I thought "LEGAL WAYS TO CHEAT" might be a fun topic for us to toss around.
Please share your ideas.
These need to be legal as opposed to "if you don't get caught."
If it's legal, how is it cheating?
For example, one could puff their rescue inhaler BEFORE a race. It's not cheating per se, but it does give an advantage.
Dolphin kick in the BR pulldown is legal cheating.Dolphin kick in BR at a pause after separating the hands before the pulldown is legal,but even more cheaty.
I don't know if this is legal cheating, or illegal cheating, or if it would help your times, or if it would be toxic to your skin. But has anyone tried ScotchGuarding themselves or using some kind of Teflon spray coating on the skin? Would it reduce drag of any sort to eliminate or lessen the hydrogen tension between water and skin? What is the rule on body oils? Years ago, some swimmers would coat themselves in Johnson's Baby Oil in the hopes of being more slippery in the water. Not sure if it worked, but it seems like it might help at least a little. Now that there's no smoking allowed on most pool decks, the likelihood of pool water igniting like the Cuyahoga River is dimished too, thank god. www.youtube.com/watch
I wonder if one could swim "crawl" backwards, and push off with the feet, and swim the next length forwards. Wouldn't that still qualify as "freestyle?"
Absolutely! As long as you touch each wall in a freestyle race, you can mix and match to your heart's delight. The Free leg of an IM is a different story.
Of course, you may be browbeaten for being a showoff!!!!!!