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@dooks
hey dude, sorry just saw this.
hey just cos i spaff on about it all the time why would you assume i'm any good? i'm doughey and out of shape at the moment! i'm just trying to convince myself that i can't live without it in the vague hope that the feeling will take hold and i won't want to duck out of training to drink beer and smoke fags every single week instead... i'm ALWAYS glad i went afterwards though.
to answer your question, there's 6 lanes split according to speed/ability. if you're catching people up all the time you go up a lane, or if you're getting caught all the time you go down a lane. simple. it's pretty easy to find somewhere you're comfortable (or even flit between lanes as different drills suit your strengths/weaknesses).
the sessions are split into three main groups (slower 2 lanes, middle 2 and fastest 2) each of which gets a subtly different set of instructions.
the guys and girls in the top two lanes are county or higher level, super fit and hack it up and down making the whole thing look ridiculously easy and graceful. worth watching for techniques.
the middle two lanes are where i live (usually in the slower middle lane). it's mostly people who can hold their end up at frontcrawl, breaststoke and back but maybe struggle with a lot of fly. as a barometer i'd say about half the people in these two lanes do racing turns. the rest of us just flap at the wall and turn with our heads out of the water. also it's mostly women in the middle two for some reason. ages range from late 20s to 50s i'd say.
the lower two lanes have quite a big range of ability, from nearly being ready to keep up with the middle two lanes and... some pretty rudimentary swimming for fitness. the slower two are definitely the busiest and they also seem to have more fun than the rest of the pool put together, chatting and joking away...
it's all good fun. there's no "official" guidance on technique or stroke just a set to follow and times to keep to. other people sometimes give tips and advice though.
i still find it quite intimidating rocking up with my fat bits peeking over my trunks to meet a load of fit and toned people... and then to be push myself to just about the limit (most weeks i don't think i'm going to make it to the end of the session without spewing or passing out) but i'm always really glad i went and happy i made it to the end.