During swim practice, a large number of people of different abilities have to share limited pool space. Over the years a set of conventions and rules known as 'Pool Etiquette' have evolved and are summarized here to facilitate a safe workout.

Keeping a Flow to the Workout

CHOOSING A LANE

• If you are unsure which lane best fits your abilities, ask one of the on-deck coaches.
   
• If a lane is crowded and an adjacent lane is not, a faster swimmer should move up or a slower swimmer should move down for the workout.
• If you are consistently the fastest or slowest in your lane, consider moving up or down a lane.

INTERVALS AND PACING IN THE LANE

• Swim in order of speed, fastest to slowest.  The order might change during the workout as some swimmers are faster in different strokes.
• All swimmers in the lane should understand and complete the set exactly as instructed and be good with the pace clock.
• Leave at least 5 seconds between swimmers to avoid crowding, allow for turns and track your time - WATCH THE CLOCK and don’t ‘tailgate’!
• DO NOT switch the swimming order in the middle of a set - this will decrease or increase the assigned interval and rest time for people behind you.
• If you are not following the workout, stay out of the way!  If you need a break or are socializing either hop out of the pool or squeeze to the right corner of the lane so swimmers can turn without obstructions.

LISTEN TO THE COACH

• The coach is in charge of the workout. When the coach speaks, LISTEN carefully and pay attention to the instructions.
• Drill the drill sets and kick the kick sets – they are designed to help improve your technique (drills, like fingertip drag) and kicking to improve your stamina and strength.  It also keeps the lanes swimming and flowing smoothly throughout workout.

Observing the Right of Way

• Just like driving a car (in the US), stay to your right at all times.  This means you swim on the right side of the lane in counter clock-wise fashion.  Without interfering with other swimmers, cross to the left side just before making a turn, and push off streamlined – after you turn around you will find yourself on the right side (kind of like if you did a U-Turn in a car, you are always on the right side of the road, it just depends on your perspective)
• If you want to pass the swimmer in front of you during a long swim, touch his or her foot about 10 yards before the wall.
• If it is your foot that is touched by a swimmer behind you, let him/her pass at the next turn - squeeze to the right side of the wall (that’s the right side in the direction you were headed when tapped) and wait until passed. Push off behind that person, keeping aware of the other swimmers around you.
• Be aware of your surroundings; if you notice a swimmer gaining ground on you, be courteous and let that swimmer pass you at the wall.  To do this, stop in the right hand corner of the lane (in the direction you were headed) so the swimmer you are yielding to can cross over to the left of the lane and complete the flip turn.
• If you need to stop and rest, squeeze into the corner to the RIGHT of incoming swimmers so they will have sufficient room to turn. Swimmers will be flip turning on their left side.
• If you skip a set to rest, sit out on the deck; don’t hang out on the wall if that would obstruct other swimmers
• After touching the wall, MOVE OVER!  Leave the wall open for swimmers behind you to finish at the wall.
• If you are not following the workout, defer to swimmers who are.

DIVING

• When you enter the water, never dive, jump or push off into oncoming swimmers.  Wait until they have made the turn and pushed off.
• People change directions, start and stop suddenly, often without looking to see if someone is on deck, about to enter the water. Therefore, NEVER DIVE into a lane with swimmers in it unless a coach is managing the dive practice - it is very easy to cause a collision with an unsuspecting swimmer.

 Follow the Rules of the Pool

• Take a shower before getting in the pool. This applies to everyone. If you are wearing perfume or cologne before practice, please take a thorough, soapy shower before getting into the water.
• Don’t wear a bathing suit that is so old that it’s tattered, ‘clings’ or is transparent – time for a new one.  Tsunami swimsuits are usually available for purchase, please ask one of the board members for details.
• Don’t hang off or climb on the lane lines, it can damage them.
• Keep your nails trimmed and avoid wearing sharp jewellery.
• Help out with equipment - help put away lane lines, kick-boards, pull-buoys, etc.

Above all, use common sense and courtesy.  If you have any questions, please ask a more experienced swimmer or a coach—they are there to help you have a great and safe workout.