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
I think of a lap as one complete coverage of the course. On a track that is all the way around. Once you arrive where you started, you have completed one unit. In a pool once you get to the other wall you have completed one unit.
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.
I tend to agree with these. I didn't have an answer (that's why I wanted to see the poll), but now I find these interpretations have good basis, because: if you define a lap in a rectangular pool to be a round trip, i.e. the distance you swim back to the starting point, who knows how you swim in the middle? You could swim zigzag before reaching the other end, or you could swim only halfway then turn back... How would you define a lap in a triangular pool? or any polygon-shaped pool? :rolleyes:
I think of a lap as one complete coverage of the course. On a track that is all the way around. Once you arrive where you started, you have completed one unit. In a pool once you get to the other wall you have completed one unit.
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.
I tend to agree with these. I didn't have an answer (that's why I wanted to see the poll), but now I find these interpretations have good basis, because: if you define a lap in a rectangular pool to be a round trip, i.e. the distance you swim back to the starting point, who knows how you swim in the middle? You could swim zigzag before reaching the other end, or you could swim only halfway then turn back... How would you define a lap in a triangular pool? or any polygon-shaped pool? :rolleyes:
