Questions about swimming

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I have a public swimming pool about 5 mins easy cycle ride away and I'm thinking that I might start going to improve my fitness. I'm not a strong swimmer. I can only do breast stroke and my technique is terrible, I don't know what I'm doing. My legs just flap about, etc. All my prior experience of 'swimming' is just messing about treading water in hotel swimming pools.

I've never done 'lane swimming' before. Can someone describe how it works?
-Do you have your own marked lane or will I have to share a lane with someone?
-If the latter, how do I make sure I don't get in their way?
-How are the lanes marked? Will it be obvious? -If my technique is terrible, will people notice?
-Do I need to wear a swimming hat and goggles or can I just tie my hair up?
-Is there any other etiquette I need to be aware of?
-What time of the day /day of the week is generally quietest?

Thank you.

-Do you have your own marked lane or will I have to share a lane with someone?
Shared lanes is norm. Obviously ppl try to space out & don't share if a lane is completely free to choose instead.

-If the latter, how do I make sure I don't get in their way?
Since you are doing breast stroke then I'd say choose a lane with another breaststroker (then you only scratch & kick each other & hopefully not ppl in adjacent lanes)... just try not to kick too wide and make it easy for someone to get past if they are faster. My main pool now has lanes only 2 persons wide; most pools have large lanes that up to 4 ppl can swim abreast (if doing front crawl), so the faster ones can ovetake on the 'inside'. Overtaking is unusual in the slow lane unless someone has stopped completely, though.

-How are the lanes marked? Will it be obvious?
Sometimes marked by suggested speed, sometimes not. I'd suggest you go for slow if there is a choice. A lot of ppl in slow lane may soon annoy you, they may stop suddenly in random places(!)

-If my technique is terrible, will people notice?
Maybe, but who cares? No one is perfect, ppl just want to get on in their own way not get concerned with what others do.

-Do I need to wear a swimming hat and goggles or can I just tie my hair up?
That is individual pool policy, ask them. I can't swim without goggles & hat but I only do frt craw.

-Is there any other etiquette I need to be aware of?
Bit of give & take goes a long way, the 'etiquette' depends which lane partly, tbh. I am told by slow lane swimmers that other swimmers bobbling aimlessly is a rampant hazard for them. Patience will be your friend. Pausing at the wall to see if a faster swimmer is trying to get past you is considerate. Slow lane swimmers tend to hate anyone splashy but you won't be splashy anyway.

-What time of the day /day of the week is generally quietest?
midday, when working people can't get there, or any time 9am-4pm really. Evenings & early morning usually are busiest. Your individual pool may be able to advise, too.

In my local pool there are a couple of lanes roped off, but these are for more serious swimmers. If you go during school hours or later on an evening the rest of the big pool generally has people doing informal Lane swimming, it's not roped off and people might swim next to a friend or stop for a rest or a chat. That's generally where I go.

Check out your local pool's website - at some, you have to book your session. Probably makes it less convenient, but will also guarantee that there aren't too many people in each lane.

Definitely get goggles. If you're only swimming breaststroke you will need to learn to do it properly, which will mean putting your head down and into the water, otherwise it's really bad for your neck. And wearing goggles makes it much easier to put your head in the water.

Please don't tap someone on the foot! I've seen this mentioned several times on these threads, and I think it's an awful thing to do. Would give me a fright but also, if it's a bloke, I'd wonder what he was up to!

-Do you have your own marked lane or will I have to share a lane with someone? Share with others.
-If the latter, how do I make sure I don't get in their way? You all go the same direction, swim up one side and down the other side of the lane.
-How are the lanes marked? Will it be obvious? A sign usually placed on the poolside at the top of the lane to show direction up and down. Lanes separated by floating lines of plastic bead things.
-If my technique is terrible, will people notice? No one will care.
-Do I need to wear a swimming hat and goggles or can I just tie my hair up? Depends on the pool rules/requirements. See your local pool website. Probably ok to just tie hair up though.
-Is there any other etiquette I need to be aware of? Shower before you get in. Don't go in the fast lane if you're slow. Don't go in a full lane if there is an empty lane. Leave space between you and the swimmer in front.
-What time of the day /day of the week is generally quietest? Depends on your local pool and opening times. My local pool is quietest at 8pm-10pm on Wednesdays for example, but definitely not on Thursdays at that time! Look at their timetable, and ask at reception (call in advance if you're anxious).

