Hi all, I remember reading a discussion here about what counted as a "lap" (one length versus a round trip), and there didn't seem to be a consensus. I'm interested to know the statistics. So please take the poll :)
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Former Member
Everywhere I swam growing up, a lap was a single length, ie: 50 yard free in a shortcourse pool is 2 laps. This was never taught or defined, it was just, you learned quickly that when told to do a 100 and someone asked, "how many laps is that", the answer would be 4.
I think a lap logically means to traverse a course until there is a distinguishable point of repetition. On circular courses, a lap ends when you come back to the starting point. In swimming it is one length because you come to the wall and turning around to swim back is "repeating" the course. If pools were circular, I am sure a lap would be coming back where you started.
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Former Member
Everywhere I swam growing up, a lap was a single length, ie: 50 yard free in a shortcourse pool is 2 laps. This was never taught or defined, it was just, you learned quickly that when told to do a 100 and someone asked, "how many laps is that", the answer would be 4.
I think a lap logically means to traverse a course until there is a distinguishable point of repetition. On circular courses, a lap ends when you come back to the starting point. In swimming it is one length because you come to the wall and turning around to swim back is "repeating" the course. If pools were circular, I am sure a lap would be coming back where you started.
