What is proper etiquette for the breaststroke kick. I swim at LA Fitness and it bothers me when I am in a lane swimming freestyle and someone jumps into the same lane swimming breaststroke. Inevitably, they cannot stay completely on their side of the lane. I either end up getting kicked, or move so far over that I end up hitting my hand on the lane marker. Am I wrong to think, if you can’t stay on your side of the lane, you should use another stroke?
First, make mention to them that while you do your best to avoid them, you do get kicked on occasion. ask them if they wouldn’t mind gliding while you are passing, and you’ll do your best to give them space.
if it’s still an issue, you should move over.
In the past when this has been an issue I wait at the end of the lane and then ask the other swimmer to “please just watch your kick”. Most often that’s the only stroke they feel comfortable doing so they’re unlikely to switch, but this request normally gets a quick “oh sorry” response and them being more careful as we pass from then on. It is annoying though.
What is proper etiquette for the breaststroke kick. I swim at LA Fitness and it bothers me when I am in a lane swimming freestyle and someone jumps into the same lane swimming breaststroke. Inevitably, they cannot stay completely on their side of the lane. I either end up getting kicked, or move so far over that I end up hitting my hand on the lane marker. Am I wrong to think, if you can’t stay on your side of the lane, you should use another stroke?
Proper etiquette for the breaststroker would be to move as far right (lane line) as reasonable possible and narrow the kick until you pass. If habitual offender, I would politely ask for the lane hog to move over as far right to hug the lane line when coming next to each other. Inform them you will do the same.
I am fortunate where I swim the “regulars” know how to act. When a new person comes in and is acting a fool the lifeguard will pull them from the lane and put them in a more “appropriate” lane.
What is proper etiquette for the breaststroke kick. I swim at LA Fitness and it bothers me when I am in a lane swimming freestyle and someone jumps into the same lane swimming breaststroke. Inevitably, they cannot stay completely on their side of the lane. I either end up getting kicked, or move so far over that I end up hitting my hand on the lane marker. Am I wrong to think, if you can’t stay on your side of the lane, you should use another stroke?
I think the solution to every swim etiquette problem when sharing a lane is to swim more butterfly. As bad as getting kick is, slapping wrists is much much worse.
- if you swimming it correctly, the kick shouldn’t be that wide.
- They should move as far right as possible so long as they don’t kick others in the adjacent lane.
- They should time their pulls/kicks to they don’t kick the passing swimmer.
This shouldn’t be that hard. It’s like asking, “how do I drive on the freeway without crashing into others cars?”… or “how do I walk down the sidewalk without running into other people? Should I walk with my eyes open or closed?”
You can easily swim fly if there’s not too many swimmers in the lane. You just do 1 arm fly or time your strokes. Again, it’s not rocket science.
The breaststroke swimmer should try to be in glide phase when you pass- that is just courtesy. Life does not usually work that way.
Say something to them. If they don’t stop break out the fins and do fly.
I figure taking a few kicks is just good prep for open water racing
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That is quite frustrating… on the topic of frustrating lane mates, yesterday I was sharing a 50m lane with 3 others and I was doing 400m sets. Twice, a women pushed off the wall with a kickboard as I was approaching the wall in the middle of my 400. I get pushing off before I get there if you plan to swim faster then me, but she pulled that crap with a kick-board. The first time it was no big deal cause I went right around her, the other time I had to wait for the other two swimmers to pass her the other direction before I could go. Maybe I should have been practicing a wide breaststroke kick as I passed her the second time 
Say something to them. If they don’t stop break out the fins and do fly.
It took seven replies for someone to bust out fly… triathletes!
Chances are they are unaware. A little politeness may go a long way. This has happen to me 3-4 times. I always say something and it has always been received well. Delivery is key…
I shared a 50M lane with two other masters swimmers Saturday morning. We just talked and told each other what we were each doing before we started - I was doing fly & fly drills, one guy was doing breast and the third guy was doing long free sets. No collisions and no one ran into each other. We circle swam and if I saw one of the guys coming the other way I just went to some one-arm or did some dolphins in streamline until we passed. If I was at the wall, I waited until I had enough clearance not to swim up on the guy ahead of me. Not rocket science. Just common courtesy and respect for your fellow swimmers.
Mark
This happens ALL the time at my pool and drives me crazy! Same with super slow swimmers who know you are just going to have to pass.
e circle swam and if I saw one of the guys coming the other way I just went to some one-arm or did some dolphins in streamline until we passed. If I was at the wall, I waited until I had enough clearance not to swim up on the guy ahead of me.
Judging from that response you were a swimmer first and a triathlete second. Many triathletes I know/have known over the decades didn’t know how to do 1 arm fly, or dolphin while doing fly/breast when passing and circle swimming…
These are skills the age group swimmer picks up by the end of their first couple of weeks but may take an adult onset triathlete years to figure out.
Glad I don’t have these issues anymore. We moved into a sweet neighborhood last year that has a two lane indoor pool I can go to 24/7. I’ve been going for months now and have only ever had someone else in the pool on two occasions.
e circle swam and if I saw one of the guys coming the other way I just went to some one-arm or did some dolphins in streamline until we passed. If I was at the wall, I waited until I had enough clearance not to swim up on the guy ahead of me.
Judging from that response you were a swimmer first and a triathlete second. Many triathletes I know/have known over the decades didn’t know how to do 1 arm fly, or dolphin while doing fly/breast when passing and circle swimming…
These are skills the age group swimmer picks up by the end of their first couple of weeks but may take an adult onset triathlete years to figure out.
Guilty as charged.
But I think it’s another reason for triathletes to try to find a “tri-friendly” masters group. There’s a lot of stuff you’re never going to learn just swimming on your own all the time. Our coach makes out two workouts every morning: one that is IM stroke based for the swimmers and one for the triathletes in the group. The warm-ups are usually pretty similar, but obviously the tri workout will have more long free sets and less stroke & kicking drills. We try to segregate lanes when we can, but folks also learn quickly how to co-exist in the same lane. Like I said before, it’s not rocket science.
Mark
… break out the fins and do fly.
All these years of internet conversations, I thought you were a man this whole time.
Guess not.
i’m no expert here but i just don’t get some people.
last week a guy gets into my lane while swimming, he doesn’t wait for acknowledgement from me, just gets in, ok, no big deal. good thing i saw him. i’ve never seen anyone do circles at my pool, so i don’t think to do it. he swims down, the right side, then switches. i notice last minute, stop swimming and stand up and the guy almost swims into me. he gets up, gives me a look and moves over.
wtf, right? if you’re going to do circles, fine. at least ask.
stupid people suck.
… break out the fins and do fly.
All these years of internet conversations, I thought you were a man this whole time.
Guess not.
Well, he is trying to help a triathlete.