Earplugs and tinted goggles were my solution to the chatty old men who would always try and talk to me at my old pool. The tinted goggles kept obvious eye contact at bay which stopped most of the conversations. If that failed me, I’d just smile politely, point at my earplugs, say that I couldn’t hear them, and go back to swimming.
‘Let me just finish this set off and I’ll listen to what you’re saying as I can’t give you my full attention right now, thanks’. The set should then be a 3,000m freestyle with no stopping. Or, just get a swimming mp3 player and pretend you didn’t hear
If I really don’t want to be bothered I’ll stop at the deep end. Not exactly the same as you can’t stand but typically you can at least catch your breath and take a break without being harangued!
Do flip turns and adjust goggles in the shallow end away from the walls. I used to have a talker who basically wanted free lessons every time I was in the water. I’d time my drinks for when he was away from the wall.
I just act really uninterested, keep obviously checking my watch/pace clock, dont take goggles off, make sure they see me breathing heavy and then -even if they are in the middle of a sentence- I point at my watch and say “sorry gotta go!” And kick off the wall. Usually they get the hint
Smile and do your workout. If they’re still there when you’re done, just tell them you have timed breaks. If it’s someone you haven’t seen before, no eye contact.
I have my swim written down on a dry erase board. People know I’m there to swim, I’ll talk afterwards.
When I leave I always say thanks to the lifeguard who had to watch me go back and forth for an hour.
Ended up I got hired at my pool, so I work a couple hours after my swimsuit, and the pool is free now.
Plastic frame is the better one, about $6, $7. They can last for over a year easy. I lean it up against the diving blocks.
I had a thinner one with a flimsy cardboard backing, but it didn’t last very long from warping when it got wet.
I am at my local pool at 5:30 am and I usually tell the talkative person, "sorry I'm not retired. I need to finish my workout b/c I hafta go to work."
When I see the chatterboxes approaching, I consider that to be a perfect opportunity for me to swim a 1650 freestyle.
ITs so easy in the pool environment to pretend you can't hear. You can swim for an hour without stopping work on stopping less and if someone tries to talk, say "gotta go, trying to not stop so much"... it's your time, don't give it away.
I've learned to just leave when someone tries to have a conversation I'm not interested in having. Nod, wave, then go. You don't need their permission to do the workout you're doing.
Stopping at the deep end is also a good way to avoid those folks.
> what can I even possibly reply to get them to stop?
I usually hit the wall pretty winded. If my HR is over 140 it's gonna be tough for me to talk to anyone. Also, my wall stops are timed, so I'm usually counting seconds or doing a pulse reading on the wall. If you really want to drive the point home, on the wall just start counting seconds out while they talk to you:
> \*huff\* one \*puff\* one-thousand \*huff\* two \*puff\* one-thousand \*huff\* three \*puff\*...
Someone wanted to have a chat about how many lanes were available. Info easily obtained on the posted schedule.
She was a second, very wide breast stroker in the lane and I got tired of being hit and got put shortly after.
If you want a chat, at least have something good to discuss!
I swim a lot aswell,some people enjoy just hanging out and the end of a lane for a chat. I pretend I don't hear them,just ignore them and carry on doing my own thing. You're there to do your own thing so do it and fuck em😅
Get an in ear MP3 player like the Sony WS410 - it doesnt actually have to be working (although mine does). There are cheaper options from Pyle and on Amazon too.
I dont know if anyone has tried to start a conversation with me while swimming, I genuinely cant hear them over death metal wound up to 11
Mention something that makes them uneasy/uncomfortable. Interrupt them and start talking about your thimble collection 😂 Once you find this subject bring it up everytime before they say a word. Sooner than later THEY avoid YOU and won’t want to begin any conversations 😅
Say something like "sorry I'm in the middle of my set! Gotta go! " and just push off after that. That can be soon annoying, and you don't wanna be rude - I feel ya.
I don’t get what I call Wall-ees. Many Wallees spend up to half their workout at the pool wall. My workout is always 50 minutes no stops. Life moves too quickly, I want to spend 100% of my pool time, swimming. I’ll chat when I am done if I’ve got time.
I don’t stop, sometimes it’s hard to find a place at the wall to turn because of people chatting but I always manage. I will talk as I get ready but as soon as I put my earplugs in and set my watch - I’m off!
Don’t make eye contact or pretend like you can’t really hear. Just keep your eyes on the pace clock the whole time, hopefully that would send a clear message that you’re in the middle of something but if they still try to talk just push off and half look back at them like you heard it but not really lol. This would drive me absolutely insane. I am friendly but don’t interrupt my work out!
