We all know that drafting off someone allows you to go faster with less effort, I am wondering if being drafted off of slows one down? Anyone know?
Parents
Former Member
First, you need to understand why drafting works.
If you kick off from the side of the pool and streamline without stroking or kicking, you will eventually stop. The reason is drag, a process by which your momentum gets transferred to the water around you. This moving water surrounds you as you swim and fans out behind you, so a swimmer who is near you can grab onto that moving water and steal some of its momentum.
But drafting will not slow you down, because the momentum the drafter is stealing is momentum you have already lost to the water. You would not be able to get that momentum back even if the drafter hadn't stolen it.
First, you need to understand why drafting works.
If you kick off from the side of the pool and streamline without stroking or kicking, you will eventually stop. The reason is drag, a process by which your momentum gets transferred to the water around you. This moving water surrounds you as you swim and fans out behind you, so a swimmer who is near you can grab onto that moving water and steal some of its momentum.
But drafting will not slow you down, because the momentum the drafter is stealing is momentum you have already lost to the water. You would not be able to get that momentum back even if the drafter hadn't stolen it.
