I'm in a bit of a quandary and since I figure I value the opinion of almost all the people that frequent this forum I might as well ask, so here goes.....

Background: As a sort of new years resolution I decided that I'd start swimming again. I'd not really done any in over 10 years. So now I go to the local council run sports centre at least twice a week and swim a couple of miles. It's pretty cheap (£3 a visit), no contract and less than a mile from my home. All has been well, up until recently. I've now noticed that there seems to be a lot more people attending, interestingly though they do seem to be at the 'idiot' end of the spectrum (groups of lads and girls congregating in groups at either end of the lanes nattering incessantly and getting pissy when you want to swim a whole length and push off from the side, and groups of old dears who can only swim side by side taking up the whole width of a lane).

Question: Should I join a proper gym/health club? I'm already resigned to the fact it's going to cost more money. But could the cost be worth it just to avoid the proletariat shit munchers that like to clog up my local baths with their own annoying existence?

I've not got to the point where it's truly annoying, but the increase in people has been quite noticeable in the last couple of months and if the trend continues it could become impossible to get a good session in. SWMBO thinks the reason more people are attending is because they're giving up gym memberships to save money, so maybe these gyms are chock full of idiots already?

The only other downside to the public pool is the times that I can swim. I'm not a morning person and I'm usually at work until gone 7. So currently I have to wait until 9PM before I can go. Ideally I'd like go straight from work so I suppose going to a gym would mean I could swim whenever I want. I'm not interested in any of the other facilities, I don't want to shouted at in the gym by some 20 year old fitness Nazi personal trainer. I want to turn up, swim a bit, then go home. I have entertained the option of just trying another, less local, public baths but it could be just as much of a problem there as well.

It's probably worth seeing if the numbers start going down again as summer comes to an end. Kids will be back in school, and less people will be seeking relief from the summer sun.

I don't know what things are like in the UK, but in the US, public pools are still "run" by someone, i.e., there's gonna be someone there whose job it is to make sure things go smoothly.

People blocking lanes preventing serious swimmers from doing their laps sounds like people who need to be brought to the attention of whoever's in charge.

I remember when I was a kid playing in the pool, there were times that were reserved for people swimming laps, and random playing was not allowed during those times. Maybe you could find somewhere that has similar rules.

True Tony, having swum several times at the much larger aquatics centre in the city centre I witnessed the lifeguards there cracking down on people doing stuff like that. But the lifeguards at my local centre prefer to take a more 'passive' role for stuff like that.

I suppose it's possible, actually I previously assumed the numbers would come down as people would be going on holiday, but that wasn't the case. Although there hasn't been any sun to speak of the year it seems!

It's all supposed to be lane swimming, but as Tony says, the lifeguards should really crack down on stuff like that.

Before you surrender, I'd suggest writing a letter to "the management". I'd also suggest rearranging your life to swim early in the morning, when many of the aforementioned wankers are far less likely to be in attendance.

Annoyingly not many UK private fitness type places have decent length pools, and even those that do will be £30/month minimum.

One suggestion I've heard is that some hotels and country clubs offer the use of their gym and for a pretty low monthly fee. Those types of places will probably be quiet. Try looking for local places on TripAdvisor and give them a call.

It might be busy for the holidays though, also most councils are now offering free swimming to 60+ and 16 and under which I'm is part of the problem.

That would be a savings, assuming he goes more than ten times a month.


That's actually a really good idea. I bet hotels in business areas would have their pool unused more often than not. And, if you want to be underhanded, I doubt anyone's checking hotel IDs at the pool entrance.

All of the hotel pools I've visited in the last several years have required the credit-card-like room key to access the pool/gym areas, so there's never been a need to have an actual person doing the checking.

Well, I'm going to give it another couple of months and see whether it gets a little less crowded. Also, at the risk of becoming a bit of a Victor Meldrew, I'm going to be a little more vocal of my disapproval of people's twattish behaviour.

All you will find at a gym is that the little twats have more money and more attitude. They are still there all the same.

Also as already pointed out you will swim less in a gym/hotel pool as it will be so much shorter.

I found (when i used to go swimming etc...) changing the time I went solved problems like that, making yourself get up and do it will also just add to the positive progress you are making. And after a few weeks you will find you have more energy during the day not less as you might expect.

Cheers

Cris.

Yup - now I just go to the gym at 6.30 am. This means I only see 5 other people (added benefit - 3 of them are very easy on the eye so that helps my day start well :-)

And anyone who goes at that time of day is just interested in their workout and then off to work, so very little attitude.

Maybe my only option will be to get up earlier. I've never been a morning person, so this will be a real problem for me.

It might be easier to get up early if you changed your evening routine, also.
"Early to bed and early to rise..." and all that.

Having said that, I'm curious if the sayings of our Ben Franklin are as prevalent in the UK as they are here (in the US).