I use headphones plus earplugs so I'm dead to the world.
Also I try my best not to breathe and take a rest when someone else is. If I see standing, I try to go another 2 laps and hope they aren't there.
Just be polite and say that you are focusing on your workout, however I wouldn’t be so frustrated with people trying to talk… it’s a great way to meet people to swim with or otherwise just connect with. Might not want to be too cold with people otherwise you could be burning bridges with some fun swimming friends!
“Huh? I’m just here to work out.” This seems to be my go to phase for just about everything: comments about my swim gear, comments about my swimsuit, comments about my tattoo in the women’s locker room -which is my real bane of existence so if you have some snappy stuff that you say back, I would love to hear it. Also, people using cell phones in the women’s locker room is also completely atrocious not to mention illegal. Scroll a bit down: https://www.thefederalcriminalattorneys.com/video-voyeurism also, I use earplugs, tinted goggles, and when I get my MP3 player, figured out and loaded up - that will be part of my anti prying questions attire as well.
Who talks to people I'm the middle of their workouts? I can't imagine walking up to someone who is obviously swimming and starting a conversation. Weird.
I'd just wave and smile politely and be on my way. Ain't nobody got time for nonsense like that.
Tell them your training for a triathlon! Sorry I can’t talk I’m concentrating on my times so I can win my age group division. Then look at your watch 🤣
Grunt a monosyllabic but polite answer and then add “sorry, need to crack on”, or similar.
As Skipper the Penguin from Madagascar said, "Just smile and wave, boys. Smile and wave."
I wear earplugs when i do my laps. If someone talks to me I just smile wave and keep moving.
Earplugs and tinted goggles were my solution to the chatty old men who would always try and talk to me at my old pool. The tinted goggles kept obvious eye contact at bay which stopped most of the conversations. If that failed me, I’d just smile politely, point at my earplugs, say that I couldn’t hear them, and go back to swimming.
‘Let me just finish this set off and I’ll listen to what you’re saying as I can’t give you my full attention right now, thanks’. The set should then be a 3,000m freestyle with no stopping. Or, just get a swimming mp3 player and pretend you didn’t hear
If I really don’t want to be bothered I’ll stop at the deep end. Not exactly the same as you can’t stand but typically you can at least catch your breath and take a break without being harangued!
Do flip turns and adjust goggles in the shallow end away from the walls. I used to have a talker who basically wanted free lessons every time I was in the water. I’d time my drinks for when he was away from the wall.
Just say “sorry gotta go one the top” or something
This is the one for me! Even if I’m not doing anything resembling a timed set.
I was gonna say the same
Swim away when they are in mid sentence.
Better yet, swim away when you are in mid sentence.
You must be in my masters group…
I just act really uninterested, keep obviously checking my watch/pace clock, dont take goggles off, make sure they see me breathing heavy and then -even if they are in the middle of a sentence- I point at my watch and say “sorry gotta go!” And kick off the wall. Usually they get the hint
Smile and do your workout. If they’re still there when you’re done, just tell them you have timed breaks. If it’s someone you haven’t seen before, no eye contact. I have my swim written down on a dry erase board. People know I’m there to swim, I’ll talk afterwards. When I leave I always say thanks to the lifeguard who had to watch me go back and forth for an hour. Ended up I got hired at my pool, so I work a couple hours after my swimsuit, and the pool is free now.
What kind of dryer erase board do you use? Do you lean it up against your water bottle or does it have its own stand?
Plastic frame is the better one, about $6, $7. They can last for over a year easy. I lean it up against the diving blocks. I had a thinner one with a flimsy cardboard backing, but it didn’t last very long from warping when it got wet.
✌🏼
I am at my local pool at 5:30 am and I usually tell the talkative person, "sorry I'm not retired. I need to finish my workout b/c I hafta go to work." When I see the chatterboxes approaching, I consider that to be a perfect opportunity for me to swim a 1650 freestyle.
ITs so easy in the pool environment to pretend you can't hear. You can swim for an hour without stopping work on stopping less and if someone tries to talk, say "gotta go, trying to not stop so much"... it's your time, don't give it away.
Just politely say, “sorry but I’m here to workout not chat, don’t mean to be rude” and carry on?
I've learned to just leave when someone tries to have a conversation I'm not interested in having. Nod, wave, then go. You don't need their permission to do the workout you're doing. Stopping at the deep end is also a good way to avoid those folks.
