Here's how it works...one hand counts by ones and the other hand counts by fives using rubber bands resting in the "slots" between your fingers and/or thumb to keep track of laps you have swum. You may recognize this as similar to the 4-sticks-and-a-slash tally system commonly used to count things, unless you are the studious type who will recognize it as base 5.



I use my left hand for the ones, my right hand for the fives and start at my thumbs as shown in the sketch. It really isn't important which hands/starting points you use as long as you can remember it and be comfortable with it. Though this system is quite simple, I recommend trying it out on dry land first so as not to distract the lifeguards.

