Could anyone explain to me how swimming lanes work?

[thesonicoscillator]

Hello looking for some advice here. I posted in Chat as there seems to be more traffic.

I can swim but I haven't been in an indoor pool in over 30 years and my old local pool didn't have lanes. I'm in my fifties now, so I expect to be quite slow, but not super slow. I swim in the sea every year on holiday & I always try to do a bit of 'proper swimming' so I know I'm still able to swim! I prefer front crawl which I think is called freestyle now?. So I'd like to know how lanes work, are there different speeds or strokes? What if there's more than one person, or lots of people in a lane?

I'm also not in UK but in Europe but I imagine they all work the same, right? I'm dying to go to my local pool but the lane thing is holding me back. I have been told here they all walk to the pool in fitflops and leave them with a dressing gown or towel by the pool, not in the changing room. Even this is is making me a tiny bit anxious as I've never done that before!

Also has anyone every used prescription goggles? I'm -7 and usually use contact lenses. I guess you walk to the pool in your glasses?

Thanks in advance

In my area in the UK, the pool has swimming lanes at certain times- 6 lanes, 2 each of slow, medium and fast. There are also 'general swimming ' times with no lanes which can be good at quiet times in school term time as there are no children.

They have signs at the end of lanes so you know what direction to swim. (The medium lane also states the time limit -you must be able to swim a lane between xxx and xxx seconds- but this is unusual in the UK).

Pool etiquette is that you wait at the end for faster swimmers to pass (or move down a lane if you are clearly too slow, unless you are already in the slow lane, or up a lane if you are overtaking everyone). You can choose your stroke ( but butterfly is unsociable unless you have a lane to yourself).
Some people (the minority) walk to the pool in flip flops and leave them near the steps (but not where anyone can trip over). It's rare for anyone to wear glasses (no where safe to put them) or dressing gowns, but some wear prescription goggles to/from the pool.

In my area there are also 'women only' lane swims- these are really popular with women returners and very friendly, so that may be an option for you to look into! I suggest you start in the slow lane then move up promptly if you are faster than everyone else! Hope that helps.

They're all slightly different. Mine has a slow, medium and fast lane and people make a choice of which to go in depending on their usual speed and who else is already swimming. A quick glance can tell you that you'd fit in best with x lane. They are marked with whether to swim clockwise or anticlockwise. Just keep an eye if someone needs past you and let them past at the end of the lane.

I have prescription goggles but my prescription isn't quite as strong as yours. I just manage without my glasses to get to the pool.

At my local pool (UK) they have a fast, medium and slow lane, so you book your lane according to your abilities (the website gave examples of how you would assess yourself). They would only allow a certain number of people to book each lane so that they didn't get overcrowded. It was the norm for people to walk to the pool edge in flip flops. Many would take their towel in too. My only gripe was that people booked the slow lane who definitely weren't slow, and the pool attendants never seemed to care or do anything about it.

I wear my prescription goggles from the changing rooms as there's nowhere to leave my glasses! Probably (definitely) look daft but at least I can see!

I use prescription googles, but I can manage to find my way from changing room to poolside without them on, then I put them on so I can see how many people in each lane and how fast they are going to decide which lane to pick.

Hi OP, the first responder was accurate imo.

However I always leave my things in a locker and leave my locker key and towel on a bench at the side. No flip flops allowed by the pool.

I always wear contacts in the pool with goggles. I know that you are advised not to, but my goggles don't leak and I never take them off to swish them around, so I do it. If my eyes get sore I just put fresh contacts in when I get to my desk.

Some things might be different depending on where in Europe you are, but it should be easy to observe/ask at your pool.

Central Europe.
It is common here that part of the pool is organised in lines and part is not.
The not-lined area is free for everyone - slow swimmers, people frequently stopping, talking with a friend while swimming, learning to swim, stretching in the water and so on. In that area the main rule is look around you and let those who are swimming swim.

Line speed and directions are not marked here and you don't book a slot in a specific line.
Everyone swims counter clockwise in their line, so you have the physical line on your right hand side all the time. (We walk and drive on the right side, so it is natural to swim that way as well).
The speed in lines is relative, with the furthest from entrance typically being the fastest line. You pick the emptiest one in relevant speed zone and move if it doesn't work.

It is ok to check with the lifeguard if something isn't clear - for example checking the local rules about jumping from the blocks. (In my local pool it is seen as a fun activity, and it is allowed in the not-lined area in less busy times).

Pools typically require actual swim wear. It is common to wear flipflops in wet areas. Some pools require swimming caps, but it isn't very common and they typically announce it clearly.

I haven't seen a bathrobe here yet, just towels. Glasses are typically stored in lockers, but some people bring a small box for glasses, put it in a bag and hang the bag at towel hangers next to the pool

It is expected to shower before coming into the pool as well as after the swimming. It is normal here to shower naked, and walk to your locker half covered with a towel.

It does seem to vary by the pool (I've swum in public pools in quite a few countries.) Most pools these days do mark Lane speed, but not all. And at my pool, there isn't always lane swimming - sometimes it's a family session, or closed for lessons.

Most want you to shower before you get in. They usually have lockers, they may have shelves to leave kit on by the pool,but not always.

So basically you need to check with your pool - there's probably a website, or ask at reception.

Our local pool you book a place in a specific lane on an app and it gives speed guidance. Each lane is two lanes wide to allow two direction swimming. I am very shortsighted (-12) and always wear my glasses to the poolside as I can see far better in them than my prescription goggles, I have swum in many, many pools and never found one where there wasn't somewhere to leave a towel and glasses on the side.

If you go off-peak and some lanes are empty - which often happens -, it's fine to swim in an empty lane even if you aren't swimming at that lanes 'official' lane pace so long as you keep an eye out for people arriving at the pool and then move out as soon as someone else gets in to the fast lane or whatever it is.

Thanks this info is all fantastic! I intend to go off peak as I WFH so can go when I want really. Where I live swimming hats are a mandatory in all pools ( South Europe) I'm hoping to find an empty lane when I go.

Where I live swimming hats are a mandatory in all pools ( South Europe) I'm hoping to find an empty lane when I go.

I would ask some people who swim where you live as this is the type of thing where there could be different rules or conventions in different countries. You know the way rules about queuing are very different in the UK to many other countries!

Our pool has three lanes. Slow, medium and fast. Up to 8 people per lane so direction of travel is indicated.

Medium lane is for swimmers who do 25 m in 45 seconds, fast lane is for those who do a length in under 30 seconds. Etiquette is to let faster swimmers pass you at the turns.

Your pool is likely to have similar guidance.

I book online and try to go at time when there are fewer people swimming.

I'm -10 no way can I see without my glasses. So wear.my prescription goggles all the time out of the pool so I can see where I'm going. It may look odd but I need to see.

If you would remember to report back after your swimming experience, it would be great!

One thing I love about MN is learning how the things we consider normal in our everyday life work differently just a few hundreds kilometres away, and how the problems we see as specific to our countries are actually common (at least within Europe, but often even broader)

It’s interesting to see the replies here.

The pool I use has slow and fast lanes. No speeds specified. I’m a medium speed swimmer, so I have to time my swimming for when the fast lane has slowed down enough. Our lido has slow, medium and daft but also no specified speeds.

Jumping on - any recommendations for prescription goggles thanks x