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Pool etiquette
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 2015-03-11 9:28 PM |
 595  |  Subject: Pool etiquetteWhat is pool etiquette on sharing lanes. I am still a little new I am traveling and swimming at a pool that I swim at a couple times a year. They have three lanes for lap swimming open and its not uncommon for two swimmers to share a lane, and to be honest I think the lanes maybe a foot wider than my usual pool. My question is if you jump into a lane (second swimmer) that is already being used should you limit your laps to freestyle and similar strokes. Ie avoid breast stroke, or backstroke? If your already swimming in that lane should you avoid back and breast strokes? Nate |
| 2015-03-11 10:13 PM in reply to: nrpoulin |
New user 132  Kingston, Ontario | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette When i jump into a lane thats already being used i sit at the end of the pool till i know the person swimming with me knows I'm getting in their lane.. Far as what strokes to use i say use whatever you want just get out of the way if they are catching up. If somebody is getting on my tail ill stop at the wall and get out of the way and i like when people do that for me also.. |
| 2015-03-12 7:23 AM in reply to: nrpoulin |
Member 1748 Exton, PA | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette If you know how to swim there is no reason to limit your strokes to just freestyle. Swim team practices typically have up to 6 or 8 people in a lane doing all 4 competitive strokes. If your not confident that you can swim breastroke with hitting the other person than don't. |
| 2015-03-12 7:42 AM in reply to: mike761 |
| 553 St Catharines, Ontario | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette At my local pool there are signs up to say 'circle swim to share the lane'. Without fail when the second person gets in they will say 'hey lets split the lane' which is universally a bad idea as the third swimmer is sure to be not far behind. Any stroke is fine. But be modest if the lanes are labelled fast medium and slow. Move your drills and slow strokes down a lane. I jumped in the fast lane the other day and followed an older swimmer (man in his 50's) for quite a while. As I got closer to him I thought, this guy is toast! Then I noticed he was swimming with his ankles banded together!! |
| 2015-03-12 7:53 AM in reply to: nrpoulin |
| 631 | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette I don't know why people are anti circle swimming. My pool says split if 2 circle if more, I don't see why they just don't have everyone circle. It also has a sign that says join lanes with swimmers going the same speed (but the lanes are not marked). This would be ok except it also has a sign that says to first take an empty lane if all lanes are filled then all lanes should have 2 before a third is added. These latter rules mess up the possiblity of keeping the lanes slow, med and fast. It also seem like a lot of people will wait if all of the lanes have 2 people. |
| 2015-03-12 7:59 AM in reply to: 0 |
Pro 15655 | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette Everyone should circle swim, and every pool should require it......it's an easy concept and should be understood by everyone. If not, it's REALLY easy to learn. It seems to me that would end the problem of not knowing how to handle more than one person in a lane. Look, it's what swimmers do......that's part of what makes them swimmers and the rest of us left to figure out what good "etiquette" is. Edited by Left Brain 2015-03-12 8:00 AM |
| 2015-03-12 8:48 AM in reply to: Left Brain |
Member 1748 Exton, PA | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette Originally posted by Left Brain Everyone should circle swim, and every pool should require it......it's an easy concept and should be understood by everyone. If not, it's REALLY easy to learn. It seems to me that would end the problem of not knowing how to handle more than one person in a lane. Look, it's what swimmers do......that's part of what makes them swimmers and the rest of us left to figure out what good "etiquette" is. It is easy and any busy pool people should do it. My pool is rarely ever full, splitting lanes is almost always fine. The other issue is circle swimming at different abilities. When you are twice as fast as others in your lane circle swimming will kill your work out. SO you have to have people close to your ability in your lane. Unless I go back to my old competitive days of swimming when etiquette was to grab the ankle with one hand place the other hand on their back and go over them!. I don't think too many people would appreciate that, but on the team it kept people in the right lanes  |
| 2015-03-12 8:51 AM in reply to: mike761 |
Pro 15655 | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette Originally posted by mike761 Originally posted by Left Brain It is easy and any busy pool people should do it. My pool is rarely ever full, splitting lanes is almost always fine. The other issue is circle swimming at different abilities. When you are twice as fast as others in your lane circle swimming will kill your work out. SO you have to have people close to your ability in your lane. Unless I go back to my old competitive days of swimming when etiquette was to grab the ankle with one hand place the other hand on their back and go over them!. I don't think too many people would appreciate that, but on the team it kept people in the right lanesEveryone should circle swim, and every pool should require it......it's an easy concept and should be understood by everyone. If not, it's REALLY easy to learn. It seems to me that would end the problem of not knowing how to handle more than one person in a lane. Look, it's what swimmers do......that's part of what makes them swimmers and the rest of us left to figure out what good "etiquette" is. We have people at our pool who think you should wait if there are already 2 people splitting the lane. Uh....................no. |
