r/NCSU • u/midnightsenthusiast • 5d ago
Quick Question Carmichael pools
Hi guys so I’m interested in doing some swimming at one of the pools in carmichael but i don’t actually know how to swim “correctly.” I just want to get some movement in without any pressure to do laps. Are there restrictions on which pools I can use or where to stay so I’m not in the way of anything? Or are the pools not meant to be used for recreational swimming like that?
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u/stefunkyy 5d ago
Last semester I have a fitness class where we swam like once a week, when the class was over around 10:15, I would stay and swim for fun. I asked the lifeguard if it was cool, he said yeah, and it didn’t matter what lane i wanted to swim in. I’d say if it isn’t busy, you’re good to grab a lane! If there’s a lifeguard there, maybe ask what times it’s busy
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u/daBandersnatch 5d ago
I struggled with this when at school.
It's not very clear when certain pools are open for what outside of lane swimming. This may have changed in ten years.
My recommendation that I know is a sure bet is to use snorkel/Scuba as your PE credit. You get a Scuba cert as the final, and unrestricted access to the deep well as long as the dive team isn't there for homework/practice etc.
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u/ramuthra50 4d ago
When I was a grad student at NCSU I signed up for one single swimming lesson at Carmichael (I'm pretty sure it was free, too, though this was in like 2018). I knew how to swim, technically, just not how to swim with proper form. He went over all the basics with me and after that one lesson I felt a lot more confident. Would recommend, if that's still an option!
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u/odisn68 Alumnus/Staff 5d ago
I'm on staff here at NC State and I go over to swim laps a couple of times a week during lunch. Rec Swim is 6 lanes in either one pool or the other (usually the pool without the diving platforms), but not both at the same time. Over the years I have seen plenty of folks using the lanes for regular lap swim (at all different skill levels), for walking back & forth (probably for rehab), and I've seen lots of beginners just trying to figure it out. Honestly, as long as it's not super busy with folks waiting for a lane or to split a lane, then there's no pressure on taking your time. I think some of the lifeguards even offer swim lessons outside of their normal work shifts.