Swim Etiquette
- Do ask permission to swim in a lane before getting in at the pool. If there are two swimmers in a lane there is no need to circle swim but more than two you will need to circle swim.
- In group sessions, learn the names of swimmers in your lane.
- During circle swimming, turn in the middle of the lane and be aware of in-coming swimmers. Whilst swimming stay on your side of the lane.
- Learn to read the pace clock. Know both your time and your interval on each repetition.
- Start a set in the right order – fastest swimmer to the slowest.
- Leave a 5 or 10 second gap between swimmers. Do not push off on swimmers feet.
- In a set, stay on interval if possible to avoid messing it up for everyone else. Dont change the interval without conferring with lane mates
- To pass another swimmer in the lane, tap their toes once or twice and then quickly accelerate around them or pass them at the upcoming turn.
- Swimmers enjoying a draft behind a strong lead swimmer, but who are just barely able to hold that pace should think twice before tagging the leader's toes and requesting to move ahead. Drafting swimmers not wishing to pass should swim far enough back from a lead swimmer that they don’t inadvertently touch the lead swimmer’s toes.
- Faster swimmers starting a set should give slower swimmers as much “running room” as possible before pushing off (rather than jumping right behind and immediately tapping their toes to move over.)
- Slower swimmers starting a set should wait until faster swimmers have passed before pushing off the wall. (i.e. don’t push off right in front of a faster swimmer who’s coming into the wall about to turn, as this blocks the faster swimmer).
- A swimmer who has been touched on the feet but yet to be passed, should move to a corner of the lane as soon as they get to the next wall in order to make way for passing swimmers turning there.
- Swimmers being overtaken should not attempt to speed up (or slow down) once ‘tagged’, nor should they jump in and ‘tag back’ the new lead swimmer on the next lap.
- To pass another swimmer in the lane, tap their toes once or twice and then quickly accelerate around them or pass them at the upcoming turn.
- Swimmers enjoying a draft behind a strong lead swimmer, but who are just barely able to hold that pace should think twice before tagging the leader's toes and requesting to move ahead. Drafting swimmers not wishing to pass should swim far enough back from a lead swimmer that they don’t inadvertently touch the lead swimmer’s toes.
- Always finish a rep on the wall and always make way for others to finish too.
- Resting swimmers should specifically avoid standing or floating in the middle of the lane as this interferes with swimmers "swimming through" who need to tag or flip at the wall. If the lane is crowded, other swimmers may need to rest out away from the wall along either side of the lane. Do not repeatedly grab or slap the legs of the slower swimmer!
- Finally....what the coach says, goes!