| 2015-03-12 8:54 AM in reply to: badmo77a |
Veteran 1900 Southampton, Ontario | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette Originally posted by badmo77a At my local pool there are signs up to say 'circle swim to share the lane'. Without fail when the second person gets in they will say 'hey lets split the lane' which is universally a bad idea as the third swimmer is sure to be not far behind. Obviously your pool might be busier than the ones I go to but I usually see 2 per lane and splitting seems to be the norm. In my mine splitting is highly preferable. In the off chance that a 3rd joins its pretty simple to switch to circle swimming. Never been an issue. To the OP, jump in the pool wait in the corner of the lane and when the swimmer is done their set or pauses at the wall just ask if they want to split or circle. |
| 2015-03-12 9:15 AM in reply to: #5100105 |
| 225 | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette The problem with circle swimming is when two people are very different speeds. Sometimes my coach will have me and a former Olympic swimmer share a lane for a distance workout while everyone does something else. He will pass me every two or three laps, so it makes much more sense to split. |
| 2015-03-12 9:20 AM in reply to: nrpoulin |
| 631 | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette I had a guy get mad when he had to switch to circle swim. I was with my son (who was probably 9 at the time). 7 lanes had 2 people and the guy was by himself in lane 8. We proceeded to get in that lane increasing it to 3. He starts babbling that he only has 200 yards blah, blah, blah. The starts rambling on that kids should not be allowed in the pool. He swam one more 50 and left. |
| 2015-03-12 9:24 AM in reply to: bigevilgrape |
Pro 15655 | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette
Originally posted by bigevilgrape The problem with circle swimming is when two people are very different speeds. Sometimes my coach will have me and a former Olympic swimmer share a lane for a distance workout while everyone does something else. He will pass me every two or three laps, so it makes much more sense to split. I don't understand why that is a problem? If you ask fast swimmers (at least the ones I'm around) they will almost universally say they don't care....they are used to crowded lanes. I watch kids warm up 2000 yards or so before a meet.....there will sometimes be 10 or 15 kids in a lane....they just swim. |
| 2015-03-12 9:30 AM in reply to: nrpoulin |
Veteran 2297 Great White North | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette Circle swimming is assumed at most pools here. |
| 2015-03-12 9:40 AM in reply to: bigevilgrape |
| 631 | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette Originally posted by bigevilgrape The problem with circle swimming is when two people are very different speeds. Sometimes my coach will have me and a former Olympic swimmer share a lane for a distance workout while everyone does something else. He will pass me every two or three laps, so it makes much more sense to split. But you team has the lane reserved and the coach is making the decisions? It isn't like a 3rd person unaffiliated with the team is going to enter the lane. All kind of exception can happen in a reserved practice space that would not be appropriate during open swim time (dives, turns, pull outs etc). |
| 2015-03-12 9:58 AM in reply to: Left Brain |
Elite 7783 PEI, Canada | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette Originally posted by Left Brain
Originally posted by bigevilgrape The problem with circle swimming is when two people are very different speeds. Sometimes my coach will have me and a former Olympic swimmer share a lane for a distance workout while everyone does something else. He will pass me every two or three laps, so it makes much more sense to split. I don't understand why that is a problem? If you ask fast swimmers (at least the ones I'm around) they will almost universally say they don't care....they are used to crowded lanes. I watch kids warm up 2000 yards or so before a meet.....there will sometimes be 10 or 15 kids in a lane....they just swim. Well, I am often in this situation where I share a lane with someone that I will frequently pass. I have no real issue with circle swimming with them but given the choice between circle swimming and splitting the lane when there are 2 people, I will split every time - it's less disruptive for both of us. If a 3rd shows up, we switch to circle swimming and it's true that generally the fast swimmers don't mind being in that situation. People tell me they don't want to get in my way, I tell them not to worry about me, I will work around them. |
| 2015-03-12 10:05 AM in reply to: Sidney Porter |
Pro 15655 | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette Originally posted by Sidney Porter I had a guy get mad when he had to switch to circle swim. I was with my son (who was probably 9 at the time). 7 lanes had 2 people and the guy was by himself in lane 8. We proceeded to get in that lane increasing it to 3. He starts babbling that he only has 200 yards blah, blah, blah. The starts rambling on that kids should not be allowed in the pool. He swam one more 50 and left. That's the same guy who's drying his junk and his armpits with the blow dryer in the locker room. |
| 2015-03-12 10:30 AM in reply to: Left Brain |
