Swimming FAQs

Swimming is unique

It is the only physical activity that can be enjoyed from birth through to older age. Every week 2.5 million adults go swimming. Swimming is one of the most effective ways to burn calories. A gentle swim can burn over 200 calories in just half an hour, more than double that of walking, while a faster swim would see that indulgent chocolate bar gone quicker than if you went running or cycling.

Exercising in water also makes your body work harder, so 30 minutes in a pool is worth 45 minutes of the same activity on land. Water supports up to 90 per cent of the body’s weight making swimming the perfect way for people with impairments, injuries or illnesses to stay active. Swimming is great at relaxing the mind and helping to de‐stress. Here are a few FAQ’s related to our Swim programmes.

Why do some swimming pools have different depths?

Pools have a variety of different depths depending on several factors, the key being when they were built and the purpose e.g. whether a competition pool, community pool or containing leisurised (more fun) elements. Most Main Pools are 25 metres long and are between 0.9 to 1.2 metres at the shallow end.  Pools vary from site to site - more detail is available within the site details.

How are our swimming lessons structured?

We follow the Swim England Learn to Swim Pathway which is an all-inclusive programme that encourages a fun approach to learning. Our lessons are designed to ensure that every person that learns to swim with us develops confidence and competence in the water.

What is SWIMTAG? 

SWIMTAG is a training aid and monitoring system that is worn on the wrist and tracks your progress in the pool. It is free to access for anyone who is a member of any of our sites (including a Place Membership which is FREE!)

Why do we have anti-wave ropes?

Anti-wave ropes provide a more comfortable swimming environment, as the name suggests they divide the pool up and prevent the turbulence/wave that maybe being generated in one area of the pool traveling across the pool into another.

What is On Course?

On Course provides the ability to continuously monitor you or your child’s progress and performance within any courses that we run. This is supported by the Course Hub which enables you to access this information on the internet and allows you to choose the next class when you or your child are ready to move classes.

What is Rule the Pool?

Rule the Pool is a weekly rolling competition for individuals to be able to compare their effort against past efforts and measure their progression over time against themselves and others. Swimmers can upload a 400m swim (using any stroke type) every week, during any public access session throughout the week. Their fastest 400m time will then be added to an interactive league table which is published every Sunday night.