How do you keep track of laps while swimming?

Back when I first started and was just swimming continually, I bought an electronic lap counter that I could wear on my finger.

These days, I always go in with a plan (sets, intervals, drills), so it's easier to keep track of. 

Wow everyone does this very differently.

I have a workout..do my workout...easy to count.

Say I warm up and then do 6x400. I just swim 400 and then hit lap button. If I'm confused where I am I look at the lap split and know if I'm at 250 or 350 as I know my pace and can easily do the math. After my 400, I rest, at end of rest I hit lap button again.

I bought a new Ironman watch as my old one only did 30 laps now I swim longer and I'm up to 50 lap version.

by 100's in sets 500's.

I don't have  a lap counting watch which most people seem to have but I do the following

- often I am doing a set plan, written out, so it is easy - but even within that I sometimes use the floaty things on the lane lines to move along so I remember how many I have done in a set.

 However, if I am just doing the distance, like it sounds like you do,  to prevent me forgetting and to amuse myself I often use the alphabet by 25s or 50s.  So I start with a (obviously) and whilst I am swimming up and down I try and think of things beginning with that letter - usually within a theme - like animals, or boys names or describing someone...OK I may have a weird imagination but I get bored easily in the pool, not to mention forgetful.

Search the forum for this thread in the past.  There's a neat little finger counter that you push at the end of each lap that counts for you.

I don't have anything that helps me count.  I do it using 2 things.  First, I count going up and back.  That way going down is always odd and coming back is always even. If I am coming back and I'm still saying an odd number over and over in my head, I know I forgot to roll to the next number. Also, rolling to the next number more often makes me remember what number I'm on more easily.

Second, I keep track in 2 ways.  So, for example, I'm on lap 7.  I know that I'm on 7 and I know I'm 3 away from 10.  So if I completely forget that I'm on lap 7, I can usually remember that I was getting close to 10 and I'd know I was going out, so it would be odd.  That makes it either 7 or 9 and if it were 9 I would know it, so it must be 7.

Demented,  I know.  But, it works for me.

 

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I usually click the "Search forums" above and enter "counting laps" in the search terms box, press Enter, and read the threads that come back.