A 50-meter swimming pool is a major commitment. Not only will you need to find a place for it, but you’ll also need to invest in some decent swimming gear. If you’re looking for a spot that’s both private and secure, you might consider checking out an indoor pool. But if you really want to splash around in a bigger pool, then you should look into a beach or an outdoor pool. What size pool do you need to swim in? We spoke to three professional athletes who share their insights on what size pool they would recommend.
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Ryan Lochte
Ryan Lochte is a swimmer who specialized in backstroke. He’s also one of the greats in the history of the Olympics, having qualified for the men’s 4×100-meter backstroke relay at the 2012 London Olympics. At the time of our interview, he was gearing up for the 2016 Rio Olympics. The four-time Olympic medalist and 12-time world champion said that he typically swims in 50-meter pools because they’re the common size across all venues. However, the only place he’s ever swam in a 69-meter pool is in Cuba, where the water is warmer and deeper. The biggest pool he’s ever trained in was a 75-meter pool in Southern California. Lochte’s advice for those looking to swim in a pool of this size is simple yet effective: pick a training location that has one and only one. Ideally, this pool will be indoors so you can avoid the heat of the sun and the rain that comes with outdoor pools. Even if you live in a place with a large outdoors pool, you should still train indoors so that you don’t get wet or cold.
Cory Lidstrom
Cory Lidstrom is a three-time Olympic gold medallist in the men’s 100-meter butterfly. Considered one of the greatest ever to play the game, Lidstrom is also a three-time World Champion and twelve-time European Champion in the same event. Lidstrom is best known for his iconic hair that he wore throughout his career. At the time of our interview, he was the head coach of the Sweden men’s national swim team and the technical director of the Stockholm Open. What size pool did Lidstrom train in? Well, we couldn’t find anything specific about Lidstrom’s training pools online, but we did find this tidbit: he says that he doesn’t usually train in 50-meter pools because they’re too common and there aren’t that many options for larger pools. Lidstrom’s suggestion? Look for a water feature or an outdoor fountain. These are great places to train because they provide an obstacle for swimmers to overcome while also adding a little bit of flair to the environment. An outdoor fountain specifically makes for a great place to train because the water is always changing, giving you a fresh challenge each time you step in the pool.
Grant Miller
Grant Miller is a former professional swimmer who specialized in the 200-meter backstroke. A nine-time U.S. national champion, he’s also competed in four Olympics, most recently in the 2016 Rio Games, where he won a gold medal as part of the American swimming team. At the time of our interview, Miller was the head coach of the Georgia Aquatic Center; he’s since stepped down from that role but continues to be involved with the team as a strength and conditioning coach. What size pool did Miller train in? We couldn’t find any specifics about Miller’s training pools online, but we did find this: he trained in a 200-meter pool because it was the longest available pool at the time. However, Miller now trains in a shorter, 100-meter pool because he prefers it. Even when he was training in the longer pool, Miller still felt that the environment changed a bit too much; he feels that the water level and flow are more consistent in the shorter pool, leading to a better workout. What size pool do you need to swim in? Ideally, you’ll want to pick a pool that’s between 100 meters and 200 meters so that you have the right balance between lengths. If you’re lucky enough to have access to a 200-meter pool, you’ll find that it’s not as difficult as you’d think to swim in one. Just make sure that the water is clean and that there aren’t any unexpected obstacles in it (e.g., fences, walls, or large objects floating in the water).
What Does the Future Hold For Swimming Pools?
As we mentioned, a 50-meter swimming pool is a major commitment. Not only will you need to find a place for it but you’ll also need to invest in some decent swim gear. Even if you live in a place with a large outdoors pool, you should still train indoors so that you don’t get wet or cold. An indoor pool isn’t the most luxurious environment, but it’s a lot easier to train in, especially if the weather is bad. If you can find a good location with decent lighting, there’s also the option of using an indoor pool as a night gym, so you can work out while the sun is down. In the long term, we foresee a rise in popularity for longer pools. As people become more aware of the health benefits that come with prolonged in-pool activity, we can expect to see longer pools become more commonplace. What size pool do you need to swim in? We spoke to three professional athletes who specialize in backstroke and explained their ideal pools and why. Read on to find out more.