Could someone point me toward a photo of a pool that shows the placement of the backstroke flags?
I asked the new manager of my fitness center today if they could install backstroke flags above the pool. He had no idea what I was talking about. I thought that if I could show him a photo it would make more sense.
Anna Lea
Just go to http://images.google.com and search for "backstroke flags". There are lots there of flags in place (as well as flags apparently from pool supply catalogs).
Skip Montanaro
I work out at LA Fitness from time-to-time. Same problem. No pace clock, no backstroke flags. Last time I asked they told me they were working on getting a pace clock, but no word yet on flags (or even a red line on the ceiling).
Skip
I can't believe someone that runs a place with a pool doesn't know what backstroke flags are. :eek:
Unless it's a WAY tiny pool, then that's somewhat excusable.
FYI:
The USA Swimming rules state that the backstroke flags should be 5 yards from the end of a 25 yard pool and 5 meters from the end of a short or long course meters pool.
FYI:
The USA Swimming rules state that the backstroke flags should be 5 yards from the end of a 25 yard pool and 5 meters from the end of a short or long course meters pool.
I don't do backstroke (or fly or ***) but regarding the flags being
5 yards away for a 25 yard pool and 5m away for ?cm pools, this kind of seems ridiculous to me. A swimmer's body (height or length in water) and distance per stroke (not SPL but distance per stroke) do not change with the type of pool, Y or M.
From the flags, the swimmer should be able to know (depending on the distance and his/her speed) whether he/she is one stroke or 1.2 strokes (just a for example. Your mileage/inch-age will vary) away from the wall, for each and every pool.
Just my :2cents: Canadian
I don't do backstroke (or fly or ***) but regarding the flags being
5 yards away for a 25 yard pool and 5m away for ?cm pools, this kind of seems ridiculous to me. A swimmer's body (height or length in water) and distance per stroke (not SPL but distance per stroke) do not change with the type of pool, Y or M.
Hear, hear!!! I have always thought the exact same thing. And I have to deal with it on a weekly basis. In our workouts we swim a 25-yard course during the week and a 50-meter course on Saturdays.
It may not make as much difference for the better swimmers who take fewer strokes per length; BF says it only makes a difference of a partial stroke for him. But for a not-as-good swimmer like myself, it makes a difference of at least one and sometimes two strokes.
Anna Lea
When I went to swim my 3000 postal swim yesterday at Northwestern, we were set up for practice in the diving well just a couple hours before a varsity swimming/diving meet, so we had no backstroke flags (I tend to use the backstroke flags as turn indicators because we're in deep water and have no Ts on the bottom anyway). I went to set up some little cones so I could see something. The age group coach told me that the solid color at the end of the lines coincided with where the backstroke flags would be. Seeing that transition during a breath and realizing you're not going to get another purple-to-white section is a different matter. I found the cones I placed easier to use to identify the right spot.
As to whether or not the lines at your Bally's is accurately marked, I guess that's a different matter. In theory, it should be 15' from the start of the blue section to the wall. Is only one end solid?
Skip Montanaro
On what is perhaps a related note, the Bally's I swim in has lane lines that alternate blue and white about 18" each but one end is solid blue for about 12'. I was wondering if they're made that way for a similar purpose as backstroke flags.
