I (and many, many others) have posed this question before: If the suit does NOT provide any swimmer with an advantage over another (and everyone is in fact competing on a level playing field), what is really being achieved (except adding NASCAR appeal to swimming) by introducing all these mechanical aids in the first place?
On the other hand, if tech suits DO provide an advantage, then that's a No-No and another nail in the coffin for these suits.
In both of these cases, the logical solution is to just go back to Square 1 and have FINA dispense with tech suits altogether. Then go back to having everyone wearing simple briefs and the swimmer with the best body and atheletic mind will still win.
However, the main difference is that the world records (for a given distance and technique) themselves may not have been broken at the rate they have been prior to low drag suits being brought into the game.
Be the same reasoning, one thing that I have a problem with is the suit manufacturers boasting how a world's record was set with their suit. We are looking at who really is the best at swimming -not which company is the best at making faster swim suits.
Happy swimming
Dolphin 2 :)
I think this thread is about Phelps - not the suit. My point is that his medal achievements at the Olympics, whatever they turn out to be, will not happen because of the LZR. If the LZR is as good as it seems - we should see world records everywhere from many different swimmers.
It sounds like your question is really: If the suit offers the same advantage to all swimmers why do it at all? A leap in speed may occur - which for a point in time will advance world records. But once everyone has the suit equilibrium will occur and the playing field is equal once again.
My single biggest beef with high performance suits is raising the cost of swimming for age group swimmers. There is no doubt parents will be pressured to buy these suits for their young swimmers. I would like to see USA-S simply disallow their use except for national meets.
I (and many, many others) have posed this question before: If the suit does NOT provide any swimmer with an advantage over another (and everyone is in fact competing on a level playing field), what is really being achieved (except adding NASCAR appeal to swimming) by introducing all these mechanical aids in the first place?
On the other hand, if tech suits DO provide an advantage, then that's a No-No and another nail in the coffin for these suits.
In both of these cases, the logical solution is to just go back to Square 1 and have FINA dispense with tech suits altogether. Then go back to having everyone wearing simple briefs and the swimmer with the best body and atheletic mind will still win.
However, the main difference is that the world records (for a given distance and technique) themselves may not have been broken at the rate they have been prior to low drag suits being brought into the game.
Be the same reasoning, one thing that I have a problem with is the suit manufacturers boasting how a world's record was set with their suit. We are looking at who really is the best at swimming -not which company is the best at making faster swim suits.
Happy swimming
Dolphin 2 :)
I think this thread is about Phelps - not the suit. My point is that his medal achievements at the Olympics, whatever they turn out to be, will not happen because of the LZR. If the LZR is as good as it seems - we should see world records everywhere from many different swimmers.
It sounds like your question is really: If the suit offers the same advantage to all swimmers why do it at all? A leap in speed may occur - which for a point in time will advance world records. But once everyone has the suit equilibrium will occur and the playing field is equal once again.
My single biggest beef with high performance suits is raising the cost of swimming for age group swimmers. There is no doubt parents will be pressured to buy these suits for their young swimmers. I would like to see USA-S simply disallow their use except for national meets.
