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Why can't I count laps?
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 2010-07-26 7:39 PM |
Extreme Veteran  464   Fleetwood, PA |  Subject: Why can't I count laps?Almost every single swim, I miscount my laps...usually too few. I did OK for a while, but I have become more comfortable with my breathing and it is a tad more automatic. So, my mind has been wandering while swimming. Not about anything but swimming, but then I forgot where I was- whether it was counting laps or counting by 25's for distance. I've tried both and I just forget...Today I wanted to do 3x500 but ended up doing 2x450 and 1x500. If it was just once, I might think that it was just a really fast swim, but it is often that I do it. So, any thought besides focusing? I'm fine with sets, it's just the laps. I get so bored... |
| 2010-07-26 7:42 PM in reply to: #3006096 |
Veteran 201 | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? Sport Count Lap Counter: http://www.amazon.com/SportCount-Inc-90040-LapCounter/dp/B0016J9NE8/ref=pd_sim_sg_10 |
| 2010-07-26 7:43 PM in reply to: #3006096 |
| New Haven, CT | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? many options -lap counter thing -pennies -move water bottle back and forth -look at clock [one I use - when I am doing my 500s on 5', I know I only went 250  ) |
| 2010-07-26 7:44 PM in reply to: #3006096 |
| Regular 115 | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? x2 lap counter |
| 2010-07-26 7:48 PM in reply to: #3006096 |
Veteran 191 Husk, NC | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? Same problem here. I strictly use the clock. Prior to starting a workout/set, I calculate my ending time......... and then forget what that ending time was after about 5 minutes! |
| 2010-07-26 7:53 PM in reply to: #3006096 |
Extreme Veteran 635 Georgia | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? I was thinking of trying this http://www.onetri.com/swimovate-poolmate-counter-p-4736.html Edited by mxr746 2010-07-26 7:53 PM |
| 2010-07-26 8:00 PM in reply to: #3006117 |
| Regular 408 | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? Have it and love it. I don't ever swim without mine. Highly recommend the Swimovate. Don't have any tie to the company just a happy customer. |
| 2010-07-26 8:00 PM in reply to: #3006096 |
New user 47 | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? stack of pennies at the end of the pool works wonders. or a dry erase board. |
| 2010-07-26 8:20 PM in reply to: #3006130 |
Master 1770 Bedford, MA | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? pfoley58 - 2010-07-26 9:00 PM stack of pennies at the end of the pool works wonders. or a dry erase board. I've 'bin doing this recently. A swimmer the other day asked what was with the pennies - when I explained it she thought I was a genius. I told her I couldn't take credit for the idea, but that it really works. The only time I have issues is on a swim of 600 yrds or longer. In that case, I just keep repeating the last distance in my head - 600, 600, 600, 650, 650, 650....etc. |
| 2010-07-26 8:31 PM in reply to: #3006096 |
Veteran 123 Florida | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? I use my garmin. I have it at the end of the lane and hit the lap button every 100, if my 100 lap time is off then I know I screwed up. |
| 2010-07-26 8:53 PM in reply to: #3006096 |
| New user 9 | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? I come from a competitive swimming background and it never used to be an issuse on a team, but now that I swim on my own, my mind wanders often. Those other suggestions all look good, but one thing I do a lot is just alternate which way I've decided I'm off. So, if the first time I loose track I can't decide if I swam 250 or 300, I pick 250 and risk swimming more. Then, the next time it happens I pick 300 and risk swimming less. That's me though and I don't mind if I end up off by 50 m at the end of my workout as long as I swam well overall. |
| 2010-07-26 8:58 PM in reply to: #3006237 |
Extreme Veteran 590 Seattle | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? What's this stack of pennies thing? Never heard of it. Do you have to stop swimming at the end of each lap to move pennies? That sounds kind of annoying. If you are just swimming (not sets or anything) I don't think it matter too much, just go by time. +/- 100 yds won't matter in the end. |
| 2010-07-26 9:17 PM in reply to: #3006096 |
Master 1929 Midlothian, VA | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? I made an abacus like thing that I used until I got watches with lap counters for Christmas. I definitely sometimes miss a lap +/- but that's about it. If I start to wonder I just check the lap time on the watch. I'm pretty consistently around 2-2:20 per 100M so the current lap time divided by 2 minutes will tell me about what lap I'm on. I don't hit the lap button each lap, but count off each in a set and then hit the button accordingly when I take a break. Start- tap (...1) 50 meter breast stroke tap (1...) rest tap (2...) 400 meter freestyle 15 taps - basically start it, and for each N lengths, press N-1 times when ever I stop - press once whenever I start up again - when finished, n-1 presses for last set then stop button -eric |
| 2010-07-26 9:55 PM in reply to: #3006117 |
Master 1484 Sedona, AZ | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? mxr746 - 2010-07-26 5:53 PM I was thinking of trying this http://www.onetri.com/swimovate-poolmate-counter-p-4736.html[/QUOTE... /> That thing looks cool! I may have to splurge and get one. Currently, I just keep track of every 50 by counting my strokes from that 50. e.g. 1, 2, 3... when I get to the next 50 yards I start at 51, 52, 53... 101, 102 ... up to 1000. This way I know how my SPL is coming along. Even doing this I lose track sometimes! Then I go to the last one I remember as punishment. |
| 2010-07-26 10:35 PM in reply to: #3006237 |
