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 :)
A lap = 1 length, regardless of pool length (yard, meters, 25, 50, whatever).
The ONLY time I have ever heard a "lap" referred to as a "down-and-back" (meaning 2 laps) is by individuals who did not grow up swimming.
Interesting. I did not grow up swimming. So when my kids got into swimming, I of course was confused by this, so I asked the swim coaches of the USA team they were swimming for. They told me a length was once across, a lap was down and back. Both coaches(husband and wife team), were Olympic Trial qualifiers in their day.
Actually, assuming that the pool is 25 yards long, 70 laps or lengths, or 35 "two ways" amounts to 1750 yards.
Nomenclature aside, the poor deluded triathlete has been swimming just slightly less than 1 mile on every one of his outings.
Your wife should consider pointing this out to him then next time she catches him bragging.
And then tell him "real" swimmers call a mile 1650 yards. He can think about that while doing the show-off stretching routines before entering the pool.
Interesting. I did not grow up swimming. So when my kids got into swimming, I of course was confused by this, so I asked the swim coaches of the USA team they were swimming for. They told me a length was once across, a lap was down and back. Both coaches(husband and wife team), were Olympic Trial qualifiers in their day.
Interesting. Perhaps I stand corrected. I will do my own asking around. I have referred to the "lap" as nothing but 1 length of the pool.
And then tell him "real" swimmers call a mile 1650 yards. He can think about that while doing the show-off stretching routines before entering the pool.
Why are the triathletes such easy targets to mock? My wife will call him out next time.
I think verb trumps noun. And common usage outweighs technical jargon. We swimmers know a length is a length but we use the noun lap as a synonym for length, which confuses the common noodler, especially when we use the verb lapped to describe getting two lengths ahead, further supporting the two length definition.
I try to be consistent, I always write out the # of lengths of each rep to further define the yardage, and throw in the phrase "up and backs" to describe a two-length rep - which is inevitably remarked upon as "So you mean one lap?"
Brings me back to survival school, with a pass/fail swim of one mile in less than 80 mins continuously in an Olympic pool (now there's a definition with an absolute standard, right?) around 4 pylons in the corners. IIRC it was 12 laps or circuits, counterclockwise of course.
when discussing a pool, there is no option in the poll for my view - that a lap is a 50. so in a short course pool, a lap is down and back; whereas a long course pool it is one way.
Interesting. I did not grow up swimming. So when my kids got into swimming, I of course was confused by this, so I asked the swim coaches of the USA team they were swimming for. They told me a length was once across, a lap was down and back. Both coaches(husband and wife team), were Olympic Trial qualifiers in their day.
I did grow up swimming, and it was always 2 lengths = 1 lap.
You lap someone by getting a lap ahead.
You see the lap counters every time you finish two lengths.
Maybe it is a cultural thing, like if you refer to carbonated sugar water as either "soda", or "pop".
If pools were circular, I am sure a lap would be coming back where you started.
So when you are circle swimming, a lap is two lengths, but if you have the lane to yourself (or if you are triathlete and can't circle swim) a lap is one length?
