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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

Lane swimming (again).

85 replies

lurkerspeaks · 20/05/2012 20:07

Things got a bit unpleasant today at the pool as I was obviously pissing one of the other swimmers off but I'm not entirely sure I was in the wrong.

Medium lane. 3 swimmers. All swimming about the same pace so maintaining nice even distances between us. So far so good.

The problem is that my wretched goggles have started leaking and I need to stop roughly every 8 lengths to empty them of water and de-fog (I've got new ones on order....)

My habit (which I'm fully prepared to be told is wrong) is that when I stop like this I tuck myself over into the far corner of the lane facing the 'up the pool' side of the lane. My rationale is that you can still swim 'down the pool' straight onto the wall to turn and push yourself off at a slightly angle into the 'up the pool' traffic.

However blokey today likes to swim 'down the pool' angling into the wall and then push off 'up the pull' straight. I am so sorry if this is confusing.

He got pretty cross with me at one point as I was standing where he wanted to turn although i was well tucked away into a corner and there was plenty of room across the top of the lane .

I appreciate that my constant stopping was annoying (it was annoying to me too) and I would be interested to know where other folk stand if they are forced to stop for a breather/ goggle fiddle/ MP3 track adjustment?

OP posts:

BobblyGussets · 21/05/2012 09:00

Ok then. I have some questions please, whilst we are on the swimming subject:

How does one do a tumbling turn without bobbing one's arse up into the air out of the water?

I can only do crawl as I sink in the middle of the breast stroke. I am not that fit. Is it ok if I take a few seconds every 2-3 lengths or so?

Swatchdog: how do you get crawl to "click" so you can sail up and down the lanes without stopping for ages please?

I thank you all in advance for your kind attention.

Sarcalogos · 21/05/2012 09:12

Very difficult. Largely down to practice. Make sure you aim your head low enough in the water to start the turn and try and keep your knees close to your body.

Taking a break is fine as far as etiquette goes, just make sure you are off to the side of the lane. For stamina try and take as few breaks as possible. As for sinking in the middle of breaststroke are your legs and arms working together properly? If they are this shouldnt happen. A little it of sinkage mid stroke is fine at first, the trick is not to panic when this happens, the more relaxed you are the easier it will be.

Getting crawl to 'click' is 50:50 stamina and technique, as you build stamina can you watch other swimmers discreetly to see if you can improve your technique (you tube also good for this). Overall aim is for your body to be as streamlined as possible, aim to be as flat as possible. Kicks start from the hip and arms should stay in line with your ears.

Hth

fluffiphlox · 21/05/2012 09:15

bobbly book an hour with a trainer to work on your stroke. Good value IME

BobblyGussets · 21/05/2012 09:18

oooh thankyou. I will have good fun trying out my new techniques next time.

Thank you fluffiphlox and Sarcalogos, you marvelous swimming wenches.

Swatchdog · 21/05/2012 09:47

I agree with fluffiphlox - book a session or two with a coach and you'll see amazing differences in your stroke. I can recommend one if you're in London.

It can take a while though, I did weeks and weeks of what I considered ridiculous drills until one day it all came together and I could do it. Mind you, I am a bit of a slow learner - I had an epiphany one day that if I wanted to swim faster I actually had to swim faster. Idiot.

tyler80 · 21/05/2012 09:56

i think standing on the downside is preferable but if you were leaving enough room to turn then it's not worth getting cross about so he may have been being unreasonable.

Of course if he asked you to stand the otherside and you took issue with that and continued to stand on the upside then yabu

legspinner · 21/05/2012 12:13

at swatchdog!

Just keep trying drills bobbly and try an adult technique class. It took me several years as an adult before my freestyle "clicked" again in the pool and I could swim continuously without stopping - and that was all about co-ordinating my breathing, plus stamina.

Never learned tumble turns though (can't do them without water going up my nose) - I know some fast-lane swimmers think you should be able to do tumble turns to go to the fast lane - but I still venture in there

Glittertwins · 21/05/2012 12:48

You don't have to be able to do tumble turns to swim faster than most of the others in the pool.

bobbly - Rebecca Adlington has great technique. There is a video of her on you tube for a BMW advert which has very good under water shots of her.
You want to be flat in the water, high elbows, long stretch out in front of you. When you pull underneath the water, you want to pull deep underneath right down and along the length of your body before bringing your arm out again. It's the muscle along your side that really helps with the deep pull underwater and not your shoulder muscles on their own. I got pulled up on this bit by a coach yesterday morning ;)

Glittertwins · 21/05/2012 12:52

vimeo.com/channels/bmwuk/38932268

Merrin · 21/05/2012 13:01

You can have music and swim?

CinnyCall · 21/05/2012 13:13

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Astr0naut · 21/05/2012 13:14

Seeing as I don't intend to be pregnant again, the only time I need to swim now is with the dcs.

