Lane etiquette

Can we all get along and swim in peace and harmony in the pool?

Sometimes the lane etiquette is a disaster and each swimmer follows their own rules.

Lane rage is common!!! Instead of having a calm relaxed swim you spend your whole session trying to avoid someone swimming on your toes, hitting your head as you pass each other or crash at the wall when turning. Let's try clear up a few little niggles for squad and public swim sessions.

1. Choose a lane according to your speed, not your ego. Judge the pace of the lane before you jump in and please make sure you don’t do breaststroke in the fast lane unless you are Adam Peaty!!! Definitely no arms swinging in all directions backstroke with breaststroke leg kick in the fast lane.

2. Needing to have a little rest? That’s perfectly fine but make sure you do your resting and talking in the corners of the lane and so that way it’s easier for the other swimmers to keep training and they can have clear access to the centre of the wall for an easy tumble or touch turn.

3. No gymnastics at the end of the lane. Yes it happens and it's seen weekly. Warm up or cool down on the pool deck.

4. Tumble turns are brilliant but need to be practiced to make sure that when you do tumble you push off on the correct side of the lane . No pushing of onto incoming swimmers.

5. Always give way to the faster swimmers in the lane when you get to the wall. That way you will not have someone tapping your feet the whole length and crowding your space.

6. No lane hogging. Stay on your side and don’t swim down the middle and expect swimmers to over take without bumping into you..

7. Move towards the centre of the lane approaching the wall from the flags. Cross over to the other side at the T. So when going into the wall, cross into the centre of the lane and turn.

8. Constantly review lane choice during session. Slow, Medium, Fast are all relative to who else is in the pool. You may be the fastest when you got in, but 10 mins later with various arrivals and departures you may now be he slowest. Don't stay in the lane you first get into if it becomes noticeable you are not the slowest. You will need to move lanes.

9. Swimmers should swim in speed order for the stroke or kick/pull being undertaken in the lane

10. Bring your own stuff. This seems like an obvious one, but bring your own swim equipment to the lane.

11. Fastest swimmer in the lane starts, followed by the next swimmer once they have gone under the flags. Repeat.

12. If you do arrive late to the squad session please join in with the set where the group are and don't start right from the warm up.

Peace and harmony restored in lane swimming!!!!