We know that adult swimmers who did not grow up swimming in squads may not be familiar with all the ins and outs of squad lane discipline. To help you out here are Salty Fit’s golden rules to swimming in a lane:
👉 Stay left – try to swim as close to the lane rope as possible to allow for anyone faster to overtake you. This means you don’t swim ON the black line, but keep the black line & the lane rope as your boundaries.
👉 Overtaking – when overtaking ensure you continue to swim within the left side of the lane (never swim so wide that you swim into an overtaking swimmer from the oncoming lane!). Once you are well in front of the slower swimmer move back to the left side of the lane in front of them. If you are the swimmer being overtaken remain to the left of the lane as much as possible and don’t be alarmed by having the overtaking swimmer swim close to you! Hold your line (and speed!) and be aware they will be moving to their left and directly in front of you! This can actually be a great boost for you! As their bubbles and kicking will form a slipstream for you to swim in at a faster speed …at least until they outswim you!
👉 Turning etiquette –
1. In general: as you approach the end of the lane and the wall, move right so you turn as close to the right side of the lane as possible. This prevents pushing off and colliding with the person behind you.
2. If you are a faster swimmer and about to overtake a slower swimmer (do so on their right) and approach the wall bearing to the furthest corner of the right lane as possible (keep an eye for anyone already turning so you don’t run into them!). If someone is already in their turn, move as far right without running into them.
3. If you are a slower swimmer being overtaken close to the wall, move to the right yourself but leave the overtaking swimmer space to turn on your right.
4. If someone is overtaking you before a turn allow them to overtake. There is nothing more frustrating than working hard to overtake someone and then the overtaken swimmer blocks you from pushing off at the turn as well.
We’re all swimming for the same reasons – if everyone follows the same lane discipline the squad will continue to run smoothly as the numbers begin to rise over summer👌
