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.
Information
on this page provided by DSST
|
|