For those of you with fewer than 4 people in a lane at workout, congratulations, this rant does not apply to you. I hope.
For the rest of us, especially those who regularly have to share with 8 or more per lane, does your coach keep the wall cleared so everyone has an opportunity to finish swimming? Or does the wall get cluttered with the first two or three people who think it is necessary to hold onto the gutter with both hands and have both feet on the ledge? And are oblivious to the idea that there may be other swimmers behind them that want to get a time for the full distance of the pool? Yeah, me too.
Along with many others, this is a pet peeve of mine.
As a kid, I swam with a coach who was rigid about this. If everyone in the lane didn't touch the wall, the whole lane started the set over. Sometimes the other lanes got to stop and watch the "bad" lane do it correctly. When I coach, I constantly remind (and sometimes raise my voice) to those who won't move. I have been know to move them to the back of the line so they can experience the frustration of not being able to finish.
As a swimmer, I ask others to move. If they don't, I swim into them the next time. That usually works. Most of my workout friends know I am serious about intervals and reading the clock, so they don't get mad when I run into them.
Along with many others, this is a pet peeve of mine.
As a kid, I swam with a coach who was rigid about this. If everyone in the lane didn't touch the wall, the whole lane started the set over. Sometimes the other lanes got to stop and watch the "bad" lane do it correctly. When I coach, I constantly remind (and sometimes raise my voice) to those who won't move. I have been know to move them to the back of the line so they can experience the frustration of not being able to finish.
As a swimmer, I ask others to move. If they don't, I swim into them the next time. That usually works. Most of my workout friends know I am serious about intervals and reading the clock, so they don't get mad when I run into them.
