Swimming Myths

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:53:47 GMT

Beer is bread, and bread is not our friend:frustrated:

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:48:08 GMT

For that age group a little milk and a cat is all you need. They used to say when we were young, if you don't have enough whiskers to shave a little milk and a cat can lick it off.

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:11:55 GMT

For that age group a little milk and a cat is all you need. :rofl: :rofl:

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 14:07:32 GMT

What is the earliest age to allow for shaving down? My 10 year old son is .4 off of his 50 Free zone time, 1.5 off of his 100 time, .3 off on 50 back, and .2 50 fly. He has been growing his head hair since August, he has shaved his head, on his own choice in the past, for 3 large meets. He usually drops time with the head shaved, but I am hesitant to allow him to shave down the skin at age 10. I say no. But, any info out there on how early swimmers do shave down?

RE: Swimming Myths

Allen Stark — Sun, 24 Feb 2008 10:23:13 GMT

I have read several articles that say shaving increases sensitivity.For me shaving cut about 1 sec/100.As I have won and lost races by .02 sec,1 sec is an eternity. Myth,breaststrokers walk like ducks,Oh wait we do.:groovy:

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 17:23:24 GMT

I guess it all boils down to how important those times are to you.

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 08:52:24 GMT

Quote: Originally Posted by Jayhawk forums.usms.org/.../viewpost.gif At the Missouri Grand Prix last weekend, Aaron Piersol wore a nose clip during his 200 Backstroke swim. Anna Lea That's too funny. Seriously though, you think he'd have overcome the use of a clip in the years of practice. when you want saltwater up your nose and not chlorine... you wear a noseclip! Bring on the green monster! Being tubed is the way to go. Thanks Aaron for keeping surfing in the swimming limelight!

RE: Swimming Myths

knelson — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 03:38:19 GMT

On a practical note...for me, a major benefit of the suit is reducing the amount of shaving that needs to be done! This is true, but don't you sort of miss that feeling you get the first time you dive in after shaving? You just feel so slick and smooth in the water. Actually a lot like what the Speedo athletes reported feeling like when wearing the LZR suit. I guess you can duplicate the feeling of a good shave now by plunking down a mere $550 :)

RE: Swimming Myths

Chris Stevenson — Sat, 23 Feb 2008 02:56:46 GMT

seems to imply that even if one wears a body suit, that shaving can still have significant benefits. I would think it would depend on the mechanism. The article quotes someone who speculates that shaving reduces stimuli to the nervous system, and this is the reason for the performance enhancement. This hypothesis was not tested, but IF it is true then it seems to me that the suit would replicate that effect with or without shaving. I can see what the person is saying, but after shaving I always simply felt faster, even in warmup. I didn't feel "isolated" from the water in the same way as I do with the technical suits. On a practical note...for me, a major benefit of the suit is reducing the amount of shaving that needs to be done!

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 16:12:47 GMT

I'm curious if the effects that study proposes still occur even if the body part isn't exposed to the water? I.e. if I wear a legskin, but shave my legs, will there be further lactate reduction than what was just from muscle compression.

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 13:31:55 GMT

Excellent versatility! But, taking pity on the poor sprinters... I'm sure most here would agree that 50's are less PAINFUL but not necessarily EASIER to do well. In fact, my main problem with 50s is that 1-2 mistakes can make such a huge difference in a race, whereas in races of 200+ that is less likely to occur. In other words, 50s and even 100s are less "forgiving" races, meaning you probably need greater mental focus at race time. In longer races you can rely on training to cover sloppy, unfocused races. (Of course, even better is to be both focused and fit.) And training for speed is not easy either. I have reluctantly included 50s in my races simply as a way to improve my 100s. I find that improving longer races can be easier -- just up the yardage -- while improving speed can be difficult. (Poking fun at sprinters is probably a holdover of my college career when they used to get out 30 min before the distance folk, with whom I often trained. Plus their pre-race "pump-up" rituals are sometimes just so weird, it makes them easy targets!) I really agree on sprint training. We'll usually do a distance set and the switch to sprint and I feel like I'm about to die. It's sort of like prolonged moderate, sick to your stomach pain (distance) or severe, intense, short pain (sprint.) Pick your poison. I find it easier to focus intensely for sub :30 seconds as opposed to moderate focus for 5 and 18 minutes.

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 12:59:24 GMT

I wanted to go to the swimming pool by taking a bus. I mythed the bus so did did not get to the pool. If you mythed the buth you should have taken a takthee...........

RE: Swimming Myths

knelson — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 11:21:07 GMT

An hour or so shaving just isn't worth it for a 10 sec gain over the course of a meet. See, now I think even a one second gain in speed makes it worthwhile. I'm training hard all year to swim fast. Why not do what I can at my taper meet to ensure I swim as fast as possible?

