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Original poster

Swimming Lane Allocation - how does your pool arrange the lanes

36 replies

Jewel1968 · 25/05/2025 13:39

I am quietly going mad trying to understand how my local pool decides on lane allocation.

By way of examples:
Some days there will be:

  • one large lane for medium swimmers with swimmers of all different speeds trying to navigate each other.
  • 3 narrow lanes Fast, Medium and Slow
  • One double lane for Slow alongside two narrow lanes for Fast and Medium
  • Two double lanes for Medium and Slow
  • Two narrow lanes for Medium and Slow

When you book on their app you gave no idea what awaits you. You simply book Adult Lane swimming.

I am probably a medium swimmers and a fast swimmer on a good day.

I think the problem is they are trying to have too many different things going on at once e.g. lessons, open swimming and lane swimming and it doesn't work. And it's inconsistent and unpredictable.

I was wondering if there are examples out there of better management I could reference in an email to the pool management. Grateful if you could share good examples of pool management.

OP posts:
Original poster
Jewel1968 · 25/05/2025 15:25

@TheNumberfaker that's really interesting:

  • slow = 25 metres > 45 seconds
medium = 25 metres in 30-45 seconds fast = 25 metres < 30 seconds

I am around the 30 sec mark so makes me medium but on a good day I am faster. I can't see them doing this but I might suggest it

OP posts:
TeenToTwenties · 25/05/2025 15:23

David Lloyd
Usually: Half the pool in 3 lanes, slow, medium fast.
Sometimes a 4th lane.
Sometimes 2 lanes merged for aqua and 2 lanes for swimming.
When lessons in progress generally 2 lanes for lessons and 1 for other swimmers.
Often only a couple per lane when I go.

Original poster
Jewel1968 · 25/05/2025 15:20

Thanks all. I am drafting an email. It is the inconsistency that really gets to me. Today it started as one single lane for medium swimmers (in reality it was swimmers of different speeds in one lane) with rest of pool taken up with fun swimming or lessons but about 20mins in the lessons ended and they created two more lanes (fast and slow added). But then after about another 20 mins reduced to two lanes again. It's just so frustrating.

OP posts:
ramonaquimby · 25/05/2025 14:28

You book a lane (fast med slow) and hope that everyone adheres to their ability when you get there

ExtensiveDebating · 25/05/2025 14:21

Ours chops and changes all the time depending what else (if anything) the pool is being used for eg club sessions. But it is all totally clear on the booking app, it might be single or double lanes but it will say "lane 1" or "lanes 1 and 2" and it also gives speed guidelines for slow/med/fast. You can also see how many other people have already booked for that lane.

mumonthehill · 25/05/2025 14:10

@Workisntworking i think you might swim at my pool!!! 3 lanes fast, medium,slow at set times. 6am swims fast lane full of male tri athletes, medium quite fast, slow very slow. Sundays a lady always swims in the medium lane doing breaststroke slowly and does not ever give way which then means I go to the fast lane and have to swim super fast to not annoy people already in there! Fridays oddly are super busy and as we are restricted to 8 in a lane people get turned away. I love the bonkers of it all sometimes!

TheNumberfaker · 25/05/2025 14:00

We have time slots when it’s 3 lanes. You have to book a lane and there are time guidelines.
slow = 25 metres > 45 seconds
medium = 25 metres in 30-45 seconds
fast = 25 metres < 30 seconds

BIWI · 25/05/2025 13:53

God, what is it about male swimmers? The need for all the space, the belief that they’re faster than anyone else women and the splashing.

Workisntworking · 25/05/2025 13:51

1 slow lane, 1 medium lane, 1 fast lane. All quite wide so overtaking should be fine.

I'm usually the fastest in the pool but often can't use the fast lane because most men have to go in the fast lane and use the centre half of it. Then 2 women join and do back stroke with their arms going sideways rather than close to their head.

On Sundays the middle lane is dominated by a bloke that violently but not so quickly displaces most of the water from the middle lane.

I don't care what the configuration is but would like the lifeguards to manage it better.

babblingbumblingbandofbaboons · 25/05/2025 13:48

3 equal lanes covering half the pool and then the other half free swim. One or two lanes can be in use for swimming lessons, leaving at least one lane and free swim.

if there’s only one lane it’s not marked with a speed, only a direction (e.g clockwise) leaving swimmers to work in with one another to suit speed.

If there’s two lanes it’s fast/medium, with free swim area best for slow swimmers. 3 is fast medium, slow.

No booking system, simply turn up. Though this is a private gym. The key is consistency though, even though it’s a big club everyone knows when the classes are, when the busy or quiet times are, and how many lanes are available. Your pool sounds really disorganised!

BIWI · 25/05/2025 13:42

That sounds bonkers!

Our pool is divided into two halves. One half is for anyone to swim/splash/play etc. The other half is divided into two lanes; one for fast and one for slow swimming. That’s it. Easy!

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