After seeing a woman break 24 seconds and I think we can stop the discussion of "IF" the LZR suit is faster and start thinking "how much faster".
The previous line of suits (Fastskin and so on) were pretty similiar to a shaved swimmer. Sure - they do feel like they make you float, but overall the times seemed to move along "in line" with what I would expect to see in terms of improvements in the sport. If the previous suits would have been that much faster than shaving, you would have never seen people just using the legskins. By the way - for us Masters swimmers there was always the added benefit of keeping in all the "extra layers of skin".
So how much faster are the LZR suits ?
If I had to guess based on the results so far, I would say 0.25 to 0.30 per 50 and double that for the 100. I can see the Bernard going 48 low in the 100 and I can see Sullivan getting close or just breaking the 50 record. It makes sense that Libby Lenton would swim a 24.2 or so in the 50.
I think one of the top regular teams out there should do a test - you need a good amount of world class swimmers training together to be able to do a test. Here is the test I would propose:
8-10 swimmers
2 days of testing
4x50 on 10 minutes all out
Day 1 - swim 2 with a Fastskin2 followed by 2 with the LZR
Day 2 - swim 2 with the LZR followed by 2 with the Fastskin2
Get the averages of all 10 swimmers - maybe drop the high and low and there you go.
Why do the test ? I would HAVE to know. Swimming is a big part of your life and you just set a massive PR using this new technology - my very first question would be " How much was me and how much was the suit?"?
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Former Member
I just think at the point where you've got to wonder if the guy next to you beat you because he was wearing a fancier suit rather than talent, technique and training then the sport has lost something. The only way to avoid this is to require a standard suit.
Continuing along this line of thinking:
--Runners would all be required to wear the same brand and style of shoes (and no bodysuits or Flo-Jo fingernails)
--Cyclists would all be required to ride the same model of bicycle, wear the same style of helmet, and wear the same jerseys and shorts
--Snow skiiers would all be issued identical skis
--Speed skaters would have to wear identical skates
--Bobsledders would all have to share the same bobsled
I just think at the point where you've got to wonder if the guy next to you beat you because he was wearing a fancier suit rather than talent, technique and training then the sport has lost something. The only way to avoid this is to require a standard suit.
Continuing along this line of thinking:
--Runners would all be required to wear the same brand and style of shoes (and no bodysuits or Flo-Jo fingernails)
--Cyclists would all be required to ride the same model of bicycle, wear the same style of helmet, and wear the same jerseys and shorts
--Snow skiiers would all be issued identical skis
--Speed skaters would have to wear identical skates
--Bobsledders would all have to share the same bobsled
