|
Get outta my way!
Tips for Lane Etiquette
Check out these tips for smoother swimming in the lane. If ever
you have a question regarding lane etiquette, please ask the
coach!
CIRCLE SWIMMING:
When there are 2 or more people in a lane it is recommended to
"circle swim", which is swimming down the right hand side of the
lane and returning down the left hand side of the lane.
LANE LEADING:
Who should lead the lane? Nothing makes a set run smoother than
a great lane leader. The first swimmer in the lane must
understand the set and all the intervals, be able to see and
read the pace clock and have a good sense of pace. If you
typically take it out fast and fade, you are better off swimming
the set behind a teammate who will pace the set better. The Lane
Leader should use common sense and realize that the way he/she
swims the practice affects everyone in the lane. The other
swimmers need to support their Lane Leader, politely correcting
errors and electing new leaders at the correct times.
PASSING:
With the number of swimmers in our lanes, the need to pass
another swimmer in a long swim is almost inevitable, especially
in distance sets. The key to keeping the lane running smoothly
and help all the swimmers keep focus on the practice is to
determine the passing strategy for the lane before the set
begins. Communicate with your lanemates to determine what will
work best everybody in the lane! Passing in the center in a
crowded lane is dangerous and not recommended. Instead, we
recommend using this common set of general guidelines across all
our lanes:
It is best to make the pass at the walls rather than in the
middle of the laps. Here is how it works:
Passer: Gently taps feet of
Passee.
Passee: At the next turn,
pulls over to the Right Corner and stops.
Passer: Makes flip turn at
Left Corner of wall.
Passee: Starts swimming
again, behind the Passer.
In general , when circle swimming in practice, swimmers should
make their turns at the Left Corner of the lanes. As soon as the
swimmer ahead of you finishes his turn and goes by, you should
swim towards the center of the lane, make your turn to the left
of the cross on the wall, and push off on what is now the
right-hand side of the lane. If everyone does their turns this
way, we will avoid crashing in to each other.
With regards to resting on the wall in the middle of swims,
swimmers should hang on the wall in the Right Corner of the
lane. This will allow the other swimmers to continue to make
their turns in the Left Corner without interference. Also, when
finishing your swims, be sure to finish as far to the left as
possible so that the swimmers behind you have some room to your
right to finish as well.
MODIFYING THE PRACTICE:
Generally, the coaches frown upon modifications to the practices
since they have designed each one with certain goals in mind.
However, our Masters Swimmers are free to adjust the sets as
they like. Nevertheless, when only some or one of the swimmers
in a lane is making adjustments, there can be problems. All the
swimmers in a lane need to discuss on modifications before
beginning the set, and they need to agree on the new plan. If it
is inevitable that people will be swimming different sets but
sharing a lane, they all need to use the proper passing
techniques discussed above to stay out of one another's way.
That said, the people who are following the coached practice
will get priority within a lane over the others.
|
|
ARRIVING LATE AND LEAVING EARLY:
With the hectic lives we are leading, it is almost unavoidable
that all of us will arrive late to practice on occasion. When
arriving late, you will want to consider that the practice has
been designed from warm-up through cool-down, and when you hop
into the action midway, you will not be getting the maximum
benefit from the practice. Late arrivers can potentially disrupt
the flow of a lane if they are not considerate of those busy in
the main set.
Here are a few things that you can do to integrate into the
practice more smoothly when arriving late:
Talk with the coach to find out what set the lane is doing and
how far through the set they are. Do not expect the swimmers to
stop and explain it to you.
Wait until the swimmers are resting at the wall to announce your
arrival. Do not surprise them by just hopping in and swimming
behind them. This often leads to collisions.
Swim at the tail end of the lane and warm-up slowly before
raising your heart rate. Once you are up to speed and the
interval allows, adjust your position within the lane to one
most appropriate for your speed.
Like arriving late, early departures are just part of our
tightly scheduled days. Before the set begins, let your
teammates know that you will be leaving early. This is
particularly important if you are leading the lane. Those behind
you will want to make sure they understand the set, the
intervals and the send-off times. Also, once you've escaped to
the showers, use the hot water sparingly. Those following you
when the workout is completed will appreciate it!
STARTS AND TURNS:
Negotiating the walls properly leads to a smoother running lane.
Imagine that it is Wednesday evening, you are feeling great, and
you've found a great rhythm. The lane is crowded, but has run
smoothly through the first half of the main set. Then it
happens: a traffic jam at the wall. There are people all over
the place and no place to turn. The swimmer in front of you just
about clipped you coming out of his turn. You begin to think it
is safer to be on Highway 163 right now! You've lost your focus,
your count, your rhythm, and your enthusiasm, and the rest of
the practice is a waste.
How can this be avoided? Follow these guidelines for negotiating
the walls in your lane and you will encounter less traffic
hazards:
Pushing Off: The leader in the lane should always be on the far
right side of the lane, ready to push off into the swimming
lane. The other swimmers should move to the right side of the
lane as their turn to push off approaches and as the people
ahead leave.
Turning: As you approach the wall for a turn, cross over to the
far left hand corner of the lane once the people ahead of you
have passed by. Make your turn in the left corner of the lane,
and push off along what is now the right side of the swimming
lane. If you experience crowding at the walls and there are a
limited number of swimmers in the lane, consider leaving with 10
seconds between swimmers.
Finishing: As in turning, finish as far to the left in the lane
as possible. Leave wall space so that the swimmers behind you
have an opportunity to get to the wall.
ATTITUDE:
Following all the guidelines above will help make your practices
more beneficial and enjoyable for everyone. It is also important
to have a good attitude about the practices and your lane mates.
It is understandable that disruptions to you time can make you
grumpy during practice. However, there is no reason to take it
out on your teammates. If you are looking for a conflict, please
don't get in. Thanks! :-) |
