Just measured my arm span six feet, six & three quarters of an inch and 6' 2" in height. Phelps 6' 7" arm span. When they tested my lung size in 1953 they said I had the largest lung capacity they had ever tested until that time. It must have helped. Minimal training about 800 yards a day and raced against the best of my time.
George Park www.swimdownhill.com
Former Member
I think any swimmer would benefit from having longer limbs. But at the end of the day it's not what's on the outside, because I'd have to say that what's "under the hood" is far more important. You could be seven feet tall, but no engine means no performance.
PS..nice website.
... and 800yds. is considered a warm-up these days. Imagine what could have been with a little more training...:)
My 800 yards a day was a consequence of being sick from 1952 until 1960, if I swam hard for 500 meters I would go unconcious. For some reason after 1960, I no longer went out after 500 meters of hard swimming and I started swimming marathon races of 10 miles to 30 miles and was ranked in the top 5 for10 years after that. In training for the marathon swims I would swim in open water 1hr, 2hr, and 3 hr work outs some times twice a day. I would do 1 hr 5 min for three miles, 5 miles in just under 2 hrs. Everyone thought I should train more when preparing for the Olympics etc. it just was not possible.
George