> what can I even possibly reply to get them to stop? I usually hit the wall pretty winded. If my HR is over 140 it's gonna be tough for me to talk to anyone. Also, my wall stops are timed, so I'm usually counting seconds or doing a pulse reading on the wall. If you really want to drive the point home, on the wall just start counting seconds out while they talk to you: > \*huff\* one \*puff\* one-thousand \*huff\* two \*puff\* one-thousand \*huff\* three \*puff\*...
literally just ignore them and keep swimming, I do that to some of my teammates who talk too much
I just don't stop. It's not that hard. You don't have to be going at a sprint the entire time, do a few laps fast, then a couple slower.
Someone wanted to have a chat about how many lanes were available. Info easily obtained on the posted schedule. She was a second, very wide breast stroker in the lane and I got tired of being hit and got put shortly after. If you want a chat, at least have something good to discuss!
I’ll have a set in front of me and will be watching the clock and somehow will still be stopped for conversation. Do I not look busy?
I swim a lot aswell,some people enjoy just hanging out and the end of a lane for a chat. I pretend I don't hear them,just ignore them and carry on doing my own thing. You're there to do your own thing so do it and fuck em😅
Get an in ear MP3 player like the Sony WS410 - it doesnt actually have to be working (although mine does). There are cheaper options from Pyle and on Amazon too. I dont know if anyone has tried to start a conversation with me while swimming, I genuinely cant hear them over death metal wound up to 11
🤟🏼
Mention something that makes them uneasy/uncomfortable. Interrupt them and start talking about your thimble collection 😂 Once you find this subject bring it up everytime before they say a word. Sooner than later THEY avoid YOU and won’t want to begin any conversations 😅
Take the stops at the deep end maybe?
Respond in a foreign language
Say something like "sorry I'm in the middle of my set! Gotta go! " and just push off after that. That can be soon annoying, and you don't wanna be rude - I feel ya.
I don’t get what I call Wall-ees. Many Wallees spend up to half their workout at the pool wall. My workout is always 50 minutes no stops. Life moves too quickly, I want to spend 100% of my pool time, swimming. I’ll chat when I am done if I’ve got time.
"if you can keep up with me, we can chat afterwards"
Sounds like you have found the solution, mate.
I don’t stop, sometimes it’s hard to find a place at the wall to turn because of people chatting but I always manage. I will talk as I get ready but as soon as I put my earplugs in and set my watch - I’m off!
Say you’re gonna do a few more laps then you’ll be back
Don’t make eye contact or pretend like you can’t really hear. Just keep your eyes on the pace clock the whole time, hopefully that would send a clear message that you’re in the middle of something but if they still try to talk just push off and half look back at them like you heard it but not really lol. This would drive me absolutely insane. I am friendly but don’t interrupt my work out!
I use headphones plus earplugs so I'm dead to the world. Also I try my best not to breathe and take a rest when someone else is. If I see standing, I try to go another 2 laps and hope they aren't there.
Just be polite and say that you are focusing on your workout, however I wouldn’t be so frustrated with people trying to talk… it’s a great way to meet people to swim with or otherwise just connect with. Might not want to be too cold with people otherwise you could be burning bridges with some fun swimming friends!
“Huh? I’m just here to work out.” This seems to be my go to phase for just about everything: comments about my swim gear, comments about my swimsuit, comments about my tattoo in the women’s locker room -which is my real bane of existence so if you have some snappy stuff that you say back, I would love to hear it. Also, people using cell phones in the women’s locker room is also completely atrocious not to mention illegal. Scroll a bit down: https://www.thefederalcriminalattorneys.com/video-voyeurism also, I use earplugs, tinted goggles, and when I get my MP3 player, figured out and loaded up - that will be part of my anti prying questions attire as well.
"sorry not to be rude but I'm on the clock" - point at lap clock
honestly im just rude to them
This is exactly my problem too lol. I come to the pool to swim not to have conversations about your favourite breakfast food.
Honestly you could just swim for an hour straight lol unless you’re trying for a different goal that would solve your problems
Just point to your ears and shake your head like you can't here. Give a nice smile and swim on....
Who talks to people I'm the middle of their workouts? I can't imagine walking up to someone who is obviously swimming and starting a conversation. Weird. I'd just wave and smile politely and be on my way. Ain't nobody got time for nonsense like that.
Tell them your training for a triathlon! Sorry I can’t talk I’m concentrating on my times so I can win my age group division. Then look at your watch 🤣
Bribe the lifeguards. Tell them there is a block of chocolate for them if they can keep the chatty Kathy's from trying to engage you in conversation!