However, I saw myself as a middle lane swimmer, but would frequently lap everyone with my fast breaststroke and have to go in the alpha male lane where they didn't appear to need to follow the clockwise rule.

But it was the woman with the snorkel and flippers that really made me cross.

whoknowsnotme · 21/05/2012 13:22

I am was going to start swimming next week,but now going to reconsider as i haven't the foggiest what your talking about! I had no idea that there was a swimming etiquette to be followed! Iv not been since swimming lessons as a child so just thought you got your cozzy on and started to swim!

Glittertwins · 21/05/2012 13:25

Tandem?? No way. If they are swimming and chatting, they are kidding themselves on the amount of exercise they are doing! chat in the cafe afterwards!

MissM · 21/05/2012 13:43

Why would anyone go swimming for a chat? I don't get it. Go for a swim, then go for a chat!

CelticPromise · 21/05/2012 14:15

Interesting video Glittertwins, thanks.

SomethingSuitablyWitty · 21/05/2012 14:40

Astr0naut - I agree! Flippers! In a 33m pool! Why?!

I can't bear this - hand paddles or foot flippers are of course a massive speed aid and that's why you are flying along, splashy-crawl man overtaking everyone in the lane - not because you are such a naturally strong swimmer.

Take off the flippers. Then we'll see.

piprabbit · 21/05/2012 15:05

whoknowsnotme do please start swimming again. Most public sessions don't have lanes, or only put lanes in part of the pool. Most people really do turn up with their cozzies and just get on with it. Please don't let this thread put you off. The only real etiquette is to be aware of other swimmers and not to overestimate your own speed so that you end up in a lane with much faster swimmers. If you start in a slow lane, there is nothing to stop you swapping to a faster lane if you think it would suit you.
Go on - you'll have a lovely time and feel fitter too!

Glittertwins · 21/05/2012 16:24

Go for it again whoknowsnotme. You'll get fitter and get to snigger at the eloquently described stereotypes on here

I really don't think fins and paddles are suitable in public sessions. If you are that serious about swimming, get to the masters section of the nearest club (who probably train there too). Training with paddles is hard work and sodding painful when you get accidentally clattered.

saoifre · 21/05/2012 19:32

I love that pool etiquette page, LornMowa. I wish they'd hand it out at my pool where so many people push off just as you are reaching the end wall and then plod! It's as if they're affronted if someone is faster than them and they'll block you at all costs. I didn't know about the toe touching thing.

MissM · 21/05/2012 20:50

Went for a swim this evening and thought of this thread.Two lanes only: fast and slow. I can't do crawl and there were no old ladies around so I went in the 'slow' lane. The hairy blokes in the fast lane would do two lengths at a time at Olympic speed, then stand at the end showing off their chests and joshing with one another. In my lane was another woman who was very good indeed, ploughing up and down the pool like Rebecca Adlington. Until she too stopped at the end to gas to her mate over the rope, making no effort to move as I approached. That list of pool etiquette should be up in every changing room!

legspinner · 22/05/2012 09:42

Ditto MissM - thought of this very thread this afternoon. I've just been for my weekly swimfight in the only lane available whilst they teach DCs in all the other lanes (including mine, which is why I go then, get in a swim whilst they do).

It's like Russian roulette - sometimes it's clear or only 1 other mum (yay) and other times full of people at wildly varying speeds with very different attitudes to etiquette. And occasionally the guy with the snorkel and flippers who cruises at the bottom of the pool along the lane as well..... Last week there was a guy who was swimming the wrong way down our lane- I told him which way he should be going, as did the other mum in my lane 5 mins later when he did it again. Next he decided to switch lanes and invade the kids' lessons- then the lifeguards really had to intervene and draw him a diagram.

There used to be a lane etiquette notice at all pools in our city, but they seem to have disappeared. IMHO they need to go up again......

And yes why swim if you are going to chat the whole time? Isn't that why aquajogging was invented?

lottiegb · 22/05/2012 10:53

Ooh, all the usual irritations here, I need to get back ino swimming (when 2 month old allows!). The people who are slower, stop at the end, then, just when I think they're going to let me pass, push off in front of me, are a particular mystery. As a fast breaststroke swimmer I've concluded people see stroke not speed, so I exaggerate the up and down movement to look intimidating. It helps!

MissM · 22/05/2012 11:18

I don't get it though - we're all there for a swim, we all want to get our exercise/me time/de-stressing done, so why make it more difficult?!

This is why I usually run (ankle injury has scuppered that). Only thing that irritates me with that is the dog poo and the oh-so-funny comments by lairy men. All easily run away from. With swimming you're trapped in the pool with the idiots.

lalaland3008 · 22/05/2012 11:57

I'm a slow lane swimmer and think the guy needs to get a life. Don't worry about it he doesn't own the pool.

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