Tapping someone on the foot (lightly, and only once) is something recognised by swimmers as a signal to say, ‘I’m behind you, at the next wall please let me pass’. Otherwise the person in front may not be aware of you, and/or gets a fright at the wall when you’re right there behind them. Or they think you’re happy to swim along behind them, when you’re wanting to pass. It’s not an awful thing to do and is actually kinda important in the proper functioning of swimming lanes. Just don’t be aggressive about it, like with most things.

This captures it nicely: https://loneswimmer.com/2015/10/06/i-touched-your-foot/

Foot tapping is my personal bugbear. I was a competitive swimmer in the 80’s, and it was not a thing. You either waited til the end of the lane, or there was space to overtake, or rearranged at the end of a set.

when I went back as an adult though a lot of the youngsters were tapping away- I find it incredibly rude, it’s the same as being in a car and beeping constantly at someone in front for going slower than you. Especially when you let them go past and then they slow you down!

i’m a coach now and don’t allow it. It’s safeguarding 101 do not touch someone without their consent

if someone taps my feet now I stop dead and ask them not to touch me. I don’t want to be touching other people’s feet either!

I really don’t know how it seems to have found it’s way into some people using it as pool etiquette.

rant over!

Absolutely @Ohnonotmeagain! And I don't care if it's recognised by other swimmers @FlySwimmer - I think it's actually very rude and definitely over-stepping the mark.

Hi OP I'm a trained swimmer. At one point I was quite good - not so much nowadays but I do lane swim several times a week. Firstly, pick the appropriate lane for your speed. There will be a slow lane, but it would be worth building some confidence and endurance first - loads of pools have lessons for adults and beginners can improve very quickly. Follow the direction of the lane, let people pass you if they are getting close, and if you need to rest at the end stand to one side. You do need goggles because you can't swim with correct form without putting your face in the water, and swimming with incorrect form can cause muscular problems. If you try to keep your head out, you'll strain your neck, and also create a lot more drag in the water. Swim hats optional for beginners but I think you'll find it useful, its just more convenient.

I mean - people might notice if your form is terrible. But they won't say anything or judge you for it. Mostly when I see people with terrible form I wince thinking about their skeleton (unless its a big bloke making much sound and fury and getting absolutely nowhere, in which case I must admit a little internal chuckle to myself, but only because they get so worked up when I repeatedly pass them). No-one should judge you for being slow in the slow lane - that's what its for. But do look into adult lessons. Swimming is wonderful but if you strain yourself you'll be put off.

Fair enough, people think it’s rude. But it’s on almost all lists of ‘pool etiquette’ I’ve seen, including one at a pool I swim at. I will give people a chance to let me pass them at the end of the lane without tapping. If they don’t, that’s the moment for a single foot tap on the subsequent length. It’s hard to communicate in a pool, especially when people don’t/won’t stop at the next wall, for you to ask to pass. Which I imagine is why the tap as a method/etiquette came about.

Swimming is great! I hope you enjoy it.

If you are a beginner why not start with front crawl I find it much easier. You could practice putting face in water / breathing at
home.

Get goggles , you can’t swim correctly without.

re Tapping, I never tap but don’t get offended if someone taps me.

Maintain your pace. Don’t overtake and then slow down immediately. Alternating lengths front crawl then breast stroke for example.

Always be aware of the speed of the people around you and make space.

I have no idea how foot tapping works without getting kicked, esp. if the tappee is a breast-stroker. Well dodgy strategy.

