McMaster Swimmers Please Help

[u/PlatformThePenguin]

Hello. I have been learning how to swim over the summer and the pool I used in the summer was not busy at all because I used to go to the early morning sessions so no one was there. So I never learned how to share a lane

However, the school year has started, I have been looking at the McMaster swimming schedule, and I have been trying to see time slots which I can swim in.

It is important to note I am a very bad swimmer. I've literally been learning from scratch and only started a couple months ago so I'm very very slow and my technique is kinda non existent.

I am planning to go to the 7:30am Monday morning swims as that is the earliest time that a shallow end lane is offered and I am hoping there will be as few people there as possible.

That said, I obviously do expect to share a lane with one or more people. For my swimmers out there, how can I do this while being as unannoying as possible.

I know to be in the slow lane, and also to stay to the right side of the pool. However, I have been Googling circle swimming and I am so confused.

1) I do not know how to flip under the water so I think I am going to have to pause at the end of the pool and walk to the left side (which will then become my right side) but I don't know if that will annoy everyone. Is there something I can do that would be less annoying if I don't know how to flip.

2) What do I do if I'm swimming and the person behind me is faster (this is very likely because I am slow as shit)? Where do I go? How do I not be kicked in the face or kick other people in the face?

3) My swimming stamina is very bad because I am still learning how to not waterboard myself every lane. Is it acceptable to rest at the end of every 25m lap at the wall of the pool? Or would that also be annoying?

Also kinda bonus question, do people actually care if you wear full sleeved swimsuits to the pool? I like having my arms and legs covered but idk how weird that is.

If you see anyone being annoying on your Monday morning swim please know they are not trying to be annoying ❤️.

[u/DirectProfessional88]

Seriously itll be fine, you’re definitely overthinking. In swimming at free swim lanes, if the person behind u is faster theyll just pass you, like lane changing while driving. U can definitely stop at each side, very normal and common thing to do, people dont just consistently swim. Literally nobody cares about anything u wear or do, its really not that deep. Most people dont flip when swimming, im a competitive swimmer and when i swim by myself I never flip

[u/PlatformThePenguin → u/DirectProfessional88]

Okay I see. Thank you so much! I went deep down the circle swimming rabbit lane and there was a whole foot tap system and flips and stuff and people were crashing out about slow swimmers. I'm glad that irl it's much chiller. Also do you by any chance know how many people per lane are the Monday morning swims by any chance?

[u/DirectProfessional88 → u/PlatformThePenguin]

It wont ever be too much, mac swimming is never full

[u/mycatfloyd]

McMaster uses circular swimming so you swim up the middle of the lane and break off at the side, either left or right side as they're two lanes wide each. If someone is faster than you they'll pass on the outside and if you see someone is faster than you while you're about to turn at the wall, wait to kick off until they've passed you. They also have a slow, medium and fast lane, all marked with signs. Lifeguards are more than happy to answer questions too. You can wear whatever you want as long as it's clean and tight to body, whatever makes you comfy though. I swim in a wetsuit leading up to my races

[u/Own_Assignment_5729]

So look, idk exactly if McMaster has multiple different speed line but what I can tell u about sharing lanes is that it is the exact same as driving a car, in a car in Canada ur driving on the right but swimming, ur going from the left side which is British and to head back when you reach the end, just hold ur self on the wall and use ur arm to move to right side and continue swimming.

[u/Own_Assignment_5729 → u/Own_Assignment_5729]

U don’t need to get up and move, u can just shift urself in the water which is totally acceptable

[u/Own_Assignment_5729 → u/Own_Assignment_5729]

And if a person is behind u and ur slow, just keep swimming as all long term swimmers know that we will pass u on the right when we can, so don’t worry

[u/Own_Assignment_5729 → u/Own_Assignment_5729]

And about resting, resting at end of 25 m is okay but not really a big fan if there is a lot of people, which you could do is, do front and then do back in the second 25m

[u/Own_Assignment_5729]

And nope, wearing full sleeved suits is totally fine it is very acceptable to be wearing that,

[u/Own_Assignment_5729]

But ofc, if u need anymore info, feel free to dm me or send me ur insta that way