RE: Swimming Myths

Iwannafly — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 09:32:33 GMT

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 08:18:28 GMT

Go unshaven for sure gives a man strength??? Cut your hair you will be weaker, I read that in a very old book. I think Samson became weaker after his head was shaved. Except I have never been faster when I've shaved. As a matter of fact the fastest I've ever been for a 100 was with a full thick beard. While I'd admit that it might take a few hundredths of a second off, there's no way that it can take seconds off of a hundred.

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 08:11:52 GMT

Yes, shaving makes you faster. In my opinion it is absolutely incontrovertible. And, no, you don't have to be Chewbacca or Robin Williams for it to make a difference. Except I have never been faster when I've shaved. As a matter of fact the fastest I've ever been for a 100 was with a full thick beard. While I'd admit that it might take a few hundredths of a second off, there's no way that it can take seconds off of a hundred.

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 07:53:22 GMT

RE: Swimming Myths

aztimm — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 07:26:45 GMT

Except I have never been faster when I've shaved. As a matter of fact the fastest I've ever been for a 100 was with a full thick beard. While I'd admit that it might take a few hundredths of a second off, there's no way that it can take seconds off of a hundred. Yea, same for me. I don't ever grow a beard, but I don't think they are referring to facial hair when people reference shaving. For most swimmers, I think they mean body hair (chest, arms, legs, etc). I've shaved and not shaved, all swimming in the same pool, all within a few months' span, back when I was actively doing meets, with very little, if any, difference in my times. In fact, one of my events (200 br) was 2-3 sec slower after shaving, while the day prior the 100 br was maybe a second faster. No rhyme or reason for any of it. For me, it all comes down to the time/money I'm investing -v- the outcome. An hour or so shaving just isn't worth it for a 10 sec gain over the course of a meet. Same would be true for a body suit (the seconds saved -v- the cost to purchase and time put on).

RE: Swimming Myths

knelson — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 03:46:40 GMT

there's no way that it can take seconds off of a hundred. Well, it does for me.

RE: Swimming Myths

knelson — Fri, 22 Feb 2008 02:43:59 GMT

I can't comment on the other four, but the first one seems to be fact Yes, shaving makes you faster. In my opinion it is absolutely incontrovertible. And, no, you don't have to be Chewbacca or Robin Williams for it to make a difference.

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 17:09:31 GMT

here's the thread where you can debunk swimming myths. state the myth or the incorrect belief people have then then tell us how it really is You can't burn bodyfat by swimming. Donna Hooe. Myth busted! WTG Donna BTW! Me too, but not much, though still going.

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 15:30:25 GMT

I always eat before I swim. No problem. Screw mornings. Every morning? Lucky you! :lmao::bolt: At the Missouri Grand Prix last weekend, Aaron Piersol wore a nose clip during his 200 Backstroke swim. Anna Lea That's too funny. Seriously though, you think he'd have overcome the use of a clip in the years of practice.

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 15:28:45 GMT

Nerdy swimmers wear nose clips too. :wine: (trust me, SStud, no one wants to swim through what I'm currently expeling through my nostrils)

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 15:14:15 GMT

Only nerdy non-swimmers wear nose clips. At the Missouri Grand Prix last weekend, Aaron Piersol wore a nose clip during his 200 Backstroke swim. Anna Lea

RE: Swimming Myths

Former Member — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 14:28:33 GMT

Things that I think are myths (or mabe just a rant on my part) through my own personal experience: 1. Shaving makes you faster: I’ve shaved my head a few times and believe that can make a difference. As for body hair, unless you’re Chewbacca, it’s all mental. Also, I lost sleep when I used to shave b/c it felt so different. Wouldn’t lack of sleep be detrimental to my performance? 2. Swimming is a great way to exercise and not cause injury: Ridiculous to me. If you’re going to jazzercise in the water, then sure, probably no injuries. If you’re really working out, it’s probably only a matter of time before something breaks. Most competitive swimmers I know have broken something or paid the price later in life. 3. Swimmers are not divers: A lot of gorfs like to ask me about some of the dives I do, that’s when I have to explain that diving and swimming are separate sports. 4. The speedo swimsuit: No, not all male swimmers wear the bikini style suit in practice (I wear one under my training suit), also it is very rare at meets now. It is a myth that we all wear these things to the beach, except Ande, he wears his everywhere, even the Grammys :). 5. Swimmers have long mucles: Don’t know what this means, but it has been said a few times to me from older generations. Swimmers have the same muscles as everyone else, not sure if that means they’re long or short. Old timers can chime in on this one. I can't comment on the other four, but the first one seems to be fact: see this article. www.usmsswimmer.com/.../splashback.pdf