Pool Etiquette
Whenever you share a lane with someone, there are certain rules of etiquette that you need to follow. Lane etiquette is important to keep good friends from knocking each other’s goggles off, bashing their heads together, and twisting their arms off at the shoulder socket. Lane etiquette helps practice run more smoothly. It helps you swim better, and it makes your coach happy. Ask a coach to help you choose a lane - study the lanes - you can always move into another lane or in front or behind swimmers in your lane.
It may seem that life was a lot simpler when you were just swimming laps on your own, but there are HUGE advantages to practicing with a team, so it’s worth all the effort it takes to learn the lingo and master the basics. Your coach and teammates (and the pace clock) will push you toward being a faster, stronger, more competent swimmer. You’ll make lots of friends who will encourage you and keep you headed toward your goals. Just be patient and stick with it.
#1. Circle Swim:
In most pools (in Australia), this means swimming on the left-hand side of the lane, Always go clock wise. Don’t swim down the middle, stick to the left. You can bonk someone’s head…or injure your shoulder…or mess up someone’s concentration.
#2. The Wall:
Just before you reach the wall, if there’s room, you can move to the centre of the lane to do your turn, but make sure you push off along the left-hand side of the lane. Don’t push off in the middle of the lane.
#3. Don’t Stop:
Don’t stop in the middle of a lap! If you do this, you can cause a pileup, possibly injuring yourself and others. Try to keep going to the end of the lap. If you get a cramp and cannot get the end, stick to the lane rope and ask for assistance.
#4. The Catch Up:
If someone catches up to you, don’t stop in the middle of the lap to let them pass. Swim to the end of the lap and immediately get over to the far left so they can pass. Push off after they’ve finished their push-off.
#5. Patience:
If you want to pass, be patient. Don’t swim over top of the person in front, or try to speed around them. You could injure yourself or someone coming the other way, especially in the narrow lanes of Wesley. When you want to pass, gently tap or tag the toes of the person in front. This is the sign that they should stop at the end of the lap and let you pass.
#6. Don’t Tailgate:
Wait 5-10 seconds before you push off behind someone. It’s annoying if you stay right at a swimmer's feet and don’t signal to pass. Or, worse yet, you keep hitting their feet every time you take a stroke.
#7. On the ropes:
No pulling on the lane ropes! They are very expensive to replace and can cause a major injury if they snap.
#8. More Wall:
Start and finish each swim at the wall. If you finish by stopping before the wall, you prevent the people BEHIND you from finishing at the wall.
#9. The Others:
Be aware of the others in your lane! Let your lane-mates finish their swims at the wall.
#10. Jewellery:
Take off watches and any heavy jewelry around your wrist or hands. They can really hurt others if arms/hands clash.
#11. Be Prepared:
Be prepared with your own equipment. Get your own pull buoy, kick board and fins and bring them along to EVERY session. Whilst some pools have equipment for you to use, nothing beats having your own (especially fins!) and this way you can take them along to sessions you may do on your own. Maybe even throw in a pair of spare goggles just in case.