Lane etiquette
During a swimming practice session, you'll be given various exercises and distances to swim.
We alternate between free style, breaststroke, butterfly, and backstroke, and you’ll regularly have a few seconds at the side of the pool to start something new. To ensure that the workouts go smoothly and safely (!), there are a few rules we follow.
As a club, we are collectively responsible for setting up and taking down the pool
If everyone gives a hand, we'll be done in a few minutes.
Dive safely
At the start of practice, you jump or dive into the water, but as soon as the first swimmer returns to the lane, diving is no longer allowed, and you need to be careful when you jump into the water. Never do this when someone is swimming near the edge!
Always follow the trainer's instructions
Whether this concerns safety around the pool or swimming itself, the instructor is responsible for safety in and around the pool and must be able to trust that his or her instructions will be followed.
Make sure you arrive on time for the start of the training session
The trainer determines the lane assignments based on the swimmers present, and having to make various changes to those assignments is disruptive for the swimmers who arrive on time. So make sure you’re at the pool five minutes before the start. You always swim on the right side of the lane, with the exception of exercises that cover the length of a single lane, which follow the “last in, first out” principle.
Register your attendance in Spond
You can sign up for a training session through the Spond app. Please let us know whether you’ll be attending or not, so we’ll know how many swimmers to expect. An invitation to the training session is always sent out a few days in advance.
Keep a safe distance, especially at the turnarounds
You turn in the middle of the lane, and if there's a swimmer right behind you, you'll get in each other's way and run the risk of colliding.
Make sure that the lane order is sorted by speed
Coordinate that among yourselves. This order is by no means always the same for every exercise; especially when the speeds are close to each other, it can vary depending on the type of exercise.
How do you pass someone in front of you?
Tap the ankles of the swimmer in front of you clearly and firmly a few times. This swimmer knows that he or she needs to wait a moment at the turn and let you go ahead. You’ll pass him or her at the turn.
When you've finished an exercise or are taking a break between two exercises, always keep the center of the lane clear
The other swimmers in your lane may still be swimming and need this section of the wall to turn or touch the wall. Wait at the side, not in the middle of the end wall.
Please report any injuries in advance so the trainer can take them into account
Coordinate any changes to the schedule with the trainer so that your training continues to fit in with the group. It’s important to listen carefully to your body and stop when you can’t go on. Never come to swim if you’re sick.
Make sure to drink enough
During a training session, you’re exercising intensely and your body loses a lot of fluid, so drink (preferably water) at least half a liter during your training and don’t hesitate to drink more. Take good care of yourself, even during training.
Are you training for a competition?
Please let the trainer know and discuss your stroke and distances. That way, the trainer may be able to take this into account during the training session.
Swim as much as you can, but don't swim every distance at all costs
Do you have to swim 10 x 50 meters, but the fastest swimmer in your lane is already done while you still have one (or two) 50-meter laps left? Then skip that last 50 meters. The coach will give you a new drill soon enough, and the other swimmers won’t all have to wait for you.