So, with my regular pool downed for maintenance, I've been swimming at the other gyms in this chain. I was swimming at the next-closest the other day and noticed a sign saying T/Th the pool is closed at 7pm for a Masters' workout, and on the gym schedule there's a "Competitive Swim Training" listed. So after spending much of the day nervous over it, waffling heavily (what if it's too tough, what if people are mean, people at this gym are widely regarded for being less than chill after all, what if, what if) I finally convince myself I'll go and at least give it a try.
It turned out to be, essentially, very much a DIY workout. There was a very small whiteboard attached to a "wet floor" sign with the workout written on it, tucked next to the kickboards and not visible from anywhere in the pool. No "teacher", no coach (someone who might have been in the coach had a printout of something at the lane they were swimming in?), no direction whatsoever. People came, no one seemed to follow any particular routine, other than that they knew each other. I kept checking to see if I was somehow missing something, but no. I did my own little workout, of course, because why waste the time, but ...
Is this what a practice is supposed to be like? Because this felt like basically just an adults-only lap swim hour. I would've been just as well off printing out a workout from the forum and following that. It was kind of disappointing to go expecting something resembling a class ("competitive swim training" is an actual category of class that the gym chain offers, because I've seen it elsewhere, and seen it run at other gyms, usually with kids/teens) just to do the same thing that I could've done first thing in the morning by myself. :(
I'm glad to hear that my experience is not typical. There are lots of workout groups near me (we are fortunate to have many pools in the area; public, YMCA, gym, college/university), I was only excited by the possibility of one hosted by the gym chain. I work for this particular chain, which allows me free access to all the clubs, and it would have been convenient and cost-effective (not having to pay for an additional pool membership on top of the club dues) to have a group there, or at least a class (I am slowly re-learning most of what I knew twenty years ago, but wouldn't mind some guidance). So while I'm a bit disappointed, I'm glad it's not typical, which means that when I can, there's plenty of other groups to try.
Back to chugging away on my own, and perhaps finding an adult stroke development class elsewhere before attempting a workout group.
I'm glad to hear that my experience is not typical. There are lots of workout groups near me (we are fortunate to have many pools in the area; public, YMCA, gym, college/university), I was only excited by the possibility of one hosted by the gym chain. I work for this particular chain, which allows me free access to all the clubs, and it would have been convenient and cost-effective (not having to pay for an additional pool membership on top of the club dues) to have a group there, or at least a class (I am slowly re-learning most of what I knew twenty years ago, but wouldn't mind some guidance). So while I'm a bit disappointed, I'm glad it's not typical, which means that when I can, there's plenty of other groups to try.
Back to chugging away on my own, and perhaps finding an adult stroke development class elsewhere before attempting a workout group.
