Anyone going to start practicing in a in the big rubberband?
Former Member
Anyone out there going to start doing some pool practices in a wetsuit due to the new "proposed" rule change of allowing wetsuits in USMS open water swims? :frustrated:
The thought of practicing in a pool in a wetsuit absolutely makes me want to barf; however, I don't want to be penalized (and I've not yet learned to swim in one of these rubber bands) if this rule change goes through for next year.
Any thoughts on how to deal with the ridicule in practice?
The way things are going, I guess I had better learn to swim with fins as well. . .
Maybe with the approval of wetsuits and fins, the powers that be will approve swimming with paddles and buoys - then I'm in! :party2:
I'm thinking that if you can't beat 'em, join 'em. :doh::doh::sad:
Parents
Former Member
Question pertains to training with a wetsuit in a pool during masters practices .
The issues that I have with wetsuit and techsuits include:
Expense $
Learning curve/ change in training or technique during races to best use the equipment
Speed disadvantage sans the suit
Looking like he-man
Am I buying my ranking?
Am I really faster than when I was 16 or is it the suit?
Opens floodgate for more approved toy usage in races - fins, paddles, buoys, etc.
I'd hate to show up to a bike race with a pair of Nikes (and no bike) and expect to do well. So I join in with whatever the rules are.
My educated guess is that once the wetsuits are allowed in OW championships, you will no longer see just the "slower" swimmers using them.
You will see a trend towards the fastest swimmers using them. I think that the intentions of the rule change are good (to include more people), but the impact will be profound on USMS. :2cents: I've seen wetsuits turn mediocre swimmers into pretty fast swimmers. Imagine what they can do for fast swimmers when used correctly. Can't say I'm looking forward to the added expense and effort (much less the taunting from the kids)! I think I had better reserve my wetsuit practices to masters!
From what I've seen in 5 years of masters is a trend to pile on as many toys as possible to go as fast as possible in practices. People, myself included, want to be fast and feel good about themselves. I think that is inevitably going to carry over to competitions. I don't like it as I learned to swim well without the toys. However, I've got to pony up and learn to use the toys (just like I had to learn to swim fast with paddles and a buoy) to be competitive.
Question pertains to training with a wetsuit in a pool during masters practices .
The issues that I have with wetsuit and techsuits include:
Expense $
Learning curve/ change in training or technique during races to best use the equipment
Speed disadvantage sans the suit
Looking like he-man
Am I buying my ranking?
Am I really faster than when I was 16 or is it the suit?
Opens floodgate for more approved toy usage in races - fins, paddles, buoys, etc.
I'd hate to show up to a bike race with a pair of Nikes (and no bike) and expect to do well. So I join in with whatever the rules are.
My educated guess is that once the wetsuits are allowed in OW championships, you will no longer see just the "slower" swimmers using them.
You will see a trend towards the fastest swimmers using them. I think that the intentions of the rule change are good (to include more people), but the impact will be profound on USMS. :2cents: I've seen wetsuits turn mediocre swimmers into pretty fast swimmers. Imagine what they can do for fast swimmers when used correctly. Can't say I'm looking forward to the added expense and effort (much less the taunting from the kids)! I think I had better reserve my wetsuit practices to masters!
From what I've seen in 5 years of masters is a trend to pile on as many toys as possible to go as fast as possible in practices. People, myself included, want to be fast and feel good about themselves. I think that is inevitably going to carry over to competitions. I don't like it as I learned to swim well without the toys. However, I've got to pony up and learn to use the toys (just like I had to learn to swim fast with paddles and a buoy) to be competitive.
