Ultimate Swim Times

Former Member
Former Member
When considering the overall speed of swimmers in the past and present it seems that although times are still dropping for swim events there is a "dropping off"graphically of time improvement..now do you think this could mean that there will be an ultimate saturated speed time that will never get beat?i think that unless we evolve say webbed feet or the like then this is possible....thoughts?
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  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Going farther off the wall doesn't necessarily mean going faster, right? Howard, NO NO NO. How far you go off the wall is directly porportional to your speed. Generally your drag component and the water density are constant, as is the force you apply to the wall. The only way to go faster is to some how lower the drag component. Slick body suits and caps are helpfull, but very small changes to body position have the biggest affect. The goal is not how far you go off the wall, other wise I might go 20 yards from a push. It is about maintaining the fast speed off the wall, converting the streamline into breakout swimming speed, which depends on the stroke. For me in breaststroke, I go the first 3 seconds about 12 yards, count to 2 and pull down, then one second to the kick to the suface. Most good male swimmers I have coached only go 9-10 yards in that first 3 seconds. Those know me also know I do not look hydrodynamic, polite for fat. But 20 years of working on my underwater, and being able to squat 1080 pounds gives me a huge advantage off the starts and each turn:D :D I have large wide shoulders, but after using the ROM strap for 10 years, can get into a tighter streamline than others with MUCH smaller shoulders. For those who do not know of the ROM strap, look on www.breaststroke.
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  • Former Member
    Former Member
    Going farther off the wall doesn't necessarily mean going faster, right? Howard, NO NO NO. How far you go off the wall is directly porportional to your speed. Generally your drag component and the water density are constant, as is the force you apply to the wall. The only way to go faster is to some how lower the drag component. Slick body suits and caps are helpfull, but very small changes to body position have the biggest affect. The goal is not how far you go off the wall, other wise I might go 20 yards from a push. It is about maintaining the fast speed off the wall, converting the streamline into breakout swimming speed, which depends on the stroke. For me in breaststroke, I go the first 3 seconds about 12 yards, count to 2 and pull down, then one second to the kick to the suface. Most good male swimmers I have coached only go 9-10 yards in that first 3 seconds. Those know me also know I do not look hydrodynamic, polite for fat. But 20 years of working on my underwater, and being able to squat 1080 pounds gives me a huge advantage off the starts and each turn:D :D I have large wide shoulders, but after using the ROM strap for 10 years, can get into a tighter streamline than others with MUCH smaller shoulders. For those who do not know of the ROM strap, look on www.breaststroke.
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