I love the fact that kids of all ages are learning to become better and more competitive swimmers. But I hate their coaches who monopolize 8 of 10 lanes in the pool and make all of the lap swimmers circle swim. And I hate rec center directors/managers who allow the swim team to have so much space and time during “Prime Time” in the morning. Circle swimming sucks (esp if doing pace work) because NO ONE swims the same speed all the time and NO ONE does the same workout, with same rest periods, etc.
I about got in a fist fight with the coach this morning.
I’ve always assumed the swim team’s use of the pool takes precedence during the bours that it’s scheduled to have the pool. Sure, it forces the rest of use into fewer (and more crowded) lanes. But I know when the team will be there, and I can choose for the inconvenience of swimming in crowded lanes or I can choose to swim at another time.
Circle swimming is so engrained in me that I do it when I have a lane all to myself (it also shows other people that they can just jump in and join me whenever they feel like it). It really messes me up to swim on one side of a lane.
What messes me up is trying to circle swim clockwise instead of counter-clockwise. Just feels odd flipturning that way. I think I would get seasick if I tried to do that. Would also require far too much thinking.
I love the fact that kids of all ages are learning to become better and more competitive swimmers. But I hate their coaches who monopolize 8 of 10 lanes in the pool and make all of the lap swimmers circle swim. And I hate rec center directors/managers who allow the swim team to have so much space and time during “Prime Time” in the morning. Circle swimming sucks (esp if doing pace work) because NO ONE swims the same speed all the time and NO ONE does the same workout, with same rest periods, etc.
I about got in a fist fight with the coach this morning.
What a pain in the ass.
This thread has no meaning except to complain.
I feel the same way on the roads. Frickin’ cars taking up all the space…I’d much rather ride by bike down the middle: fewer pot holes, less gravel, no week old possum…
Circle swimming sucks (esp if doing pace work) because NO ONE swims the same speed all the time and NO ONE does the same workout, with same rest periods, etc.
So - find people who will do the same workout with you, agree on intervals, and seed yourselves fastest to slowest, giving 5 seconds between each sendoff.
Interesting that the HS kids don’t have a separate practice time.
haha noooo. I think you were thinking along the same lines as me…
It’s one of my pet peeves. What’s so hard about circle swimming? It is the ONLY way to swim if there are more than 2 people…in a public lane, circle swimming should always happen. There is always the possibility that there will be more than 2 to a lane. Why should you have to ‘ask’ someone if you can ‘share’ the lane with them?
If you’re a decent swimmer, best way to clear the lane is to do fly with paddles. hehe.
I love the fact that kids of all ages are learning to become better and more competitive swimmers. But I hate their coaches who monopolize 8 of 10 lanes in the pool and make all of the lap swimmers circle swim. And I hate rec center directors/managers who allow the swim team to have so much space and time during “Prime Time” in the morning. Circle swimming sucks (esp if doing pace work) because NO ONE swims the same speed all the time and NO ONE does the same workout, with same rest periods, etc.
I about got in a fist fight with the coach this morning.
What a pain in the ass.
This thread has no meaning except to complain.
Similar issues at my local YMCA. Wish the aquatic director would figure out how to stick w/ the schedule. I plan my day around their swim times. So get very pissed when they kick me out of my swim lane during “Adult lap swim” time for some kids swim lessons. It blows my mind how some companies operate w/ a staff that has no common sense. Why would you have kids swim lessons during the lunch time adult swim. We all know adults have a limited amount of time during lunch. Kids can swim anytime.
My last rant of 06’
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Buy and endless pool. Something tells me you won’t ever be happy unless you have your own piece of water to use as you see fit. I just have a feeling you don’t share/play well with others if you feel your best option is slashing tires.
As a former competitive swimmer, and occasional swim coach, I’m a huge advocate of circle swimming. I swim with a bunch of people, all of whom have different abilities and speeds, and we’re able to circle efficiently without affecting the other person’s workout. All it takes is clear and honest communication about what you’re doing, and what you hope to gain from a particular workout. We seed ourselves according to speed and workout, hang on the wall if we’re about to get passed, and push each other just that little bit more.
If you’ve got long arms you don’t need the paddles…fist drill is another good one…or full bore sprints generating the kind of wake a speedboat manages
But yeah, you have no right to a lane to yourself, I don’t remember the last time I had one (usually swim masters anyway). Getting fast is the best way to scare people into other lanes.
You are totally missing out on an opportunity.
Talk about opportunity: our record for circle swimming was 11 guys in one lane (SCY). 10x50 on like :35 or :40, about :03 between people. Last guy was coming in when the first guy went off again. Serious wake issues.
