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, listen to your coaches and use your best judgement on what needs improvement in your stroke. I have nothing against strong kicks, and have one myself. What *I* saw was that when you were tired your legs spread too far apart. That is, you were doing what Emmett discussed in another thread:and kicking outside the tube the rest of your body is swimming through.
But I only watched you swim one event, and my memory is that your stroke got worse when you were tired.
Us old-time Red Cross Swimming instructors know of a stroke called 'trudgeon crawl' which uses a scissors kick (I don't know if it is still taught); it is a pleasant stroke to swim easy, but not so good if you want to swim fast. Your stroke isn't that bad, but I did think about it when I watched you swim your last lap.
A strong kick is good, but as Emmett says, a strong kick that serves mainly to keep your body in a reasonably level position uses up a lot of excess energy, as does a kick that strays into what should be still water. The last time I swam a 200 back, my legs started to get tired on the fourth length. There was no way I could continue to swim the way I was for another four, so I reduced the intensity of my kick and worked on my body position to lift my hips. My legs felt less tired at the end, and I still did my best masters time.
A humbling test, which I don't pass, is to swim with your feet tied together and no floatation device. I do it with by toes interlocked. Pretty soon my feet are two feet under. If that happens you know at least part of your kick is serving to maintain body position.
Also, something I try to remember kicking off the wall: small and fast, not big and strong. We want to be in 'fifth gear,' not 'first.'
Ion, listen to your coaches and use your best judgement on what needs improvement in your stroke. I have nothing against strong kicks, and have one myself. What *I* saw was that when you were tired your legs spread too far apart. That is, you were doing what Emmett discussed in another thread:and kicking outside the tube the rest of your body is swimming through.
But I only watched you swim one event, and my memory is that your stroke got worse when you were tired.
Us old-time Red Cross Swimming instructors know of a stroke called 'trudgeon crawl' which uses a scissors kick (I don't know if it is still taught); it is a pleasant stroke to swim easy, but not so good if you want to swim fast. Your stroke isn't that bad, but I did think about it when I watched you swim your last lap.
A strong kick is good, but as Emmett says, a strong kick that serves mainly to keep your body in a reasonably level position uses up a lot of excess energy, as does a kick that strays into what should be still water. The last time I swam a 200 back, my legs started to get tired on the fourth length. There was no way I could continue to swim the way I was for another four, so I reduced the intensity of my kick and worked on my body position to lift my hips. My legs felt less tired at the end, and I still did my best masters time.
A humbling test, which I don't pass, is to swim with your feet tied together and no floatation device. I do it with by toes interlocked. Pretty soon my feet are two feet under. If that happens you know at least part of your kick is serving to maintain body position.
Also, something I try to remember kicking off the wall: small and fast, not big and strong. We want to be in 'fifth gear,' not 'first.'