| Master 1946 Memphis, TN | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette My gym pool is usually crowded and I ask the person to share a lane before just jumping in and swimming just to let them know I'm there. If they say no, I'll probably just jump in and swim anyway. Usually they say they don't want to circle. Usually the person acts like I just took some food off his plate but there is no shortage of self-entitled jerks in the sport unfortunately. I usually just think "welcome to a community center pool". |
| 2015-03-12 10:31 AM in reply to: Left Brain |
| Master 1946 Memphis, TN | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette Originally posted by Left Brain Originally posted by Sidney Porter I had a guy get mad when he had to switch to circle swim. I was with my son (who was probably 9 at the time). 7 lanes had 2 people and the guy was by himself in lane 8. We proceeded to get in that lane increasing it to 3. He starts babbling that he only has 200 yards blah, blah, blah. The starts rambling on that kids should not be allowed in the pool. He swam one more 50 and left. That's the same guy who's drying his junk and his armpits with the blow dryer in the locker room. The blowdryer does such a good job at that tho. Gotta be careful not to make contact with the undercarriage. Bad things |
| 2015-03-12 11:55 AM in reply to: Jtiger |
| 754 | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette Originally posted by Jtiger My gym pool is usually crowded and I ask the person to share a lane before just jumping in and swimming just to let them know I'm there. If they say no, I'll probably just jump in and swim anyway. Usually they say they don't want to circle. Usually the person acts like I just took some food off his plate but there is no shortage of self-entitled jerks in the sport unfortunately. I usually just think "welcome to a community center pool". For some reason, I am typically the only person swimming laps at my gym (and reading this thread has made me even more grateful of that). Last week, every lane was taken and someone was waiting to get in. I offered to share my lane and she looked at me like I had insulted her ancestors. The guy in the lane next to me saw that. We just looked at each other and laughed. |
| 2015-03-12 12:35 PM in reply to: #5100174 |
| 261 | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette I don't have an issue splitting a lane. And if a third person comes a long we can switch to circle swim. It just ain't that hard |
| 2015-03-12 12:45 PM in reply to: TriTampa2 |
| 631 | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette As far as the OP. I don't swim fly if I am splitting with someone I don't know. With fly I end up taking more than my share of the lane. I have also figured out that if you are swimming fly people are less likely to join your lane. But Breast and back I will swimming with breast I just make sure I glide past them. |
| 2015-03-12 1:41 PM in reply to: #5100257 |
| 88 | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette To the OP: I think you'd be fine swimming anything but butterfly, assuming you can keep a straight line while doing backstroke. I know it sounds funny, but I know people who will weave all over the lane doing backstroke. As far as the debate on circle swim or lap splitting goes: I'm much in favor of circle swim. I understand the arguments for splitting lanes, but I would prefer to occasionally pass someone (or be passed) then swim with my left side next to a lane line. I spent ten years swimming competitively, and every single practice was carried out via circle swim. I've found that when I swim with the lane line on my left, my sense of spacing is messed up; in an attempt to stay on my side of the lane, I stray too close to the lane line and smack my hand on hit. While practice will help with this, it's still annoying. That being said, I understand this is a fairly personal issue; I can't imagine many people have it. Splitting lanes is common at my pool unless there are 3 or more people. I wish we would circle swim, but, as one poster stated earlier "Welcome to a community center pool". Overall, I guess it doesn't matter as swimming is my preferred method of working out. I'll still do it, regardless of how the lanes are shared. |
| 2015-03-12 1:53 PM in reply to: #5100257 |
| 595 | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette Thanks very helpful. My typical pool no one doubles up unless they are swim partners. I offer a bit but a new lane opens every 15 minutes or so and people often wait. Or maybe after seeing me swim they decide it's safer to have their own lane. |
| 2015-03-12 2:22 PM in reply to: nrpoulin |
Veteran 2297 Great White North | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette I would never wait for an open lane. Pretty entitled to think people should. |
| 2015-03-12 2:58 PM in reply to: Left Brain |
| 1300 | Subject: RE: Pool etiquette Originally posted by Left Brain
Originally posted by bigevilgrape The problem with circle swimming is when two people are very different speeds. Sometimes my coach will have me and a former Olympic swimmer share a lane for a distance workout while everyone does something else. He will pass me every two or three laps, so it makes much more sense to split. I don't understand why that is a problem? If you ask fast swimmers (at least the ones I'm around) they will almost universally say they don't care....they are used to crowded lanes. I watch kids warm up 2000 yards or so before a meet.....there will sometimes be 10 or 15 kids in a lane....they just swim. Yes but they can swim straight, don't go down the middle and don't stand in the middle of the lane at the wall. Because at a young age they probably got run over a few times doing that and learned their lesson. ETA - I'm not advocating running someone over at your local pool ! It's just part of growing up in team practices and if you spent any amount of time with 6-8 people in a lane you know the glorious feeling of catching someone going the other ways hand.
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