Medical Question to a Doctor regarding Supplements.
Former Member
When competing last week in Hawaii, I read in the Honolulu Star Bulletin newspaper from Saturday May 18, in page A5, an advertisement promoting a product stimulating the release of the Human Growth Hormone by the body.
I read in it: "Practically EVERYONE over the age of 40 has a Growth Hormone deficiency.". I am age 43, and even though I trained more than ever for the past year, I swam slower in Hawaii in 100 free and 200 free than I did last year, which was slower than in 1998, which was slower than in 1996, which was slower than in 1994 when I peaked in yards competitions. Because of this, I kept reading:
by taking the product advertised in the newspaper "In the FIRST MONTH: You should expect: Improved stamina;...".
My question for a Medical Doctor familiar with competitions, regards one specific side effect of such a product, not approved by FDA. I remember reading in the Swimming World magazine in mid-90s, when Chinese Olympic swimmers were being caught on illegal products, that a possible side effect of Human Growth Hormone stimulants given to adults, was an increase of extremities like nose, hands, ears and forehead. A picture of the swimmer Massimiliano Rosolino (Ita.) who in the 2000SydneyOlympics won gold, silver and bronze medals, picture published in 2000 in www.nbcolympics.com, semmed to me to show the increase of the nose. www.nbcolympics.com didn't mean to imply anything like this, this is my interpretation of Rosolino's face. It is publicly documented now, that Rosolino took Human Growth Hormone stimulants before the Olympics.
My question is:
The product advertised in Honolulu Star Bulletin as being a Human Growth Hormone stimulant, does increase the nose?
If so, what safer supplements achieve "...improved stamina..."?
San Francisco Chronicle did mention once before the 2000Olympics, two Olympians who were achieving with legal supplements the outcome of illegal products.
Parents
Former Member
Ion,
As I see it, the arm should enter the water before it is fully extended, in fact, still bent. So while the arm is in the water, it extends forward and down and the body rolls, with the effect that the hand extends even farther forward (and down), with respect to the head. It may seem that the extension should occur in the air, but that results in the hand being at the surface of the water for the start of the pull portion of the stroke, when in fact it should be a foot or two below the surface, ready to start the catch and pull. So by extending the arm in the air, you still have to move the hand relatively deep into the water for an effective pull, wasting time (and I think stressing the shoulder), or start to pull too early with a shallower and less effective pull (and also stressing the shoulder).
So what I saw was you stretching your arm in the air, so that when it entered the water it was already straight, and as described above not in a good place to start the power part of your pull.
I think most good swimmers, particularly male, swim as I described. One clear exception at the international level is Brook Bennett. But her action still puts the arm in the water before it is fully extended, but she does not stretch out forward as much, and gets right away into the power pull.
I did not notice a significant catch up in your stroke, though I was not looking for it explicitly. No way was it as extreme as you describe, and my (rapidly getting vague) memory tells me that you could use some more catchup.
Now Paul Smith's stroke is something to watch and I think emulate, at least for swimmers taller than 6'0". He has lots of forward extension and more catchup character than almost anyone. His turnover is relatively slow, but his DPS is huge. His body position, head position, and streamline are excellent. He keeps his strong kick behind his body, so his feet do not wander side to side, as yours tend to do. Yes, I think some characteristics of his stroke work particularly well because of his height and armspan and strength, but I suspect everyone would be a better swimmer if they copied him.
Ion,
As I see it, the arm should enter the water before it is fully extended, in fact, still bent. So while the arm is in the water, it extends forward and down and the body rolls, with the effect that the hand extends even farther forward (and down), with respect to the head. It may seem that the extension should occur in the air, but that results in the hand being at the surface of the water for the start of the pull portion of the stroke, when in fact it should be a foot or two below the surface, ready to start the catch and pull. So by extending the arm in the air, you still have to move the hand relatively deep into the water for an effective pull, wasting time (and I think stressing the shoulder), or start to pull too early with a shallower and less effective pull (and also stressing the shoulder).
So what I saw was you stretching your arm in the air, so that when it entered the water it was already straight, and as described above not in a good place to start the power part of your pull.
I think most good swimmers, particularly male, swim as I described. One clear exception at the international level is Brook Bennett. But her action still puts the arm in the water before it is fully extended, but she does not stretch out forward as much, and gets right away into the power pull.
I did not notice a significant catch up in your stroke, though I was not looking for it explicitly. No way was it as extreme as you describe, and my (rapidly getting vague) memory tells me that you could use some more catchup.
Now Paul Smith's stroke is something to watch and I think emulate, at least for swimmers taller than 6'0". He has lots of forward extension and more catchup character than almost anyone. His turnover is relatively slow, but his DPS is huge. His body position, head position, and streamline are excellent. He keeps his strong kick behind his body, so his feet do not wander side to side, as yours tend to do. Yes, I think some characteristics of his stroke work particularly well because of his height and armspan and strength, but I suspect everyone would be a better swimmer if they copied him.