Member 119 | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? blue-fish - 2010-07-26 8:53 PM I come from a competitive swimming background and it never used to be an issuse on a team, but now that I swim on my own, my mind wanders often. Those other suggestions all look good, but one thing I do a lot is just alternate which way I've decided I'm off. So, if the first time I loose track I can't decide if I swam 250 or 300, I pick 250 and risk swimming more. Then, the next time it happens I pick 300 and risk swimming less. That's me though and I don't mind if I end up off by 50 m at the end of my workout as long as I swam well overall. I agree. I think you just have to accept that your going to count wrong sometimes. It's not a big deal. Missing a 50 here and there in practice is not going to cause you to forget how to swim during your race. I wouldn't spend money on a lap counter, just try and remember where you're at. I can't tell you how many times I've been at a swim team practice and asked the people following me, "Was that a 500 or a 550?" That being said, I find planning out how your going to swim each 50 of the set makes counting easier. For example, I'm swimming a 200, first 50 is an easy fast pace, second 50 is build, third 50 is all out and fourth 50 is survival. If you change up how you swim part way through the set, you're less likely to forget. All the best, Matt |
| 2010-07-26 10:37 PM in reply to: #3006096 |
Elite 4148 Utah | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? I'm the crazy lady at the pool that just brings a little bag of colored rocks (like the kind you put at the bottom of a flower vase). It works for me |
 2010-07-26 10:45 PM in reply to: #3006096 |
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| 2010-07-26 11:15 PM in reply to: #3006394 |
| New user 9 | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? Wolfofautumn - 2010-07-26 11:35 PM blue-fish - 2010-07-26 8:53 PM I come from a competitive swimming background and it never used to be an issuse on a team, but now that I swim on my own, my mind wanders often. Those other suggestions all look good, but one thing I do a lot is just alternate which way I've decided I'm off. So, if the first time I loose track I can't decide if I swam 250 or 300, I pick 250 and risk swimming more. Then, the next time it happens I pick 300 and risk swimming less. That's me though and I don't mind if I end up off by 50 m at the end of my workout as long as I swam well overall. I agree. I think you just have to accept that your going to count wrong sometimes. It's not a big deal. Missing a 50 here and there in practice is not going to cause you to forget how to swim during your race. I wouldn't spend money on a lap counter, just try and remember where you're at. I can't tell you how many times I've been at a swim team practice and asked the people following me, "Was that a 500 or a 550?" That being said, I find planning out how your going to swim each 50 of the set makes counting easier. For example, I'm swimming a 200, first 50 is an easy fast pace, second 50 is build, third 50 is all out and fourth 50 is survival. If you change up how you swim part way through the set, you're less likely to forget. All the best, Matt I further agree with all of that. And to agree with something else someone posted, don't bother counting by 25's...that will drive you crazy. If you are in a 25yrd pool, count by 50yrd increments. If you swim in a 50m pool, count by 100m increments. Finally, if you're really most concerned about missing your desired distances by too little, just swim an extra 50 every time your time looks way too fast. At the worst you'll be adding a few more yards to your workout. Good luck! |
| 2010-07-26 11:23 PM in reply to: #3006196 |
| Expert 1249 MI | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? and I ran - 2010-07-26 9:31 PM I use my garmin. I have it at the end of the lane and hit the lap button every 100, if my 100 lap time is off then I know I screwed up. Same idea here. I count by 200s. Every time I go 200, I hit the lap split button on my watch. I used to do it on the 100s but that was just too frequent. Even if I lose track, I can tell where I'm at since I know roughly what type of times I would have for 50/100/150/200. This has worked wonders for me, I now always know for sure how far I went! |
| 2010-07-27 1:56 AM in reply to: #3006096 |
| Extreme Veteran 1112 Las Vegas | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? same for me. I do sets of 100's. So even if it is a 200 pull or kick it is 2 sets of 100. I can usually count to 4 pretty accurately. Well most of the time I can. |
| 2010-07-27 1:58 AM in reply to: #3006096 |
| Member 36 | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? I have the same problem, lose track so quickly due to concentrating so hard on the other hundred things you have to remember to do when swimming. Keeping an eye on the timer is the key so you can work out what you would have done in that amount of time. Or try to break up just doing lengths with drills. When your session is broken down into smaller chunks it's a bit easier to keep track of! |
| 2010-07-27 4:56 AM in reply to: #3006096 |
Elite 7783 PEI, Canada | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? I count by 100s and confirm it by time. My pool has a big digital clock on the wall displaying the time of day. After each 100, I take a peak at it and confirm the elapsed time since the last 100. I know within a few seconds what my pace/100 should be so before I take the peak I've already calculated what time I expect to see - if it's right, I know I'm good. |
| 2010-07-27 6:39 AM in reply to: #3006096 |
| Extreme Veteran 464 Fleetwood, PA | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? Wow! Thanks for all the replies! I'm thinking about the index finger mounted swim counter (though the automatic one that looks like a watch is real cool). I don't know why, but it gets me when I miss 50 each time. Nothing major, but we all have our little quirks. I'm not even that great of a swimmer! Thanks again! And I'm glad I'm not alone... |
| 2010-07-27 6:52 AM in reply to: #3006096 |
| Veteran 300 Massachusetts | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? It takes me a minute to swim 50 yrds so each lap is a minutes. After 10 laps (10 minutes) I hit the lap on my watch. Watch the split for another 10 minutes, repeat. If I ever get any faster I may need to find another way |
| 2010-07-27 6:58 AM in reply to: #3006096 |
| Extreme Veteran 626 South Florida | Subject: RE: Why can't I count laps? Love my swimovate watch but when I forget it I use pennies. The pennies I move at the end of every set though not every lap. |
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