Does anyone else ever have the perception that each pool has one direction that is "faster" than the other? I swear that this is true, but can't really imagine the physics of why it would be so. In particular, it seems to me that going from the deep end to the shallow end almost always seems "faster" than going from the shallow end into the deep end. I speak specifically of 25 yard pools with one end about 12 feet deep and the other end about 3-4 feet deep since I have little experience with anything else. In all cases, the water jets are symmetrical in placement and seem to be pushing out the same amount of water (roughly). These are also indoor pools, so there are no wind effects and we aren't talking about when the water buffalo...err... water aerobics people are creating tsunami in the shallow end.
Or am I crazy? (No cheap shots on that one.)
-LBJ
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Leonard:
Great question….!
I believe pools are sometimes faster swimming one direction then the other. In fact, I swam in two pools in TX where this was the case and both were caused by (previously posted) water jets pushing water in one direction more then the other. We tested both pools and found they were slightly faster in one direction then the other.
In reality, and partly based on the other thread going strong on this discussion forum, I believe pools are faster due to the VO2 Max phenomenon. I.e.:…As I previously posted, when swimmers use VO2 Shampoo during swims, it has much the same effect as dimples on a golf ball in flight. However, special care must be taken when VO2 Max is used during swims because swimmers can actually end the race before they begin if they use to much VO2 Max shampoo. Of course, my theory regarding VO2 Max is just that, it is theory, and much of my theory is as valid as some of the thought process posted regarding blood vessels in arms and all of that type stuff.
Lastly, it is my experience that often the “pool demons” pull swimmers they like in one direction faster then the other because they have specific bus/swimmer pulling routes they must adhere to while assisting swimmers in their care. Again, this theory is simply a microcosm of the thought process surrounding blood vessels in certain swimmers being superior to others. And, this does not take into account the vast amounts of swimmers who have swam for life that cannot rely on the theory that they have a competitive advantage due to their life long swimming. Of coarse, the use of VO2 Max shampoo will greatly hinder the swim demons from assisting you during your pool swims because they do not like the sting it puts in their eyes, thus times in one direction will equal the other during use of VO2 Max shampoo.
Leonard:
Great question….!
I believe pools are sometimes faster swimming one direction then the other. In fact, I swam in two pools in TX where this was the case and both were caused by (previously posted) water jets pushing water in one direction more then the other. We tested both pools and found they were slightly faster in one direction then the other.
In reality, and partly based on the other thread going strong on this discussion forum, I believe pools are faster due to the VO2 Max phenomenon. I.e.:…As I previously posted, when swimmers use VO2 Shampoo during swims, it has much the same effect as dimples on a golf ball in flight. However, special care must be taken when VO2 Max is used during swims because swimmers can actually end the race before they begin if they use to much VO2 Max shampoo. Of course, my theory regarding VO2 Max is just that, it is theory, and much of my theory is as valid as some of the thought process posted regarding blood vessels in arms and all of that type stuff.
Lastly, it is my experience that often the “pool demons” pull swimmers they like in one direction faster then the other because they have specific bus/swimmer pulling routes they must adhere to while assisting swimmers in their care. Again, this theory is simply a microcosm of the thought process surrounding blood vessels in certain swimmers being superior to others. And, this does not take into account the vast amounts of swimmers who have swam for life that cannot rely on the theory that they have a competitive advantage due to their life long swimming. Of coarse, the use of VO2 Max shampoo will greatly hinder the swim demons from assisting you during your pool swims because they do not like the sting it puts in their eyes, thus times in one direction will equal the other during use of VO2 Max shampoo.
