Swimming Laps Calculator
Enter how far you want to swim and your pool length to get the number of lengths and laps. Handles a true mile or the swimmer's mile, in yards or meters, for any pool size.
- Lengths
- 71
- 70.4 exact
- Laps (1 length)
- 71
- 70.4 exact
Most swimmers count one length of the pool as a lap, which is the default here. Some count a lap as down and back; toggle that above. Note that competitive swimming calls 1,650 yards (or 1,500 meters) a mile, which is a bit short of a true 1,760-yard land mile, so the famous answer of 66 lengths in a 25-yard pool refers to that swimmer's mile.
Lengths, laps, and the mile mix-up
Two things trip people up: whether a lap is one length or two, and what counts as a mile. This calculator shows both lengths and laps so there is no ambiguity, and it lets you enter a true mile or the shorter swimmer's mile. Setting up the pool you swim in? See the pool volume calculator and the rest of the calculators.
Frequently asked questions
How many laps in a pool is a mile?
It depends on the pool length and whether you count a lap as one length or two. In a 25-yard pool, a true mile (1,760 yards) is about 70 lengths. Competitive swimming calls 1,650 yards a mile, which is 66 lengths in a 25-yard pool. In a 25-meter pool a mile is about 64 lengths, and in a 50-meter pool about 32 lengths.
Is a lap one length or two?
It varies by who you ask. Most casual swimmers count one length of the pool as a lap, which is how this calculator counts by default. Some people, and some traditional definitions, count a lap as down and back, which is two lengths. The toggle lets you pick either.
What is a swimmer's mile?
In competitive swimming, the mile event is 1,650 yards in a short-course yard pool or 1,500 meters in a meter pool. Both are a little shorter than a true 1,760-yard land mile. That is why the common answer of 66 lengths in a 25-yard pool is slightly less than the 70 lengths a full mile actually takes.
How many lengths is a 25-meter pool to swim a kilometer?
Forty lengths. A kilometer is 1,000 meters, and a 25-meter pool covers 25 meters per length, so 1,000 divided by 25 is 40 lengths. Enter 1 kilometer and a 25-meter pool length above to confirm.