These are some good practice rules to help during group lane swimming. We have some very busy swim sessions at the moment. Please read these and talk through with other swimmers in your next swim while in the changing rooms / during recoveries
- Please listen to the coaches they are there to help you improve.
- Please get in the right lane, check with others in your lane that they swim at a similar speed to you for the various speeds if you know your CSS time; 100m; 400m or 1500m times. If the coach moves you up a lane don’t be shy or think you won’t be quick enough – work with the swimmers you move up to, they will help you settle into the lane. If they don’t, please let one of the coaches know.
- Get in the right swim order faster swimmer 1st – if you are tiring or swimmers are very similar ability swop round the order to suit.
- Don’t draft off the feet of the person in front (unless the coach has asked you to as part of the session) – leave a longer gap, 7 meters thats 2 meters beyond the flags over the pool.
- Swim in the right direction Odd numbered Lanes 1,3 and 5 clockwise; Evens Anti-clockwise.
- Be courteous at all times – we all want the same thing to become better swimmers.
- If you are late please join in at the stage the other swimmers are at rather than doing the whole warm-up set.
- Be aware of all the swimmers in your lane – get to know who swims at what speed to get in the right order. If you do start catching a swimmer ahead judge whether you wish to pass them. If you only have 25m or so left to go – don’t bother, swop when you stop for the recovery. If you have 100m or more to go then tap your hand onto their feet and pass at the end of that length.
- Swimmers – if you have had your feet tapped don’t let the red mist get to you, allow the person to pass at the end of that length and give them space before pushing off. Take care not to cut up other swimmers or then jump hard on the feet of the person in front. Each lane will need to work at this – practice as this also is a key swimming skill. Best practice is to get into the right order and give a good space to start with – as you creep up on a swimmer ahead of you, it will get easier as you will be drafting them – either back off and give more room or change the order more regularly during the swim recoveries.
- Keep communicating to each other – talk each recovery about when you are going off and also does your lane need to change the order. Be grown up about it and don’t let the red mist get to you.
- Enjoy the swim – please manage your swim with the others in your lane.
- If you need a longer recovery or need to adjust your goggles etc please keep to the side and allow other swimmers space to turn – agree with other swimmers in the lane which side of the lane to use if stopping.
