Deck Changing

RE: Deck Changing

sydned — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 12:58:26 GMT

If I didn't deck change, I'd have to fight the roaches in the locker room for space.

RE: Deck Changing

Former Member — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 11:03:44 GMT

Yes, we Nadadores are quite the uninhibited bunch. Ever since I survived co-ed dorms and bathrooms in college, not a whole lot bothers me anymore. Deck and Beach changing is what we do...At Nadadores, at every practice, everyone (Guys and Gals) are deck-changing. Maybe our team is closer than others??? Commando or bp is they way to go!!! :D

RE: Deck Changing

philoswimmer — Fri, 18 Jun 2010 01:30:00 GMT

Here's the extreme extension of this idea to test your modesty: a runner friend once told me they did the Berlin Marathon and that loads of men and women strip down to the buff for post-race, public showers. Not sure if that's 100% true, but, if so, I'll stick to just deck changing. Hmm, ok, yeah, I'm more modest than that. I guess there are degrees and degrees.

RE: Deck Changing

Former Member — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:54:54 GMT

Deck and Beach changing is what we do...At Nadadores, at every practice, everyone (Guys and Gals) are deck-changing. Maybe our team is closer than others??? Commando or bp is they way to go!!! :D

RE: Deck Changing

knelson — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:59:26 GMT

I've been to a lot of meets and workouts in my life and I can't recall ever being flashed from a poor deck change. Actually I don't understand how you can reach up under a towel and pull your suit off without exposing yourself, but swimmers seem to pull this feat off all the time.

RE: Deck Changing

kristilynn — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:45:46 GMT

For practices, I change in the locker room, but at meets (long ones, like Nationals) I deck change all the time. The locker rooms are often not close to where we are seated, and it saves a trip. I don't see why it's a problem. I'll typically do a long early warm up in a poly tank suit, and deck change into dry undies and sweats and relax and stretch, then re-deck change into a dry tank suit to warm up shortly before my event. With the ankle-length suits, I do use the locker room to change into my race suit. If I have another race that same day, I'll deck change out of my race suit and put on dry clothes before repeating the process. Deck changing out of an ankle-length suit is not nearly as challenging as putting one on. Leslie also brings up a good point. I think that a lot of girls/women will put on a sweatshirt or tee and pull their suits down to their waists to give their shoulders a break between events. Would this result in a suspension? If so, that's ridiculous!

RE: Deck Changing

knelson — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:30:30 GMT

I leave the pool commando-style after every practice. Yeah, well women don't have to worry as much about things getting caught in a zipper! :bolt: And I agree with lefty. It ain't a deck change unless you remove your suit completely. I'll also admit I've never been able to figure out how to wrap a towel around myself such that it won't fall off. Someone needs to teach me the secret!

RE: Deck Changing

magick17 — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:24:52 GMT

We have this one master's swimmer who is also an age group swimmer's parent who always changes on deck. It just gives her more time to beat the ear of the coach about her wonderful children. She won't associate with us in the locker room. No one else changes on deck...

RE: Deck Changing

osterber — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:13:10 GMT

RE: Deck Changing

gdanner — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 12:12:38 GMT

I can't imagine not showering after swimming, so there's no reason for a deck change. I shower after practice and then go back on deck to deck change. What he said: By the time the age-groupers, senior team, and diving team have dripped and trapsed mud and crap through the locker room it just smells and looks too bad to go into. I don't know why people complain. Good deck changers are not flashing anyone and there is no difference between underwear and wearing a speedo. I change in the locker room at most meets. I changed in the stands in Atlanta because the locker rooms were not conveniently located.

RE: Deck Changing

aztimm — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 11:41:13 GMT

I don't get the problem with wearing your suit to the pool. Ever since I've been swimming mornings, or whenever I go to a pool from home, I put on a brief at home, board shorts over it for the trip to the pool. Once at the pool, I just take off the shorts and shirt, throw on my drag suit, grab my goggles, and I'm set to go. I don't think any guys with my team's morning group go in the lockerroom to change, everyone does the same as what I do. Some wear pajama pants or sweats, but they have a suit underneath. I pack up a bag with my work clothes, including underwear, the night before. I leave it near the door, so I just need to grab it on my way out the door in the morning. Just because you think something is wrong doesn't mean it is.

RE: Deck Changing

pendaluft — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 10:51:21 GMT

It ain't a deck change unless you remove your suit completely. I'll also admit I've never been able to figure out how to wrap a towel around myself such that it won't fall off. Someone needs to teach me the secret! The only time I tried this I tripped and fell over -- not the height of modesty or gracefullness-- Outdoors (lake, ocean, river, dead sea) , I'd rather just change fast without the towel and pretend I don't care. Indoors I'll use the locker room. Anything's better than falling over with your suit around your ankles!

RE: Deck Changing

swim53 — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 09:46:25 GMT

Lefty has the definition right, IMO.......I've seen deck changing at Masters meets. It was before suits to the ankles......at a very LONG meet. Ya gotta have a large towel and be really good and fast at it I'd say the person I saw had done it many times.

RE: Deck Changing

swimshark — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 08:01:22 GMT

Technically you are only going commando if you have your gun out of it's holster so I don't think that is what you do. . Well, I am married to a former police officer :)

RE: Deck Changing

jethro — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 06:45:34 GMT

The only thing that makes sense to me at 5 am is coming the pool in my pajamas. Then I change in the locker room which you have to go through to get to the pool that I use. I go home in my pajamas too. Eventually I get to work, not in my pajamas... This is what I do...roll out of bed in my pajamas, throw on my fuzzy slippers, and head to the pool. I am so not a morning person, and I'm too sleepy to bother putting my suit on before heading out the door. On the other hand, I probably set records for the most time spent getting ready before my workouts. It always takes me forever in the locker room, especially afterwards, but it works for me. First thing in the morning it's always a mad dash to grab an empty lane, and I'm just not in the mood for that when I'm still shaking off the sleep.

RE: Deck Changing

Patrick W. Brundage — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 06:07:55 GMT

I was at an open water swim recently where a number of the women created a long line at the bathroom because they didn't wear their suits there and were apparently too shy to "deck change" (even in the area of the bathroom outside the stalls!) Grr... a little more deck changing and a little less modesty would have gone a long way for those of us with more serious business to attend to.Here's the extreme extension of this idea to test your modesty: a runner friend once told me they did the Berlin Marathon and that loads of men and women strip down to the buff for post-race, public showers. Not sure if that's 100% true, but, if so, I'll stick to just deck changing.

RE: Deck Changing

Former Member — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 05:52:09 GMT

Possibly. Also with phone cams and youtube, last thing ya want is to end up on youtube having a deck changing malfunction!

RE: Deck Changing

Former Member — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 05:40:27 GMT

I don't deck change at the pool but I do surfer-change at the lake or ocean, or in the car before/after a run, in the parking garage at work, etc. I have gotten the towel technique down pretty well. A couple of weeks ago I did the surfer change in mixed company after a lake swim. Some brief moments of worry that the towel might slip, but it all worked out. Who really cares anyway. I don't wear my suit under clothes to the pool. That is weird. My boys like to be free... and dry. My suit tends to always be damp and chloriney. I get up for practice, throw on some sweats, iron my work clothes, and bring those with me to the pool along with my swim suit. I occasionally go commando coming home from the pool, or from a run, or during a run. Or to work when I forget to bring underwear to the pool. OK that only happened once. But I wasn't about to drive back home.

RE: Deck Changing

That Guy — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 04:18:29 GMT

This is also why here in New England, for age group meets, officially, cell phones are banned in locker rooms. This usually interpreted as "use of" cell phones is banned in locker rooms. It's just too easy to snap pictures with those things. -Rick Cell phone use is supposed to be banned in my gym's locker rooms, but it doesn't seem to stop anyone from talking on their phones. Or pretending to. :bolt:

RE: Deck Changing

osterber — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 04:15:46 GMT

RE: Deck Changing

osterber — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 04:13:08 GMT

If your deck change malfunction video went viral would it make you embarrassed or proud? Maybe that's a good test question to assess your fitness level! That's one thing if you're an adult masters swimmer... you can be embarrassed or proud on your own terms. But if said deck change malfunction is a 12-year-old, it's a different story. -Rick

RE: Deck Changing

knelson — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 03:29:27 GMT

If your deck change malfunction video went viral would it make you embarrassed or proud? Maybe that's a good test question to assess your fitness level!

RE: Deck Changing

gobears — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 01:49:23 GMT

My impression is that in the age group world, deck changing has turned into a growing problem all over the place. It is a combination of other swimmers on deck being uncomfortable with deck-changers who are not very good at it (i.e., exposure), as well as creepy adults hanging around to watch for people who aren't very good at deck changing. -Rick I wonder if cell-phone cameras have anything to do with this. Having been at a college dual meet long ago where one of the guys who was deck changing got his towel swiped away by a teammate--I can only imagine what that could turn into with cameras and video so easily available. Lawsuit prevention?

RE: Deck Changing

philoswimmer — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 01:32:16 GMT

RE: Deck Changing

Former Member — Wed, 16 Jun 2010 15:56:17 GMT

I leave the pool commando-style after every practice. I go straight home to take a shower there (I'm a stay at home mom so no work place to go to). I've been doing it this way for 8 or more years. Technically you are only going commando if you have your gun out of it's holster so I don't think that is what you do. I apply deck changing to all facets of life. Cycling shorts...change in the car or at the office. My desk is big enough and closed on the end so you cannot tell unless you are on my side of the desk. Deck changing in it's pure form has an exact definition: remove all swimsuits under a towel and put shorts or pants on before removing towel while on deck. I won't do it ever if there are kids around. Not a joke, idont want to show up on the banned coaches list! My towel has never fallen but it will one day and I don't want kids to be around. I do it for the same reasons as others. Lockers are dirty.