The Fastest Age

I thought my position was clear: Everything else being equal , VO2max (or better,%VO2max) will in most cases win a race. But VO2max, like other adaptations to exercise, begins to decline when training stops. So I believe that adults with a background of age group and/or college swimming have an advantage due to their technique which was imprinted years earlier. Remember that VO2max is more of a factor in endurance events; most former age groupers can swim a decent 50 without much training, but will struggle at longer distances unless they put in the yardage. Is VO2max important? Of course it is, but Ion seems to underestimate the importance of technique. I disagree with his statement that swimming is not ballet. This is basic physics--swimming with poor technique is an inefficient application of force and wastes energy (which is a limited resource).

I thought my position was clear: Everything else being equal , VO2max (or better,%VO2max) will in most cases win a race. But VO2max, like other adaptations to exercise, begins to decline when training stops. So I believe that adults with a background of age group and/or college swimming have an advantage due to their technique which was imprinted years earlier. Remember that VO2max is more of a factor in endurance events; most former age groupers can swim a decent 50 without much training, but will struggle at longer distances unless they put in the yardage. Is VO2max important? Of course it is, but Ion seems to underestimate the importance of technique. I disagree with his statement that swimming is not ballet. This is basic physics--swimming with poor technique is an inefficient application of force and wastes energy (which is a limited resource).