I recently joined an LA fitness near me in VA because they said the pool, which has only a few lanes but seldom crowded, is 25 meters. But when I swam at the rec center, which I know has 25 yard lanes, it felt like the lanes were longer than those at the gym, and wonder if anyone has had experience with this chain and its pools. I figure you don't tell a bodybuilder a 50 lb. weight is 60, and you don't tell a swimmer a lane is 25 meters when it may only be 20 yards at best. Aside from going in with a length of rope and measuring, I don't know how to figure it out. The staff has a persistent deer in the headlights look when you ask them a question that's outside their comfort zone.
It's also the only gym I've been to where there is no air circulation in the spin cycle room, but that's off topic.
I don't know about LA Fitness, but a lot of people don't know and don't care to know the difference between yards and meters.
This comes up at the pool where I swim all the time. Especially new employees who work the floor and not the pool have no idea.
I actually had a mini-argument with a triathlete once who was insisting to someone in the pool that it was meters. She said staff told her so it must be true. I wish it was because then I am really fast. :-)
The pool is probably the length that fit in the space they had. Count your strokes in the pool you know the length of. If you take fewer strokes in the Gym pool then it is shorter. If you know your foot size or stride size you can use that to get a rough idea of the length. Or,you could get one of the laser measures and know for sure.
My experience also is that lifeguard/staff at pools often don't know the precise length. I would just go in there with a tape measure and measure it myself.
The pool I swam in until just a few years ago was 35 yards. People visiting swore it was 25 meters, and the lifeguards couldn't confirm. But the visitors just refused to believe it was 35 yards.
Dan
I met a woman in the locker room who says she swims there, 1-2 miles per week, and I think it's duplicitous of the staff to give the wrong information. When you're trying to get mileage, the difference in yards and meters can really add up. I swim mostly for time, but do like to have an idea how many yards I've done so i can track my progress.
This gym opened up just late last year, in a newly-built space. They've taken over some 24 Hour Fitness locations which do have 25 meter pools, but since this one is brand new, I'm guessing it was built to their specs. The sales guy said corporate says it's 25 meters but I think corporate is full of malarkey. Allen, my stroke is wonky and inconsistent, but I may try to use it as a gauge anyway.
I've been swimming indoors at a place full of tri "swimmers" and was told the pool's 25 meters. In fact, it's probably 25 yards, based on my times and stroke counts. But the thing is, one of the backstroke flags is set up for meters, the other for yards ...
I've been swimming indoors at a place full of tri "swimmers" and was told the pool's 25 meters. In fact, it's probably 25 yards...
You're lucky they didn't tell you it was "olympic sized". :D
LA Fitness insisted their pool in West Deptford NJ was "Olympic length," which implied 50 meters to me. I asked more than one person and received the same response or "I think it is Olympic length." Not sure if they saw me rolling my eyes. It clearly wasn't 50 meters, but I wasn't sure if it was 25 meters or yards or something off sized (hadn't been swimming enough at that point to rely on stroke count). It felt like 25 yards. But to be sure, I brought in a 100 ft. tape and measured it. The pool measured 75 feet (25 yards) and I think this is a pretty standard length for LA Fitness pools around here. Ask around and find someone with a 100 ft. tape, borrow, and measure it. 100' tapes usually come on a reel and are easy to pull out and wind back up - would only take a couple of minutes.
It isn't super accurate but just pacing out both pools walking along the deck a couple times should tell you which one is shorter, especially if you think one is 5 yards shorter than the other.
My LA Fitness told me 25 meters as well, but my intervals are closer to my yards times. My location also has a salt water filter, which is well worth ignoring the discrepancy.
