Is Swimming Still An Athletic Activity Or Is It Now A Mechanized Sport?
Former Member
Yeah, I know I’m going to get a lot of really negative comments on this one, but I ran across this article on the mechanical engineering techniques (computational hydrodynamic analysis) involved in the design of the FastSkin II suits:
www.fluent.com/.../pr69.htm
I can see where this “suit technology” approach can be of great advantage if you’re into some kind of commercial swimming or diving work, or in a military application that requires personnel swimmers involved in amphibious operations (such as the Navy Seals or the Marines).
And maybe, the Olympics and FINA should have a “RoboSwimmer” division (something similar to NASCAR) where all the latest speed enhancing/drag reducing and flotation assisting gadgets and gimmicks can be shown off.
Hey -eventually, the writers at MAD Magazine will catch onto this suit technology craze and come up with some ideas of their own such as “bubble wrap” skin (for enhanced buoyancy), a built in snorkel (no more hassle of timed breathing you had to learn back in Swimming 101-A), and of course -body fins- (to produce wake turbulence) and “wipe out” anyone who might be catching up in the adjacent lanes behind you!
I’m not kidding either - this issue is becoming hotly debated by swimming coaches too:
www-rohan.sdsu.edu/.../table.htm
But seriously, FastSkin II just amounts to another commercial product that anyone can go out and buy for the money. But in the end, the person with the real competitive edge is going to be one who has true athletic ability and has spent the more time practicing in the pool than anyone else in the race.
I would hope that we can stay with the traditional athletic approach instead of who's the most technology advanced.
Happy Swimming
Dolphin 2
:D
Parents
Former Member
Since I initiated this thread, I’ve been doing a lot of research on this subject and I doubt that a shark would experience any difference in swimming ability if its skin texture were like that of a human. Conversely, the human body form is not designed for rapid maneuvering in an aquatic environment and covering it with synthetic shark skin would not reduce drag any significant amount either.
Accordingly, the conclusions given on the third paragraph of this page are what I’ve suspected the truth is all along:
amos.indiana.edu/.../supersuits.html
And on the concluding paragraph on this page also:
www.coachesinfo.com/.../146
In my opinion, breaking a record by “1/100” of a second in an simple athletic event like swimming is pretty frivolous, however splitting a hair several ways is what makes the news when it comes to sports hyperbole.
As I’ve thought all along, I believe this FastSkin II hype is really about adding a “futuristic and glamorous look” to swimming (which some Hollywood cinema people inappropriately think has been an unfashionable sport) and getting commercial publicity for the manufacturers of these suits at televised events. Of course, there’s the “Me Too” effect where even your Average Joe swimmer will go out and spend big $$$$ to keep up with the fad.
Nothing against Speedo, Tyr, or Adidas, but what I’d really love to see is a few Olympic swimmers wearing “plain old vanilla” racer briefs win more medals than anyone with those high tech suits. I’d really be “LMAO” until my head aches!
Happy Swimming :D
Since I initiated this thread, I’ve been doing a lot of research on this subject and I doubt that a shark would experience any difference in swimming ability if its skin texture were like that of a human. Conversely, the human body form is not designed for rapid maneuvering in an aquatic environment and covering it with synthetic shark skin would not reduce drag any significant amount either.
Accordingly, the conclusions given on the third paragraph of this page are what I’ve suspected the truth is all along:
amos.indiana.edu/.../supersuits.html
And on the concluding paragraph on this page also:
www.coachesinfo.com/.../146
In my opinion, breaking a record by “1/100” of a second in an simple athletic event like swimming is pretty frivolous, however splitting a hair several ways is what makes the news when it comes to sports hyperbole.
As I’ve thought all along, I believe this FastSkin II hype is really about adding a “futuristic and glamorous look” to swimming (which some Hollywood cinema people inappropriately think has been an unfashionable sport) and getting commercial publicity for the manufacturers of these suits at televised events. Of course, there’s the “Me Too” effect where even your Average Joe swimmer will go out and spend big $$$$ to keep up with the fad.
Nothing against Speedo, Tyr, or Adidas, but what I’d really love to see is a few Olympic swimmers wearing “plain old vanilla” racer briefs win more medals than anyone with those high tech suits. I’d really be “LMAO” until my head aches!
Happy Swimming :D
