Any swimmers here? Questions about lane swimming?

[ElIie]

Hi,

I’ve decided to take up swimming in order to improve my fitness.

I’m a bit anxious about lane swimming for the first time. I tried to go once before but there was a much faster guy in the slow lane that made me uncomfortable so I left after a few minutes.

I’m not particularly fast, nor do I have the best technique. I’m worried I might splash too much…

How common is it to have slow, newbies in the swimming lanes? Is there a quieter time I should go?

I am considering lessons to improve my technique - or is this unnecessary?

Thank you 😊

If it will make you more comfortable or confident then yes, some improver lessons can be good. I had some and found it great to make my stroke more efficient. If you're in the slow lane, don't be intimidated out by someone faster! He should move if he has an issue with your speed (ime, it's men who think they could challenge Phelps who do the lane hogging). I'm jealous of you going swimming. I hurt my shoulder a year ago and still can't swim with it.

I Lane swim twice a week at night. I opt for the medium Lane as the slow Lane is full of people swimming and then stopping for a chat. The fast Lane is a bit too fast for me. I go at 9pm and it’s not busy, sometimes lanes are empty and I get one to myself. My local pool is not the best though. Go and swim you might be better suited to the medium Lane depending on the pool. As for lessons also give it a try, I had 3 to improve my front crawl technique as it wasn’t great. Enjoy your swimming, I love it.

I haven’t been since the first lockdown, but the slow lane at my pool was pretty slow- I wouldn’t worry. And nobody will care about your technique unless you throw your weight around and try and barge past people.

Lessons can be absolutely transformative. In three lessons I learnt to swim front crawl, and in six months I was able to swim 1km front crawl. Technique is everything.

Go as slow as you need. If someone is faster, good for them, but you've picked the lane you need. They should either overtake or you can let them past at the end of a length.

In our pool the earliest swim so the 7am one is always the fastest in all 3 lanes. I go for the 8am swim and I would say that in the slow lane there are often quite slow swimmers and people kind of sort themselves out. The slower swimmer always gives way to the faster, so as you come to the end you can just go to the side to let the swimmer behind you go before you if they are faster. I started in the slow lane but am now in the medium so with practice you will get better. Do not be intimidated as long as you are going up and down you have every right to be there however fast or slow you are. When I used to potter along I would look at the faster swimmers to see what they did and as my confidence grew I would try to swim better. Go for it!

The faster guy will duck under the rope into the medium lane if you're going too slow (or you can always let him pass you when you stop at one end). Splashing - it's a pool, carry on! I have occasionally encountered head-out-the-water ladies in full make up, who tut and huff about H20, but really, if you don't want to get wet don't climb into a large volume of water with other people

Lessons worth every penny it's all about technique that said your not entering the Olympics you need to enjoy it as well.

It's more about manners than speed when sharing a lane . Try setting off straight after them then it will be a couple of length before they are ready to overtake you .
If you know they are close behind stop and let them past at the end of the pool.

Don't be intimidated it's rude people not slow swimmers that anoy people.

I swim 4 time a week done distance competitions and if I had to chose to share a lane I would chose a slow swimmer as it's easier to over take .

Keep going and enjoy

Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences!

It seems lessons could be really helpful. I think I am going to go ahead and book them. If nothing else, it will also ensure I keep it up as you have to pay a month in advance!

Thank you again 😀

@Pucarbuile I really hope your shoulder gets better soon x

If you're slower than him then you need to be in the slow lane. Full stop. Don't get out! There isn't a minimum speed

If another swimmer thinks you're too slow then they can move to a faster lane.

Keep going it’s such good exercise and for me is much needed headspace too.

I swim in fast or medium lane depending who is in each one. If you stop at the end and let a faster swimmer past then set off again no one will get frustrated.

Don’t be put off by the fast-male, I find a lot of them start fast but can’t keep it up

You do you, op. You have every right to be there too. Let them adjust their lanes around you, as I'm sure they would anyway. You'll start to get to know people and how it all works.

I think with swimming you need to do what you are comfortable with. At my pool the lane swimming takes half the pool and the other half is free swim.

If the lanes are busy then sometimes I will up and down outside the lane rope of the lane nearest the middle or I swim up and down the wall on the other side of the pool thus keeping out of everyones way. If I do this and see someone coming I just plough on or do backstroke so they have to move and get the message .

If I do swim 'lanes' I just start off in slow although if people are dong breaststroke in slow then I go in medium because of the splashing of me doing freestyle more than anything else. I move around the lanes based on whose there and how 'fast' each lane is going in relation to my swim speed. I don't like overtaking, it's much nicer just swim along not having to worry about being too close behind people.

