Referring to Ernest Maglischo's Swimming Fastest (I love this book), swimmers believe the time improvement from shaving can range from 0.5 to 2 seconds per 100m. He also quoted a study on the before and after effects of shaving suggesting a significant drop in blood lactate levels and stroke lengths compared to the control. Another test was done to confirm the results were directly related to the reduction of frictional drag and nothing more.
Maglischo, Ernest, W. 2003. Frictional Drag. Swimming Fastest, the essential reference on technique, training, and program design, 60-64 Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. The study he presented is in: Sharp, R.L. and D.L. Costill. 1989. Influence of body hair removal on physiological responses during breaststroke swimming. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 21 (5), 576-580
Just time yourself before and after shaving to see.
Referring to Ernest Maglischo's Swimming Fastest (I love this book), swimmers believe the time improvement from shaving can range from 0.5 to 2 seconds per 100m. He also quoted a study on the before and after effects of shaving suggesting a significant drop in blood lactate levels and stroke lengths compared to the control. Another test was done to confirm the results were directly related to the reduction of frictional drag and nothing more.
Maglischo, Ernest, W. 2003. Frictional Drag. Swimming Fastest, the essential reference on technique, training, and program design, 60-64 Champaign, IL: Human Kinetics. The study he presented is in: Sharp, R.L. and D.L. Costill. 1989. Influence of body hair removal on physiological responses during breaststroke swimming. Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise 21 (5), 576-580
Just time yourself before and after shaving to see.
