Your Average Lap Workout Count?

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Wed, 23 Feb 2005 14:59:20 GMT

Here's my understanding of "lap" as it applies to a track or course. One lap is a single traversal of a course. A lap is a circuit if the course is a closed track. A swimming pool is not a circuit. The lanes don't form a closed loop and a lap swimmer doesn't swim in a continuous cycle. The person swims the length of the pool, then reverses direction and traverses the course again. One lap on a 400m racetrack or a 25yd. pool, is the length of the respective courses. Here are a few sources: Merriam-Webster Online Over time may link to a different definition The American Heritage® Dictionary Encarta® World English Dictionary SOCOG Swimming Glossary Search for "Lap" Jane Katz Ed.D., Swimming for Total Fitness: Q: What's the difference between a "lap" and a "length" in a pool? A: In the United States, at least, they're usually the same thing. Although a few people prefer to count a lap as one round trip, the term generally means one length of the pool.

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Wed, 23 Feb 2005 14:38:44 GMT

Originally posted by Leonard Jansen From dictionary.com: lap: Sports. To get ahead of (an opponent) in a race by one or more complete circuits of the course, as in running, or by two or more lengths of pool in swimming. By implication, a lap is two lengths. The definition you've quoted is for the verb form. In that sense, it relates to the meaning of overlapping where one part extends passed another, as in a lap joint. A swimmer has to be more than two laps ahead of another in order the pass or lap them. More importantly, the same entry of lap at Dictionary.com (as already been cited) expicitly defines a lap in a swimming pool as two lengths: n.2.b. One complete length of a straight course, as of a swimming pool. An explicit definition is more accurate than an inference.

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Wed, 23 Feb 2005 13:02:13 GMT

Originally posted by Guvnah What if you're circle swimming? :o Oops! you got me on that one. :confused: Just for the record... Circle swimming is just a device to picture swimming on the right side of the lane. You'd have to think of a circle (or a very narrow ellipse) then flatten it, making it a circle no longer. Essentially, a lane is split into two lanes, and the swimmers still have to momentarily interrupt their forward progress to reverse direction. It's more like a length of narrow two-way street where each car makes a broken u-turn at the end of the distance rather than a continuous u-turn. In the case of lap swimmers or the cars analogy, you shouldn't be too close to the one in front of you near the end of the distance because the reverse course of the leading swimmer/car will overlap a small part of the forward course. If both were courses truly closed (implied by circular) there'd be no overlap.

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Wed, 23 Feb 2005 06:14:10 GMT

Originally posted by ChunkyTuna A swimming pool is not a circuit. The lanes don't form a closed loop and a lap swimmer doesn't swim in a continuous cycle. What if you're circle swimming? :) :)

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Sun, 13 Feb 2005 17:07:41 GMT

Keeping in mind I also do weights and other forms of cardio at least six days p/week, I'm swimming one mile in over an hour - usually about 1:20 - and that's including water breaks, bathroom breaks, etc.. I don't swim for speed - obvioulsy ;) - I swim for fitness and cardiac endurance.

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

swimmieAvsFan — Sat, 12 Feb 2005 04:29:49 GMT

we usually make about 3500 meters (which is 140 laps) before our pool time is up... and to chime in on the length/lap debate- i've been swimming competitively for over 16 years (age group the whole way up to masters). and every coach i've ever had (which is a lot!) has always used lap and length interchangebly. so in my world, they're the same darn thing! :D ;)

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Fri, 11 Feb 2005 17:01:06 GMT

I was swimming every other day; workouts were 3000-3500 meters before finishing with the "reward" of fly laps. To me, the fly at the end makes the whole experience worthwhile; I love the thrill of finishing strong. Problem is, that I have developed bicep tendinitis in both arms, and have been sidelined (in substantial pain) for over a month. I like the idea of the counter, and I guess I'd push the button at each flip. I have worked out a rotation which helps me to count: 6 free, 2 ***, 2 free, 2 back (and repeat ad infinitim). This helps me to know my count at any time while I meditate. Where I get lost at times is whether I'm on lap 70, 80, of 90, etc. So, I think that the counter would help alot.

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Fri, 11 Feb 2005 14:24:38 GMT

From dictionary.com: lap: Sports. To get ahead of (an opponent) in a race by one or more complete circuits of the course, as in running, or by two or more lengths of pool in swimming. By implication, a lap is two lengths. -LBJ

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Fri, 11 Feb 2005 13:30:14 GMT

Originally posted by Kae1 Can those lap counters display in distance? No it only counts laps and time, but when I swim, I'm swimming for the distance too, not laps, but I know that when my counter says 20 laps I've done 500 yards, etc. I have a spreadsheet I keep at home so I can keep track of it all, and all I do is input the number of laps and it calculates how many yards, meters and miles I've been swimming. Then later I can figure out how far I swam in a week, month, etc...

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

aquageek — Fri, 11 Feb 2005 09:04:49 GMT

I've always been told that a lap is the distance between two walls.

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

dorothyrde — Fri, 11 Feb 2005 06:38:21 GMT

It is interesting that the dictionary defines lap as one length of the pool. I guess going with yards and meters is the best. And I always think of work-outs in subsets of 25's 50's 100's, and so on anyway.

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Fri, 11 Feb 2005 06:34:35 GMT

Here we go again with the old "lap" debate! Let me give it to you as simply as I can: Some people use "lap" to mean 1 length of the pool. Some people use "lap" to mean 2 lengths of the pool. Because of this, no one can ever know what anyone else means by "lap" unless the person tells them. No one anywhere needs to use the term "lap". The term "length" works just as well, and if you use "length" you don't need to waste time explaining what you mean.

