Thanks to all who responded to my other post...don't stop! I appreciate what you all have to say, even if it's the same as everyone else.
I think I have a good idea of what you all think about my question, but I'm slow and I like numbers, so this poll is just an addition to my original post.
The question, again, is - can I, a beginning swimmer, benefit from shaving down in order to get a better feel for the water and be more aware of my movements in the water? A former swimmer / good friend suggested I do this.
Thanks in advance for your continued response.
Former Member
I shave before meets, but only because I'm female. I think most of the improvement from shaving is mental, not physical, so it's not important unless you're really trying to swim fast in an important race.
Originally posted by dorothyrde
Personally, I don't see the point at the level you are at. You are going to make improvements without the shaving because you are a newbie. You need to think more about the technique of learning to swim, and shaving is not going to help that greatly. When swimmers shave for their tapered meets, they are trying to eek out 10ths, or even 100ths. I am with you.
Originally posted by knelson
it's about whether a novice swimmers would benefit from shaving down in order to improve technique.
And that is the million dollar question. It is my opinion that it would be a waste of time to shave down at this point. But hey, what do you have to lose? Some time, shaving cream, and a razor or two? It seems like you have SOME desire to do this since it has been posted in two seperate threads now. I would not do it but I think that maybe youi should just so you can see what it's all about. No regrets.
Shaving has very little to do with the amount of hair on your body, unless, like someone said, you look like robin williams. We had one guy on my college team who looked like he was wearing a 'hair suit' after he shaved, ... Never mind.
The feel you get, is from exfoliating those layers of dead, unfeeling skin we all collect. Why do competitive swimmers shave every day they have an event at a championship week. It's not to get the stubble left over from the previous shave. It's to remove any dead skin which may have formed since. I shave my palms (HEY NOW, NO JOKES) and bottoms of my feet. One would think this might cause your hands and feet to 'slip' through the water, but in actuality, it gives your hands a higher sensitivity to water pressure and 'slipage'.
We had a theory that the overall advantage to shaving, was about 30% psychological and 70% physical, and the shave was always good for 2 seconds per 100yds. 100 breaststroke, I could just break a minute tapered/unshaved, with taper/shave, another 2 seconds(57). 200, 2:09 tapered/unshaved, 2:04 tapered/shaved. Roughly the same with the fly 52/50 1:56/1:52
To GloBuggie, I suggest you refrain from shaving for 4 months prior to championships, then come back and tell us the difference. Our college women's team, the girls were not allowed to shave the entire season. There was this one girl, eeeww.... Forget that too. :)
Tom Bucey a great marathon swimmer entered a race and he applied graphite grease to his body, he told everybody before the race the graphite grease would let his body slide through the water and when he was hit by the waves the waves would not effect him. He got out of the water the grease went solid and he could barely swim. He had to use coal oil to remove the grease from his body. It did not help maybe he should have shaved instead. Jack Nelson was the first swimmer I had ever seen who shaved.
Brad's right.
Make your friend do it first.
Unless you're really hairy.I mean carpet chest hairy.Then don't bother.It wont make any difference at all.
If you don't believe me then just shave one side of your body first.If you swim in circles then you know it works and you can do the other side.:D
