Hello! I'm a newcomer to swimming laps, and I'd like everyone's input on a debate I'm having with a friend who also swims.
What is technically a lap?
I say it's based on distance. If you're in a 25m pool - then a lap is down and back. If you are in a 50m pool - then a lap is the length of the pool one way.
He says a lap is the length of a pool.
Can someone solve this battle for us?
Thanks!
Parents
Former Member
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?"
I will take you up on that wager. I usually say "laps" as down when talking with fellow swimmers. But from several years of swimming at the Y, it has come to be useful to be able to understand and use both verision based on who you are swimming with.
Noodlers will consider a lap down and back. Swimmers usually consider it down.
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?"
I will take you up on that wager. I usually say "laps" as down when talking with fellow swimmers. But from several years of swimming at the Y, it has come to be useful to be able to understand and use both verision based on who you are swimming with.
Noodlers will consider a lap down and back. Swimmers usually consider it down.