It's not an exact science but I think the most important thing is to be aware of your surroundings. If you are one of the slowest in the slow lane then it's about letting others overtake you or letting the faster swimmer going first. But don't stop going.

I would avoid swimming at busy times if you can figure out when that is. I still don't know the best time to swim. I hate a busy pool. There is nothing better than an empty or near empty pool.

And work on your technique. There are some great videos online which will support any in pool lessons you get. One of the things I love about swimming is you can always improve.

Let people pass at the end of the lane or overtake if needed and you’re grand 👍

Where I swim there are 3 lanes fast, medium and slow. If you are in the slow lane like me there should be no need to worry about your speed or whether you splash more than others. This is exactly what the slow lane is for - the slow ones.
The only rule that we need to keep at my pool is that you swim up the pool on the left and down on the right. This is clearly indicated at the side of the pool.
We are quite a mannerly lot and if a swimmer realises they are holding up someone slower they wait at the end and let them past.
We even have people in the slow lane that walk part of the way because they are exercising certain muscles. Providing you look for people coming in the other direction there is enough room to swim past them.
Being honest I’m one of the faster swimmers in the slow lane but I wouldn’t dream of moving over to the medium lane as I know I’d just end up being a frustration to those faster than me. On the odd occasion I feel as though I’m being held up I just wait a bit before I start my next length.
The lifeguards in our pool are fairly strict but they never tell the slower swimmers in the slow lane they need to speed up. The slow lane is intended for them after all. The only thing that do pull up in the slow lane are those that come in pairs and try and swim up the lane together and stop for a chat before their feet ca t touch the floor.

Best time to go is during a school run or mid afternoon

Lane wise go slightly slower than you need and you can always step up a lane

Faster swimmers in the wrong lane will switch.

I'm fast but not as fast as a man so I will wait until they pass for a few seconds abs then move on again. You will soon get the hand of it.

I avoid the lanes with all breast strokers swimming with dry hair. Pointless and very bad for your back.

The manspreading swimmer sounds unusual for the slow lane.

I like the early morning swim slots, medium lane!

If you're slow, go in the slow lane. That's what it's for.
The faster swimmers need to adjust and change lanes depending on how fast everyone is. If the people in the slow lane are too slow for them, it's them who need to switch lanes.
I'm generally a middle line swimmer but I'll very occasionally go in the slow, more often in the fast. It depends completely on where I fit with everyone else.
I'm aware that if I'm in the slow lane then I need to fit in with the people there, not the other way around.
The only etiquette that may apply is if someone is a bit faster than you and you're reaching the end and they're just behind you, it's nice to let them go first on the next lap.

Technique is really important for swimming so would highly recommend some lessons or watch some YouTube videos.

As others have said, rude swimmers (mostly men IMO) are more irritating than slow swimmers ..

Where I swim there are 3 lanes fast, medium and slow. If you are in the slow lane like me there should be no need to worry about your speed or whether you splash more than others. This is exactly what the slow lane is for - the slow ones.

This. The lifeguards have occasionally asked people to move lanes, because they're either too fast or too slow for the one they're in, but if you’re slow, then the slow lane is where you should be. It sounds like the faster guy should have gone into the next lane, and he's more at fault than you, not that any of us can be sure without having been there. I agree that rude swimmers are worse than slow ones.

Swimming lessons can be helpful (and I much preferred teaching adults instead of children,) so go for it!

Our pool has three lanes and the lifeguards ask people to move lanes depending on who is swimming on any given day. Normally I go for middle but am often asked to move to slow. One memorable day I was put in the fast lane.

If you aren't sure start in slow until you get a feel for it.

As a PP said there is no minimum speed in the slow lane, it sounds like he was in the wrong lane, not you, please don't be intimidated. The right lane to pick depends on who is what lane at the time. Sometimes I'm in the fast lane, sometimes the medium lane depending on who is in it at the time. If the lane 'speeds up' or 'slows down' I switch. It's about awareness, so knowing what speed the other swimmers in your lane are, giving them space to overtake (so not swimming up and down the middle), letting them go past you at each end and not pushing off right in front of a faster swimmer if you've had a break and ready to start again. If you're having a break, move to one side to give other swimmers space to turn.

I did a cross Channel swim a few years back, so spent hours and hours plodding up and down the pool and was never ever bothered by slower swimmers if they were courteous and aware of what was going on around them.