Has anyone seen a personal lap counter. I've been training for Big-Shoulders and when doing endurance swimming I have a hard time keeping track of my laps. ANy advice or know of any product (a swimmers pedometer?) that can help?
Parents
Former Member
Megan,
You can also keep track of laps with your breathing pattern, or other internal guides.
Let's say you're going to swim a 1000m free in a 50m pool. Swim the first 100 breathing every 3 (I'm assuming you can tell the difference between an odd lap and an even one). Swim the second breathing to the right, the third to the left, repeat the pattern. All you have to keep in mind is whether you're on the first, second or third 300, and you let the breathing tell you what lap you're on.
Another way to keep track is mix in drills and skills. For example, swim 100m focus on looking down, then 100m catch-up, 100m zipper drill/finger tip drill, 100m focus on hip roll, 100m 6-beat kick (if you are normally a 2-beat kick swimming distance), and so on. This gives you a 500m pattern you can repeat, but it does require a little more concentration than your breathing pattern.
Let's say you take Rob's suggestion and swim 10x500m rather than a straight swim. How do you keep track of whether you are on the 4th or 5th 500? Tweak the interval so the clock tells you what repeat you're on. Instead of swimming the 500s on 7:00, try 7:05 or 6:55. If you know your next send off time, you know what 500 you're on.
Matt
Megan,
You can also keep track of laps with your breathing pattern, or other internal guides.
Let's say you're going to swim a 1000m free in a 50m pool. Swim the first 100 breathing every 3 (I'm assuming you can tell the difference between an odd lap and an even one). Swim the second breathing to the right, the third to the left, repeat the pattern. All you have to keep in mind is whether you're on the first, second or third 300, and you let the breathing tell you what lap you're on.
Another way to keep track is mix in drills and skills. For example, swim 100m focus on looking down, then 100m catch-up, 100m zipper drill/finger tip drill, 100m focus on hip roll, 100m 6-beat kick (if you are normally a 2-beat kick swimming distance), and so on. This gives you a 500m pattern you can repeat, but it does require a little more concentration than your breathing pattern.
Let's say you take Rob's suggestion and swim 10x500m rather than a straight swim. How do you keep track of whether you are on the 4th or 5th 500? Tweak the interval so the clock tells you what repeat you're on. Instead of swimming the 500s on 7:00, try 7:05 or 6:55. If you know your next send off time, you know what 500 you're on.
Matt
