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.
Parents
Former Member
I heard some lady bonked her head pretty hard the other day doing backstroke because there aren't any ceiling flags.
Years ago I had a membership at a Bally fitness center. They had a 4-lane, 25-yard indoor pool but it had no backstroke flags. It drove me crazy because even when I tried to keep track of where I was by remembering certain "landmarks" (such as ceiling tiles), sometimes I still messed up.
One day I wrote a letter to the facility manager. In the letter I described what backstroke flags were (I included photos) and emphasized that they are a SAFETY device that can help prevent injuries. I offered to buy the flags for the facility, if they would just agree to install them.
Instead of mailing the letter, I took it to the facility and spoke with the manager. He had never heard of backstroke flags. I showed him the photos and I think we may have even walked back to the pool area so I could show him what I was talking about. I told him that in true competition pools the flags are mounted on poles that are a specified height above the water, but for lap swimmers it would be adequate to just install the flags up near the ceiling. I think I also explained that they needed to be 5 yards from the end of the pool, and showed him how the lane lines change color (to all one solid color) for those 5 yards to correspond to the placement of the flags.
The facility manager was very receptive (note that I continued to emphasize the SAFETY aspect of the flags) and agreed that if I bought the flags, his maintenance man would install them. I offered to be there when they were installed but he was confident that from my letter and explanation they would be able to do it.
I bought some cheap plastic pennant flags, like these:
www.storesupply.com/pc-11847-451-pennant-string-assorted-color-105l-15165.aspx
I delivered them to the facility and they installed them. It was great - most of the patrons probably never noticed the flags at all, but I guarantee that anyone who did backstroke saw those flags!
Today if I were to do this I would also emphasize that swimmers can actually get concussions if they swim into the wall. If a simple set of $10.00 flags prevents even one concussion, it's well worth it.
I heard some lady bonked her head pretty hard the other day doing backstroke because there aren't any ceiling flags.
Years ago I had a membership at a Bally fitness center. They had a 4-lane, 25-yard indoor pool but it had no backstroke flags. It drove me crazy because even when I tried to keep track of where I was by remembering certain "landmarks" (such as ceiling tiles), sometimes I still messed up.
One day I wrote a letter to the facility manager. In the letter I described what backstroke flags were (I included photos) and emphasized that they are a SAFETY device that can help prevent injuries. I offered to buy the flags for the facility, if they would just agree to install them.
Instead of mailing the letter, I took it to the facility and spoke with the manager. He had never heard of backstroke flags. I showed him the photos and I think we may have even walked back to the pool area so I could show him what I was talking about. I told him that in true competition pools the flags are mounted on poles that are a specified height above the water, but for lap swimmers it would be adequate to just install the flags up near the ceiling. I think I also explained that they needed to be 5 yards from the end of the pool, and showed him how the lane lines change color (to all one solid color) for those 5 yards to correspond to the placement of the flags.
The facility manager was very receptive (note that I continued to emphasize the SAFETY aspect of the flags) and agreed that if I bought the flags, his maintenance man would install them. I offered to be there when they were installed but he was confident that from my letter and explanation they would be able to do it.
I bought some cheap plastic pennant flags, like these:
www.storesupply.com/pc-11847-451-pennant-string-assorted-color-105l-15165.aspx
I delivered them to the facility and they installed them. It was great - most of the patrons probably never noticed the flags at all, but I guarantee that anyone who did backstroke saw those flags!
Today if I were to do this I would also emphasize that swimmers can actually get concussions if they swim into the wall. If a simple set of $10.00 flags prevents even one concussion, it's well worth it.
