Are current swimmers actually that much "faster" ? Maybe Not ...

RE: Are current swimmers actually that much "faster" ? Maybe Not ...

01YWM — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 20:31:48 GMT

Ralph Hemecker

RE: Are current swimmers actually that much "faster" ? Maybe Not ...

01YWM — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 20:31:01 GMT

At age 92 just quit teaching advanced swimming. Sat in the waiting room confronted by the Y's record holders. As a 16 year old varsity swimmer I looked at the leaderI-board and and saw I had beaten the current record holder. It is then that I realized I was looking at the 10 year old results. Oh well. Ralph Hemecker

RE: Are current swimmers actually that much "faster" ? Maybe Not ...

Erik Hochstein — Tue, 27 May 2025 23:13:03 GMT

Another "lesson" I just realized - lets say you swim a 200 Free in short course and using the underwater kick is actually the same speed or time compared to just pushing off well and swimming .... your race though is totally different !! you do 3-4 good underwater kicks you swim 5 yards less freestyle in your race - so 8 laps = 40 yards less Freestyle swimming !!! Yes you need to train your body to absorb the kick but it will - this is like swimming a 150 yards free for your body !!! Another huge reason - this day and age of swimming is sooooo different !!

RE: Are current swimmers actually that much "faster" ? Maybe Not ...

Karl_S — Mon, 12 May 2025 23:48:09 GMT

Underwaters and & technology certainly dominate the time drops. Take away underwaters, flip turns, and starting ledges from today's backstrokers and make them swim in 1980 suits and goggles and suddenly John Naber will look very competitive again for sure. I also wonder about the excitement over "taking down the supersuit records". Today's "fabric" suits may be darn near as fast as the 2009-era supersuits.