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 :)
As someone mentioned last time around, if you think a lap is one length, then how come you need to be two lengths ahead of someone to "lap" them? Then again people use a "lap counter" in distance races and that counts number of lengths. In other words contradictions abound.
My opinion has always been the term lap has no place in swimming and don't think people who swim a lot generally use the term. If someone (non-swimmer) asks me how many laps I typically swim a day I will always tell them "x lengths." The term lengths has no ambiguity. Why would you ever use the term "lap" when it's pretty clear from the poll that it's very split as to what the definition of a lap is?
There's an easy answer.
I'll steal from Jim's definition post:
One is a verb: "To get ahead of (an opponent) in a race by one or more complete circuits of the course, as in running, or by two or more lengths of pool in swimming." So, you can "lap" the other swimmers in your heat by getting a 50 or more ahead.
The other is a noun: "One complete length of a straight course, as of a swimming pool." So, you can use your "lap" counter to count how many straight courses a swimmer has swum.
Makes sense to me.
As someone mentioned last time around, if you think a lap is one length, then how come you need to be two lengths ahead of someone to "lap" them? Then again people use a "lap counter" in distance races and that counts number of lengths. In other words contradictions abound.
My opinion has always been the term lap has no place in swimming and don't think people who swim a lot generally use the term. If someone (non-swimmer) asks me how many laps I typically swim a day I will always tell them "x lengths." The term lengths has no ambiguity. Why would you ever use the term "lap" when it's pretty clear from the poll that it's very split as to what the definition of a lap is?
There's an easy answer.
I'll steal from Jim's definition post:
One is a verb: "To get ahead of (an opponent) in a race by one or more complete circuits of the course, as in running, or by two or more lengths of pool in swimming." So, you can "lap" the other swimmers in your heat by getting a 50 or more ahead.
The other is a noun: "One complete length of a straight course, as of a swimming pool." So, you can use your "lap" counter to count how many straight courses a swimmer has swum.
Makes sense to me.
