The Rec Center I occasionally swim at has starting blocks. I am aware that is a swim device that I am supposed to use once in awhile. The pool is very deep and used for daily swim team practice and some meets. Yet, there is always a bright yellow cone placed on the blocks during lap swimming hours. No one may use the starting blocks at this time. I find it irritating. No one could possibly get hurt unless they were especially idiotic. I guess they're worried about lawsuits. I saw someone doing backstroke starts once, but who wants to do those? This practice will discourage me from ever entering a non-OW event.
During the Holidays, I went in for an afternoon swim (usually at work during this time). I stood at the side of the pool and dove in (7 ft of water, but I did a shallow dive to swim) to do my 1 1/2 hour swim. The starting blocks have cones as well, so I took it that they don't want us practicing our block dives. A few days later I went back for another afternoon swim, and the lifeguard on duty, this was the second time I have ever seen him, walked over to me as I was getting my cap and goggles on (not even near the edge of the pool yet) and told me that diving was not allowed. I really did not know what he was talking about, but he was admonishing me for the 1 dive I did to begin my workout the few days before:shakeshead: . What a memory this guy has! I have probably been swimming and lifeguarding since before his parents met!!!!:rofl:
One is if you slip and scrape all the skin off the front of your shins on the front of the blocks.
I'm sure I could do this. :rofl:
My rec center pool is 10-12 feet deep at the starting block end. Still no starts even if the lanes are empty. I'm not even sure that those drawing wolf whistles would be exempt from this rule... Maybe they could limit use to adults in unoccupied lanes who sign a waiver?
When I first started racing, I would show up at the end of the age group team practice and ask one of the coaches (just happens to be my wife) if I could do starts with them. Now that the pool staff knows that I know what I'm doing they don't object if I ask to use the blocks during lap swim. I only use the blocks if I have the lane to myself and always check the swimmers in the adjacent lanes before I launch. The only time I ever had problems with a lifeguard I asked her to check with the pool manager then it was okay.
Can we talk about starting blocks and stupid rules and not about Drs vs lawyers. :dunno:
You're right! I was only quoting Chekhov. Remember there is a reason I moved to Rochester, MN, so I'm not anti-doctor. I'm sure you're not one of those doctors Chekhov was referring to! :thhbbb:
I try to use those starting block devices. There is one at my team's pool. Sometimes I stay after practice to use it. (We never do starts as part of practice.) But I'd like to do them by myself at my health club or rec center. Maybe I'll beg the lifeguard like Poolraat.
Here's another stupid rule: If I forget to take my parking pass out of my glove compartment while I'm attending swim practice, I get fined $75. Seems a little excessive.
Are there stupid rules in rural Oregon?
Yeah today when I swam I asked the lifeguard if I could dive off the block and she said no. The water is 6 feet deep, there is a 0 percent change that I could get hurt. Although one time at my other pool I was on the block and reached down with my foot to test the water temperature and I slipped and busted my ass on the side of the pool. But that was stupid. But still there is no way you can get hurt using a starting block in a deep pool.
There are actually a few ways to hurt yourself ...
One is if you slip and scrape all the skin off the front of your shins on the front of the blocks.
Another is if somebody else doesn't realize you are going to dive and decides to cross your lane and you collide. Or if somebody else in your lane does something unpredictable. Or you misjudge how much room you need. Or you don't see somebody underwater in your path. When you are practicing starts you aren't generally aware of what's going on around you (which is why a coach is supposed to be supervising). Or you lose your balance on the blocks when it's not clear to go.
I've had the air knocked out of me when somebody jumped on top of me and I sank to the bottom of a deep diving well. Scary!
One of my Masters teammates dislocated his shoulder when he dove off the blocks. He was very long-limbed and light musculature and didn't have his hands together.
Finally, even in 6' you can hit the bottom very hard if you are trying a new skill (or goofing off) and end up going straight down.
Some of the kids do the darndest things. Big kids too.
Diving accidents aren't terribly common but they can be catastrophic and cause big financial losses to the insurance companies or the pool owner. Most just don't want to underwrite the risk. If they did, it would be passed on to the customers by way of increased fees.
My pool is cool with dives but I do it at the end of my practice which normally means it's near to 9pm. No paddlers or lane hoggers are there and it's usually 1 body per lane the time of night too. You can dive in the deep end without drawing a whistle...well if you're particularly hot you might get a wolf-whistle.
*looks innocent*
