are constantly being caught by the trailing swimmer, send them ahead of you next time.
As a general rule, start each interval 5 seconds after the swimmer in front of you. Some people are surprised to know that there is a significant “drafting” advantage in swimming, similar to cycling. Even if the lead swimmer is faster than you, starting on her heels will make the interval seem too easy, and you will actually catch her and hit her feet with your hands (bad etiquette!). Leaving at least 5 seconds cures this (more if you are a very similar speed). On the other hand, if you are constantly losing large amounts of time to the swimmer in front of you, it is quite reasonable to start closer behind her.
If you do find yourself in a lane with someone who is much faster or you are at different spots in a workout and are being lapped by a faster swimmer, try to allow this to happen at the end of the pool. i.e.: be aware of them catching you, and NEVER push off the wall just in front of a faster swimmer who is catching you. Wait at the end until they have passed, and push off behind them (or allow more than one swimmer to go by if necessary). This avoids the potentially dangerous situation of forcing a swimmer to cut out around you, which can lead to collisions with oncoming swimmers.
Swim on the right hand side of the lane always.
If you are stopping or resting at the wall and there is a swimmer behind you, leave them room to reach the wall. When there are 3 or 4 in a lane its a pain to have to stop short of the wall because someone is blocking it. Move to the corners.
This is for a regular lap swim. If you join a club, they may have a few more, especially if they do a prescribed workout.
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Now this might sound strange but I've never been in a pool that was designed for exercise (i.e. I've been in hotel pools, water parks etc). Even the swimming lessons in school took place in a lake.
Long story short, I grew up and moved away to go to uni. Which meant there were no more lakes around I could just jump into and swim. The old pool at my uni gym was...not particularly tempting. However, they are now opening a new one and I really, really want to add swimming to my workout.
The problem? I haven't got a clue when it comes to swimming etiquette. I am a strong swimmer but I can totally see me making a fool of myself. Usually, I would happily entertain the public but I just had to take a two month break from working out due to health issues. I consequently put on some weight and my confidence is a little low right now - showing myself in public in a swimsuit AND stumbling from faux pas to faux pas is not a great prospect :frown: .
Thus: Could somone please enlighten me? What lane am I meant to choose? What do you do when you share the lane with someone? What ridiculous mistake should I avoid by all means?
I apologize if that sounds like a stupid question; I honestly don't know those things :ohwell:
Pick a lane.....swim on the right hand side.....pass people on the left hand side.0 -
Thanks a lot everyone!
Can't wait for the opening now! :laugh:0 -
Unless you are from the UK or Australia or NZ where we drive on the left so we swim on the left
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My pool has slow, medium and fast lanes, and sometimes non-lane swimming, medium and fast lanes. They alternate clockwise and anti-clockwise to stop a current being built up or something, so there might be signs telling you which way to swim.
Start off in the slowest section, and if you are lapping people every length or every other length, move to a faster section if you can. It really bugs me when someone overtakes me every single length in the slow lane but there is only one swimmer in the medium lane!
If someone is overtaking you quite often, make sure you check where they are before pushing off, and try not to stop halfway through a length unless you need to so they aren't forced to stop as well!0 -
If you know someone is faster than you and you are reaching the end of a lap at roughly the same time let them go before yku so they don't have to overtake or swim at a slower pace behind you.
Don't tell young women in the communal showers that they 'have good strong legs... like man'
That's all I have.0 -
Spend a few minutes watching what others are doing - pools do vary e.g. for lane swimming ours has alternating lanes clockwise/anti-clockwise/clockwise and so on - you swim in the same direction as the swimmer in the next lane and less likely to clash arms over the lane rope.
The direction is marked by boards at the end of each lane with arrows.
I try to find a lane with similar paced swimmers - but during most sessions there are just two swim lanes with the rest of the pool for lessons or general swimming.
I don't stand and chat in the end of a continuous swim lane. If I take a break of 30secs plus in a set I get out of the lane.
Most club swimmers will let you by if you tap their foot and might expect you to do the same for them.
I'm very short sighted and can't see past a swimmer in front of me to overtake safely so I tend to double back - swim half a length behind a slower swimmer then cut back on the opposite sde of the lane. Not ideal if you're trying to count lengths or do a set distance though!0 -
At my pool we swim on the left clockwise! (In the UK) so depends where you are from!
I'm yet to go to a lane swim at my local gym because I'm not big on swimming etiquette and don't want to annoy other swimmers. So far I just go when there is a class on and they have a member lane available and we just swim clockwise and I slow down if someone is approaching me faster or wait at the side of the pool if I know someone is due to overtake. Hoping I'll be brave enough for a lane swim at some point! :-D0 -
I'm in the UK. Each lane swims on a different side (to reduce the probability of bashed limbs under the lane ropes, I think) - there are little boards at the end of the lane.
The big things which annoy me when I swim are:
- people going REALLY slowly taking the entire width of the lane. If you know you're slow, tuck in a little more. Maybe do freestyle rather than breast stroke.
- slowish people not checking behind them as they reach the end of the lane. If there's someone directly behind you who wasn't there before, chances are they're faster than you. Let them over take
. Likewise, people launching off as you get to the end of the lane, so that you're then stuck behind them - wait for a gap between swimmers to launch off, unless you know you're faster than the approaching swimmer.
- people stopping midway along the lane. Just get to the end of the lane, and then have a break.
On a minor note, people who come in dressed like they're going to the water park irk me slightly (you do not need flip flops to get from changing room to poolside!), but as it doesn't actually concern me I don't care.0 -
the pool i swim at has wide lanes one slow, 2 medium and 2 fast. you basically swim a big rectangle and directions set on a board at each end. you stick to the edges unless overtaking and if you keep lapping people they ask you to move over to a faster lane0
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