The Great Debate - Laps

Down and back, no matter the length of the pool

A lap is the distance between two walls, not down and back. And, don't start with that being a length. No such thing as a length in swimming.

I use whatever definition used by the person I'm talking to.

I knew someone would bring up the whole track angle. Swimming isn't track and field and our playing field isn't an oval. Go on a field trip to any competitive swim club and walk up to the coach and say "how many laps in a 500?" I'll wager all of Hulk's casino winnings that 9/10 of them will say 20 and then look at you like "why such an idiotic question?"

John - thanks for checking in with your noodling pals, their input on swimming matters is always valuable.

And, don't start with that being a length. No such thing as a length in swimming. I disagree. I hear people use length all the time in swimming, and no experienced swimmer uses "laps." The point about "lapping someone" being two lengths is certainly a good argument for a lap being there-and-back.

mjgold: who exactly are you replying to?

Here's the truth - if you hear someone say "length" you know they aren't a swimmer but one of The Wookie's noodling buddies. They probably also wear board shorts to swim lenghts and consider the 100 meter dash in track and field to be one lap. Don't trust the neophyte swimmers from the West Coast - Starbucks profits were down 97% and they are all mad that their sole industry is on the skids.

I don't know. Talking about "laps" in swimming must be a North Carolina thing. I don't hear anyone asking "how many laps did you do?" Seriously, any kind of swimmer is going to tell you how far they swam in yards or meters and will never discuss either lengths or laps. But I do recall the starter at meets using terminology like "500 yard freestyle. 20 lengths of the pool..." I have never heard the starter say "20 laps..."

Seriously, any kind of swimmer is going to tell you how far they swam in yards or meters and will never discuss either lengths or laps. I agree but the question posed wasn't about yards but about lap/length. You are too close to Canada to have meaningful input. They use meters and therefore are the outcasts.