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 16:59:32 GMT

When I took some classes from several Masters coaches, I don't recall them ever using term "lap" when referring to their workout plans. They always used the phrases like "do 6 50's" or "25 fast, 25 slow". I got this definition for lap from dictionary.com: 1. One complete round or circuit, especially of a racetrack. 2. One complete length of a straight course, as of a swimming pool. Interesting how a lap is a complete circuit for a racetrack, but one length for a pool.

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 16:36:10 GMT

My wife and I are doing 3500 in about 65 minutes. Most of it is crawl, but I do a 500 mixing up back and *** I hate counting laps too; I'm going to check out the counters noted above :)

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 16:24:07 GMT

I usually try to swim 3000 yards per workout or so, and it usually takes me a little over an hour. If I do all freestyle, I can cut it closer to the 60-minute mark. As with others here, I use a variety of sources to get my workouts (yea, Mo!). I only count my lengths in an individual set, because I'm pretty bad at math. The biggest obstacle keeping me from doing the 30-minute swim is I would never know how far I swam. At my pool, which is 20 yards (sigh), 3000 yards equates to about 150 lengths. On Monday I swam with a masters team in a 25-yard pool, and the workout kicked my butt. Adam

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 16:20:10 GMT

I swim low yardage. Those small pools make it different,try 15 yards at a health club pool. And I swim about twice a week in a 25 yard pool at a rec center. I swim about 800 to 1300 in the 15 yard pool and between usually 1500 to 2,000 in the 25 yard pool. All four strokes. Recently more freestyle because of a car wreck about a month ago. I found out that a lot of yardage makes me too stiff. Usually swim between 3 to 4 times a week.

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 16:19:36 GMT

Originally posted by dorothyrde Ok, I will bite. A lap is 2 lengths. So how far you go in a lap depends on pool length. I swim in a 25 yard pool, so a lap is 50 yards. I average about 2500 yards in a 45 minute noon swim, up to 3500 yards if I can spend an hour to hour 15 in the pool. I never swim continuous the whole time, the most I swim at one time is a 1650, and I am miserable the whole time. I love interval IM work, so doing a 1650 free is my grunt work, I do it once in a while because it is good for me, ha. I have always counted a lap as one length. I never thought about it until my father told me that a lap, in his opinion, was up and back. That seems reasonable to me because when you "lap" someone you swam two lengths to his one, except that in running, a lap is one time around a track (at least I thought it was). With that reasoning, if you straighten the track to look like a pool, isn't one running lap the equivalent of swimming one length in a pool? I don't know the answer so I have quit referring to laps or lengths and now just think in terms of yardage. I swim 3500 to 3900 yards per hour (roughly). If my math is correct 3500 yards is the equivalent of 140 ups and 70 up-and-backs...I think.

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 16:14:01 GMT

I swim about 2100 - 2700 meters an hour. Depending on what kind of drills I do and what I intend to train with that workout programm. Originally posted by craiglll@yahoo.com I'm worried about the same question. I swim between 3,900 and 4,600 yds. Will a lap counter go that high? If your lapcounter doesn't go high engouh try count in laps instead of lenghts. A lap is two lenght of a pool so you would count "one" when you touch the wall you pushed off. It also helps when you are counting without a lapcounter. brgds Matthias

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 16:05:18 GMT

Originally posted by Seagurl51 p.s. Where do you find the finger lap counters? I've only found one's that are like stop watches. I've bought mine from here swimtowin.com/.../dsc.html but here are other sites that also have it: www.kiefer.com/.../productr.asp www.swimzone.com/.../Swim_Zone_STOPWATCHES_AND_TIMING_DEVICES_17.html www.worldwideaquatics.com/.../default.asp Considering I press the button every time I reach the wall (easier to remember to press it that way -- became second nature), so far the highest number I've got to is 120 laps, so for all of you who swim much more than I do, I doubt you'll have problems counting your laps unless it goes over 1000!

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 15:48:37 GMT

I'm worried about the same question. I swim between 3,900 and 4,600 yds. Will a lap counter go that high?

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 15:45:24 GMT

I generally swim between 2000 and 3000 yds in an hour, all different strokes.....in a SCY pool. ~Kyra p.s. Where do you find the finger lap counters? I've only found one's that are like stop watches.

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 15:40:53 GMT

It really varies - if I do all freestyle and freestyle drills, I can do about 3500 yards in an hour. In a SCY pool, that's 70 laps. If I do a lot of kicking or other strokes (which I do often), that number will be more in the range of 2500 yards (50 laps). As far as I'm concerned, a lap is returning to where you started. Sooooo down and back is one lap.

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 14:47:45 GMT

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 12:24:07 GMT

Counting a lap as each time I touch the wall (since that's when I press my finger lap counter button), I usually do between 84 - 110 laps, it depends on my mood I guess! This is a 25 yards pool, by the way. Yesterday I did 102 laps which is equivalent to 2550 yards (2331 meters/1.44 miles). Still not as much as a lot of the swimmers here, but I swim for fitness and because I love it, and the last thing I want is to push myself to a point where I'll start dreading my workout (and end up not swimming as often as I do)!

RE: Your Average Lap Workout Count?

Former Member — Thu, 10 Feb 2005 11:30:23 GMT

I did 52 laps (or 2600 scy) yesterday, in just around an hour or so.