Turns if One End of the Pool has Steps

Several questions. Are you talking about a full size 25y/m competition pool that has steps in the shallow end? They go all the way across the width of the pool? Or, is this an apartment complex pool? Are flip turns absolutely necessary? If it’s in a small apartment complex pool, and you’re just doing straight continuous lap swimming…as opposed to sets and intervals…you might consider stationary swimming on a static line. — Dan

Thanks for your response. It's actually 169 feet long, about two lanes, constant depth of about 4 feet, and steps across one end. I could do flip turns at one end but not the step end.

Oh, 169 ft. That’s quite a long pool, longer than 50y/50m. I’ve seen this issue before. Some military bases I was stationed at in the Navy 1981-2001 had pools that were built around the end of WWII that were 35 yards long. Originally built as pools for simply training troops to swim, apparently this odd length was done so that outside organizations wouldn’t ask to use the pool for competition. Years later when they eventually decided to use the pool for recreation, they DID want it to be a common length. So, they simply put cement jersey barriers across the pool in the shallow end right at 25 meters. It was a good solution, and worked well. It created a shallow play area for kids without disrupting lap swimmers. Discuss it with your pool’s management. Cheap, jersey barriers are only +/- a few hundred dollars. You can get them in 4’ wide sections so that if you only want to do one lane. If it isn’t tall enough, it can be set on blocks. I’ve seen video of them used to create a 25y/m lap swim area in ponds and lakes too. Perhaps another option would be to use a section of those plastic jersey barriers that you fill with water. Easier to work with for sure. Although because of the buoyancy (even when filled) I don’t know if it’d weigh enough for a swimmer to push off of in a flip turn. But it’d be ‘something’ at least. Anyway…food for thought. — Dan

Actually, 169 feet is 51.5 meters long. Is the pool missing a moveable bulkhead? As mentioned by Dan, there are portable swim walls that can divide up the lane so you can turn against a "solid" surface. These really range in price from $ hundreds to $$$ thousands. The ones that are typically used by swim teams are the Turnmaster Swim Wall Pro by FINIS (these are not really cheap!).

If you are going to swim laps, you can flip before you reach the stairs since the pool is deep enough. As there is nothing to push off from, this gives a good core and body position workout. And then flip on the wall side as usual. This also gives good training for open water swimming - to turn before the walls and not push off from the bottom. I am guessing that 50 meters might be just before the stairs, so you could track your mileage and "estimated times" during your swims.

Good luck!

Robin

I’d think that a movable bulkhead would indicate that it’s a competition pool meant for swimming laps (or at least was originally). And consequently wouldn’t have steps across one end. But you are right that the end of the steps  would be right about at the 50m point. Still, I’d think something could be created to set in the water, right at the steps, to function as a temporary wall. But personally, with the pool management’s permission, I think I would try for something inexpensive like this graphic I made.  Tell them it’s for community use, and maybe they’d let you store it right there at the pool. With a few 2x4s and some plywood, I’d make a matching section of steps, with the same dimensions at the steps in the pool, about 3’ or 4’ wide. Then flip it upside down in the pool and the existing steps would hold it in place. Might require a weight to keep it from floating.  

Thanks for all these suggestions. I still haven't decided to whether or not to move there, but if I do I'll try to find other residents that would like to swim laps on a regular basis. I think it would be easier to convince the building management if I wasn't the only one making the request.

Jim