Dara just one the national title in the 100M Freestyle in 54.4 at the ripe old age of 40. Simply Incredible. :applaud: :woot:
If that's not inspiring I don't know what is.
If she was "muscling" her freestyle I think you would see it. Her stroke is so efficient, fluid and flawless. Put reasonable strength into the equation and wala.
Strength can be maintained and sometimes peaked in athletes at late 30's.
Well, that's probably a big part of it isn't it? Technique is huge in swimming, so maybe she was physically capable of even faster times when she was young and just didn't have quite good enough technique to take advantage of it at the time.
Using a much less illustrious example (moi), I was in exceptionally good shape in my 20's from running, cycling, cross-country skiing and weight training, but could barely swim 2 lengths of a 25 meter pool. Now I'm old and fat and not in anywhere near such good condition, but can easily swim a mile or more all at once and can occasionally pass much younger and fitter looking people (I don't know who is more surprised, them or me). In any other aerobic sport this would look like an impossible transformation, but I know it's because I've spent hours and hours trying to improve my technique.
If she was "muscling" her freestyle I think you would see it. Her stroke is so efficient, fluid and flawless. Put reasonable strength into the equation and wala.
Strength can be maintained and sometimes peaked in athletes at late 30's.
Well, that's probably a big part of it isn't it? Technique is huge in swimming, so maybe she was physically capable of even faster times when she was young and just didn't have quite good enough technique to take advantage of it at the time.
Using a much less illustrious example (moi), I was in exceptionally good shape in my 20's from running, cycling, cross-country skiing and weight training, but could barely swim 2 lengths of a 25 meter pool. Now I'm old and fat and not in anywhere near such good condition, but can easily swim a mile or more all at once and can occasionally pass much younger and fitter looking people (I don't know who is more surprised, them or me). In any other aerobic sport this would look like an impossible transformation, but I know it's because I've spent hours and hours trying to improve my technique.