I have to say when I was trained as a teen we never did this. That was county level. We were taught that if there is space you overtake, and if someone catches you up you pause at the wall and let them go first. I know people do it nowadays but I can't bring myself to, it feels weird. It is annoying when someone (cough men cough) insists in being in a lane they really aren't fast enough for, but if the lifeguards are doing their job properly they will tell them to move after a while.

In my experience lifeguards don’t ask people to move, or if they do, it’s very unwillingly and usually only when enough people in the lane complain loudly enough. I don’t blame them as they’re often young people and likely don’t want to get into confrontations with swimmers. Only a few weeks ago I specifically asked a lifeguard to speak to/move a swimmer who simply wouldn’t let anyone pass in the lane: he (what a surprise!) wouldn’t pause at the end of the lane, and attempts to overtake him mid-swim were met with him moving into the middle of the lane and trying to speed up. Despite asking the lifeguard to help, nothing happened. He was clearly a dick of the more extreme kind, but I’m not surprised that people develop strategies to try manage their swim as best they can without support, whether that’s trying to communicate through tapping, overtaking, or simply swimming over people (I don’t do that but have seen others do it).

@FlySwimmer what on earth is going through the mind of that individual that won't allow overtaking. Do they get some bizarre pleasure from it? That type of behaviour is really irritating.

@Jewel1968 I can only presume it’s pure entitlement. Only my swim matters, and if I have to stop for you or otherwise be in any way ‘inconvenienced’, then that disrupts MY swim. Doesn’t matter that the swimmer stuck behind is having their swim disrupted.

In some cases there’s a dose of good old misogyny: some male swimmers can’t stand it when women are faster. So they dig in to the entitlement mindset together with a ‘I’ll show her’ mindset.

I have seen some swimmers* do this to everyone, including other men. But it’s “amazing” how often it seems to occur against female swimmers.

*caveat that I have also seen the occasional dickhead female swimmer. But it is disproportionately men.

Add that to the question "why is that male swimmers are always the most splashy?!"

@BIWI male swimmers are ALWAYS the splashiest, and my personal bugbear is the big flappy arm which nearly whacks you in the face when you pass them because their front crawl technique is shit!!

I'm just back from a blissful swim with only two other women in the pool. No splashing, and no bad etiquette.

Shit technique

as pp said, shit technique (and lack of understanding of hydrodynamics) means they try and use brute force to get anywhere.

completely inefficient, but they think they’re going really fast because they’re using all their strength. Which is why they get pissed off when women are faster, because they can’t get their tiny brains around the idea that their man muscles can be beaten by someone no where near as strong, but with decent technique.

Try to find a coach that gets in the water with you and puts your arms and legs in the correct position. Even one session makes a huge difference.

Ex lifeguard here. Lunchtime is the quietest.

Your lifeguard will be happy to explain how your pool works.

You don't need to wear a hat.

However only go to lane swimming if you can confidently swim a length of the pool without stopping. It's ok to stop at each end. If you cannot do this, you need to go to a session that isn't lanes - in my pool it's called general swimming.

I would strongly recommend swimming lessons to improve your technique and stamina.

OP did you go swimming?
How did it go?

Honestly, you’re overthinking it (in the nicest way) — everyone feels a bit weird the first time they do lane swimming. If your pool has an open area, start there and just mess about a bit: float, push off the wall, do some gentle kicking holding the side, then try a couple of easy lengths and see how it feels.
If you end up in a lane, just pick the slow one, stick to one side, and when you stop, hang out in the corner at the wall (not smack in the middle). People won’t judge your technique — they only get annoyed if someone is unpredictable or blocks the lane.

One thing that makes the whole thing so much nicer: decent goggles. Doesn’t have to be fancy — it’s all about the fit. I’ve personally had good luck with Speedo and MadWave for comfy “regular swim” sessions, but honestly it’s super face-shape dependent, so if you can try a couple on, do it.
Also tiny tip: don’t rub the inside of the lenses when they fog up (it kills the anti-fog). Quick rinse, let them air dry, and chuck them in a case so they don’t get scratched in your bag. Game-changer.

@DareckaKapalova this thread was started almost a year ago! I’m sure the OP has sorted all those things out by now!