That's it, all you ancient swim romantics have convinced me. We need to ban the new suits and require everyone to wear the same type (not brand). We just have to decide which is the 'right' model.
I submit that you revisionist dogs who think that briefs are it don't know much about swimming history. I'm attaching a photo of Duke Kahanamoku with this message to show you what the competition swimwear was like in the first part of the 20th century.
Clearly men were men here and could be one with the water. The suit certainly never helped or hindered and one could feel every molecule of water swirling by during the swim. Ah, those were the days.
Who do we have to thank for the loss of such elegant swimwear used by the Duke? Was it Adolph Kiefer? Who introduced the horrible brief innovation into the sport? Whoever it was, they should be removed from the Hall of Fame, stricken from all records, and never spoken of again!
I had some time drops at the NW zone meet this weekend, and I had a speedo FS2 legskin, the first time I've worn a racing-type suit. I'm sort of wondering how much of the improvement was due to training, taper, faster pool, and finally the suit. There is a temptation to go buy the fastest racing suit available, but I also want to see what I'm capable of without the benefit of a racing suit, so I'll probably just keep the FS2 and only wear it for big meets, and just use a normal suit at other meets.
In my case I'm not competing against anyone for the most part, I just want to reach and beat my old times. If I were to beat my 500 free time from 1986 using an LZR suit for example, I'd have some nagging doubts about if I really beat it or what I would have gotten in 1986 if the LZR had been around then.
David, if you are just competing against yourself, then consider not wearing the suit. Last weekend I did my fastest 500 since 1995, wearing only conventional briefs. In my other races I came close to or beat all my times from last year when I wore the FSII kneeskin.
I'm not on a mission to ban the LZR or convert anyone, but I was wondering exactly the same thing as you -- how much me, how much the suit? -- and it is kind of nice to answer the question and not to have to worry about the gyrations necessary to put on all that carp.
It also makes it so much easier to pee just before a race.:laugh2:
I had some time drops at the NW zone meet this weekend, and I had a speedo FS2 legskin, the first time I've worn a racing-type suit. I'm sort of wondering how much of the improvement was due to training, taper, faster pool, and finally the suit. There is a temptation to go buy the fastest racing suit available, but I also want to see what I'm capable of without the benefit of a racing suit, so I'll probably just keep the FS2 and only wear it for big meets, and just use a normal suit at other meets.
In my case I'm not competing against anyone for the most part, I just want to reach and beat my old times. If I were to beat my 500 free time from 1986 using an LZR suit for example, I'd have some nagging doubts about if I really beat it or what I would have gotten in 1986 if the LZR had been around then.
David, if you are just competing against yourself, then consider not wearing the suit. Last weekend I did my fastest 500 since 1995, wearing only conventional briefs. In my other races I came close to or beat all my times from last year when I wore the FSII kneeskin.
I'm not on a mission to ban the LZR or convert anyone, but I was wondering exactly the same thing as you -- how much me, how much the suit? -- and it is kind of nice to answer the question and not to have to worry about the gyrations necessary to put on all that carp.
It also makes it so much easier to pee just before a race.:laugh2:
