Your definition of "a lap"?

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

Former Member — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 10:50:38 GMT

A lap is down and back A length is one way.

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

swimmerb212 — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 06:13:07 GMT

I want to live in a world where we have one word for going one length of the pool, and another word for going two lengths of the pool. My vote that since we have it handy, let's use the word "lap" to mean "down and back, two lengths, finish where you began." Or, you know, just call it a 50.

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

cheakamus — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 11:39:35 GMT

All languages are dynamic. Just read some Shakespeare and you'll see how much English has changed in just the last 400 years. So true. One day, even "I have swam" will be considered correct.

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

knelson — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 03:41:47 GMT

American is a mix of all the god & poor language skills of many countries. All languages are dynamic. Just read some Shakespeare and you'll see how much English has changed in just the last 400 years.

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

orca1946 — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 03:23:59 GMT

American is a mix of all the god & poor language skills of many countries.

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

Redbird Alum — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 01:53:31 GMT

OP asked the definition of lap as a noun, not as a verb. ... By dictionary, a lap is "one complete length of a straight course, as of a swimming pool." Yes, yes, we get all THAT... but isn't it interesting that to "lap" someone, you would have to be at least two "laps" ahead? Also interesting that this would not hold for track or NASCAR where the "circuit" is round, rather than straight, in which case you "lap" someone" when only one "lap" ahead. English is a perverse language, after all!

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

orca1946 — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 06:20:00 GMT

O K so do you say DONE or FINISHED ?? Food is done & people are finished is the correct way to say it. I was told this by an english teacher with a masters & doc .

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

Former Member — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 05:47:48 GMT

OP asked the definition of lap as a noun, not as a verb. By dictionary, a lap is "one complete length of a straight course, as of a swimming pool."

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

Allen Stark — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:23:19 GMT

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

Former Member — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:21:24 GMT

I always thought of it as lengths and laps. The biggest reason is that I always wanted to "lap" other swimmers in the 500.

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

__steve__ — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:15:03 GMT

Wow, all these years I've been swimming (all 3 of them) I incorrectly thought a lap was two entire length's, i.e., 50 M/Y (SC) or 100 M (LC).

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

orca1946 — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 12:02:29 GMT

Never in my life have I heard of a link ??????? It has ALWAYS BEEN 1 END OF THE POOL TO THE OTHER END IS A LAP =LENGTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Maybe your:worms: "I used to coach track , now turned swim coach" calls it that but it is not

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

jaadams1 — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 11:36:57 GMT

Again,I think this is a frivolous point."Real swimmers" count by distance(25s,50s 100s ,1000s ,5000s,etc)If someone asks me how many laps I swam I know they aren't a swimmer.If someone asks how many yards I swam They may be a swimmer(but one who values quantity over quality,you sprinters know what I am talking about.) I had a very similar thing to this the other week at the Y pool. I was almost finished and the guy in the next lane over asked how many laps or lengths I had done. I told him I was almost at 3000 yards in under an hour. He then asked "well...how many laps is that". I thought about doing the math, but then just said..."I don't know" and continued on with my next set. :)

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

200free — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:59:57 GMT

When I'm coaching I use the word LENGTH in practice not lap in case people have different interpretations of lap. But most of the time we count in 25's, 50's, 100's etc so really there's never a need to know what a lap is.

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

Former Member — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:46:49 GMT

my vote... a lap is a round trip, i.e. 2 lengths; being lapped does not mean you are only 1 length behind in usage though, lap and length mean the same thing....so why try to change the world PS....this must be a long debate. I asked this in swim class in high school (about 1965). Was told that a lap was 2 lengths.

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

Bobinator — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:13:25 GMT

When I swim Big Shoulder's Open Water 5K the LENGTH of the race is 5K. To reach the distance of 5K I must swim 2 LAPS of the course. Does this make sense or am I crazy?

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

__steve__ — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 08:04:59 GMT

Lap Sports 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. from freedictionary

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

Former Member — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 06:07:09 GMT

A little etymology to add to the frivolity. "Lap" is cognate to a variety of words sharing an Indo-European root, meaning to hang loosely. Thus we have words like lobe, flap, loop, lapse, lip, etc. In English, lap meant particularly the loose part of clothing, like the hanging end of a skirt or dress or kilt. That's why we sit in someone's lap, and repose in the lap of luxury. Since a loose end can be "lapped" back onto itself, a circular or enclosing sense has more recently been attached to lap, as in overlap. Or as in doing a few laps around the track. When a race car laps another, it has done one more revolution around the track, overtaking the other car. So in swimming, as when someone is lapped by Sun Yang, perhaps twice in the same race.

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

gobears — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 06:00:23 GMT

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

knelson — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 04:03:49 GMT

Wow, all these years I've been swimming (all 3 of them) I incorrectly thought a lap was two entire length's, i.e., 50 M/Y (SC) or 100 M (LC). Why do you say you're wrong? The poll shows that most people think a lap is two lengths.

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

wsmedley — Mon, 29 Aug 2011 11:15:44 GMT

OK, so back in the 70's, my coaches referred to a single length of the pool as a "lap," but in my more recent years in the Masters program, a "lap" is up and back (took me a while to get used to it...). Now we call a single length a "link." I'm swimming in a short course pool, so don't know what the long course swimmers call a single length of the pool. Frankly... a mile is a mile, so what you call each trip across the pool doesn't really matter! It's your time on race day that counts!

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

Former Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 16:41:56 GMT

Does a lap counter count laps or lengths? Are you referring to the position or to the equipment? No matter. Both count laps. The equipment, by the use of a very clever design technique, automatically makes the conversion of laps into lengths. This is facilitated by the fact that the conversion factor is 1 lap = 2 lengths. If this were not true, the equipment would be much more difficult to operate. And it works whether the course is in meters or yards! If you still think 1 lap = 1 length, take some time at your next swim meet to examine these clever devices and you will be amazed (and educated!)

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

Former Member — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 13:25:32 GMT

Thank you Mr. Knight for the stunning reply. I have looked at a lap counter before, but I'll certainly examine them more closely next time. Perhaps I'll have an Epiphany and change my ways. When counting for someone swimming a 1650 and asked the question, "How many laps till he's done?" I'll look at my length counter, convert to laps, add one-half and have a reply. Or is it take one-half away? I had to take my helmet off so I could scratch my head to try figure that one out.

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

Former Member — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:54:42 GMT

Interesting, the "one length" camp, which had been the majority, has now been surpassed by the "round trip", 52:71! Ya, i just noticed that. Jumped ahead by a ton.

RE: Your definition of "a lap"?

Former Member — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 12:16:46 GMT

Interesting, the "one length" camp, which had been the majority, has now been surpassed by the "round trip", 52:71!