The Fastest Age

Originally posted by gull80 Perhaps there are two questions: !. Why isn't Ion swimming faster than he is? 2. Are "late starters" at a relative disadvantage on a physiological basis (Ion's theory--underdeveloped VO2max) that cannot be overcome regardless of the amount of training? Maybe Ion isn't swimming faster due to his technique, or maybe he just needs more time. My understanding is that Ion had been swimming since his late twenties. He recently said that he is around 44 years of age. As for swimmers not reaching their potential because of the late start, how do you evaluate and quantify what certain individual potential could have been had they started earlier? Also, correct me if I'm wrong, last I read about VO2Max, I was left under the impression that a lof of finer points of it are not yet completey understood in medical or sports community. Also, I read that a larger part of the VO2Max capoacity is due to heredity, rather than early sports development. So, how do we quantify just how much of an advantage early development gives to someone???

Originally posted by gull80 Perhaps there are two questions: !. Why isn't Ion swimming faster than he is? 2. Are "late starters" at a relative disadvantage on a physiological basis (Ion's theory--underdeveloped VO2max) that cannot be overcome regardless of the amount of training? Maybe Ion isn't swimming faster due to his technique, or maybe he just needs more time. My understanding is that Ion had been swimming since his late twenties. He recently said that he is around 44 years of age. As for swimmers not reaching their potential because of the late start, how do you evaluate and quantify what certain individual potential could have been had they started earlier? Also, correct me if I'm wrong, last I read about VO2Max, I was left under the impression that a lof of finer points of it are not yet completey understood in medical or sports community. Also, I read that a larger part of the VO2Max capoacity is due to heredity, rather than early sports development. So, how do we quantify just how much of an advantage early development gives to someone???