Why so many WRs?

RE: Why so many WRs?

Former Member — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 15:15:47 GMT

I'd grant you that, but I haven't heard of any other major records from any other sports, other than swimming. Swimming isn't the only part of the Olympic Games. What other olympic sports are having so many records being broken this year? Keep in mind that Athletics (Track & Field) hasn't really gotten going yet in the northern hemisphere. In fact, the World Cross Country Championships were just last weekend, so many the distance types won't come out to play for at least another month or more and the sprint whimps whine like the craven dogs they are if the temperature is below 80 F. There were several indoor WR's in track on the women's side this season; none on the men's side. Besides it may be harder in some sports (like track) that are suspected of having "dirty" records from the past to see said records broken - e.g. Kratochvelova's women's 800 m record which will be 25 years oldin July. As I (and others) have said before, swimming is still in its infancy when it comes to being a truly professional sport. I think that we will see a lot of record "turbulence" for a few years as the impact of full-time training on markedly longer careers has it's initial effect. After that, things will calm down. -LBJ

RE: Why so many WRs?

Former Member — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 05:39:59 GMT

I saw a post on here a few years ago that was a joke but holds true. Records will always be broken. In the end, swimmers will finish the race before they start if they keep coming up with new suits, drugs, training methods etc---then they will record the records as -21.00---or -18.00---IMHO :drink:

RE: Why so many WRs?

Former Member — Tue, 01 Apr 2008 05:16:00 GMT

What nobody seems to realize is that many of these new WRholders are avid lurkers of these forums, voraciously devouring invaluable technique, diet and training 'tips' from the collective wisdom of the years of experience possessed by our assembled forumites. That many of these 'tips' are contradictory of one another only illustrates the wonderful diversity of our swimming community e.g. what works for one may produce crippling injury for another. It takes a village to break a WR...

RE: Why so many WRs?

Former Member — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:58:56 GMT

There is one area that is not on the poll that I think is a contributing factor to the contribution of World Records and that is the Advancement of Professional Swimming around the World. Twelve years ago there were not swimmers like Phelps, Lochte, Hoff, Coughlin, etc, etc, that could stay in the sport and make a living as a professional. There were very few swimmers that gave up there NCAA eligibilty to turn professional. In the 1990's the first swimmer I remember doing this was Anita Nall and she did not have the success that was expected from this decision. Today with more sponsorships, professional swimmers can stay in the sport and earn a living where they could not 20 years ago. You had trail blazers like Matt Biondi and Tom Jager that stayed in the sport, but that was about it and they did not have the opportunties that the swimmers today have. Also more Universities and Clubs are welcoming professional swimmers to train and belong with actual meets set up to monitor the progress. There was none of this back in the early 1990's. Swimmers can stay in the sport longer and reach a potential that years ago they couldn't do because of the rules of professional vs amateur in the sport of swimming. In the future I see this area growing and I see the sport becoming better with faster times by swimmers and World Records being broken. Question though-Does your theory apply to the US only? Most foreign swimmers do not have the training system set up(HS/College/Elite swimming)or the financial support like the US does and are much more limited in what they can do long term.I'm thinking here in particular about german swimmers and the decline of their swim program.

RE: Why so many WRs?

Former Member — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:53:46 GMT

OH!!! PED = performance enhancing drug I was wondering why there was all this talk about the short little golfer's socks with the pom-poms, 'cuz that's what I think about when anyone says peds. Also: the scuzzy ones made out of pantyhose material usually supplied by shoe stores for those who arrive sans socks. So, is "PED" leetspeak? Or just another abbreviation I didn't get the memo about (e.g.: SDK)? I vote to not make abbreviations that already match other pop culture references. idk, ima noob - LOL - sry :fish2:

RE: Why so many WRs?

Former Member — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 16:07:25 GMT

21.28 is not just because of the lzr, eamon would have broken that record with a seedo on, i think.

RE: Why so many WRs?

Former Member — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 14:07:23 GMT

I checked All of the above plus PEDs for the sole reason that if you are taking supplements, or any other "Performance Enhancing Drugs" including :roids: you're putting something in your body that wasn't meant to be there in the first place. I never have understood the difference between "Legal" or "Illegal" performance drugs anyways. Does anyone here on earth actually know the long term ramifications of even stuff like Creatine? The answer to that is no! It hasn't been around long enough to be evaluated.....although the more we learn about it.....the more we are told to stay away from it...... Just my :2cents:

RE: Why so many WRs?

Former Member — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 13:54:39 GMT

I checked all of the above, but thats not to say that I don't think performance enhancers aren't in some way connected--I don't necessarily think that all of these major drops in times are reflective of drug usage, but maybe the addition and better understanding of different supplements in their diet and training regiment that have aided in their ability to train harder and further as well.

RE: Why so many WRs?

Frank Thompson — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:45:51 GMT

RE: Why so many WRs?

aztimm — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 12:43:29 GMT

deleted

RE: Why so many WRs?

ande — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 11:20:53 GMT

2 reasons 1) it's an olympic year, let's call that the "Olympic Effect" elite swimmers have a powerful motivating reason to passionately pursue their dreams of glory which helps them focus and train harder to do great at Trials and the Olympics 2) the new IMPROVED suits

RE: Why so many WRs?

Former Member — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:44:53 GMT

You forgot "EVF" and "EDF". And "WTF"... Anna Lea this is my favorite -IDGI, and I really didn't for a very long time.....;)

RE: Why so many WRs?

Former Member — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 09:18:31 GMT

So, is "PED" leetspeak? Or just another abbreviation I didn't get the memo about (e.g.: SDK)? You forgot "EVF" and "EDF". And "WTF"... Anna Lea

RE: Why so many WRs?

Former Member — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 08:06:24 GMT

RE: Why so many WRs?

Former Member — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 05:04:30 GMT

Thanks for your observations on this subject. There is one area that is not on the poll that I think is a contributing factor to the contribution of World Records and that is the Advancement of Professional Swimming around the World. Twelve years ago there were not swimmers like Phelps, Lochte, Hoff, Coughlin, etc, etc, that could stay in the sport and make a living as a professional. There were very few swimmers that gave up there NCAA eligibilty to turn professional. In the 1990's the first swimmer I remember doing this was Anita Nall and she did not have the success that was expected from this decision. Today with more sponsorships, professional swimmers can stay in the sport and earn a living where they could not 20 years ago. You had trail blazers like Matt Biondi and Tom Jager that stayed in the sport, but that was about it and they did not have the opportunties that the swimmers today have. Also more Universities and Clubs are welcoming professional swimmers to train and belong with actual meets set up to monitor the progress. There was none of this back in the early 1990's. Swimmers can stay in the sport longer and reach a potential that years ago they couldn't do because of the rules of professional vs amateur in the sport of swimming. In the future I see this area growing and I see the sport becoming better with faster times by swimmers and World Records being broken.

RE: Why so many WRs?

Redbird Alum — Mon, 31 Mar 2008 04:21:04 GMT

I think people will continue to go faster until we reach the point that it becomes physically impossible to do any more, when arms and legs literally tear themselves out of place in attemping to do so. (Humans are a resilient lot, if not sometimes motivated beyond what's good for them!) I don't know who first coined the following, but I believe it: "To know the limits of possibility requires, at times, that we accomplish the impossible." - Unknown