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Ban the tech suits?

Allen Stark
I am just back from the SPMA meet where all the top finisher were wearing the latest generation tech suits,mostly B-70s(or were named Jeff Commings.)I have here to for been in favor of the suits,but now I am not so sure.First,they eliminate the old bench marks.I went my fastest 100m BR in 5 yr in my LZR,but it was only .3 sec faster than I did untapered 5 wk earlier in my first swim in the LZR.So was my swim good or not,I'm not sure.Also,instead of focusing on technique or pace I found myself ruminating over aspects of the suits,how many more swims did the suit have,is it the right size,was the reason I didn't get better results from my B-70 because it was too big?etc.The B-70 has somewhat mitigated the "too expensive,not durable" problem,but for how long. Lets say a company comes up with a suit that is much faster,say 4 sec/100.Further that it is very expensive(say $1000) lasts 4 swims and is very hard to make so that quantities are always limited and the fastest way to get one is to bid up to $3000 on ebay. Now lets say your nemesis has one,or that getting one is your best chance to get TT or AA or a ZR or WR,or that your child is close to making JO cuts,or finally beating his/her nemesis etc. Is it worth it and where does it stop?
Parents
  • FORT IN YOUR "FAST RACING FORMULA" I'd probably include + BODY SHAPE & CHARACTERISTICS + DEVELOPED ABILITY + BODY SHAPE & CHARACTERISTICS, the actual dimensions and proportions of a persons body, height, weight, core diameter, limb length and size of hands and feet, plus strength, condioning, flexibility the key being shoulder and foot ankle, muscle tension mainly in shoulders some are tight others are loose and relaxed + DEVELOPED ABILITY is what an athlete adds on to their natural talent with training, how fast an athlete was at her peak influences how fast she can be again, mental aspects and technique last a long time, people tend to lump this into talent but it's different from talent what else falls into the formula? maybe minus race mistakes, any mistakes you make in a race ADD time race rehearsal reduces the chance of error the new suits help a lot, but if you throw an empty suit in the water it goes no where fast racing = Training + hard SMART work + excellent technique + coaching + natural talent + mental fortitude + speed suit + BODY SHAPE & CHARACTERISTICS + DEVELOPED ABILITY Precisely. Welcome to the world of racing. Faster is not a dirty word. Training + hard work + excellent technique + coaching + natural talent + mental fortitude + speed suit = fast racing. Speed suit = only one part of the equation. You don't see folks b*tching constantly about inequities in the other parts of the equation. Why is this one factor singled out so much? It's not the cost, it's the puritanical old fashioned bias at work. Some purist folks prefer "feel" and simplicity so they don't want others to gain an edge from an anti-feel cool tech suit and prefer to force us all to be "feelers." No thanks, I don't need water on my legs.
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  • FORT IN YOUR "FAST RACING FORMULA" I'd probably include + BODY SHAPE & CHARACTERISTICS + DEVELOPED ABILITY + BODY SHAPE & CHARACTERISTICS, the actual dimensions and proportions of a persons body, height, weight, core diameter, limb length and size of hands and feet, plus strength, condioning, flexibility the key being shoulder and foot ankle, muscle tension mainly in shoulders some are tight others are loose and relaxed + DEVELOPED ABILITY is what an athlete adds on to their natural talent with training, how fast an athlete was at her peak influences how fast she can be again, mental aspects and technique last a long time, people tend to lump this into talent but it's different from talent what else falls into the formula? maybe minus race mistakes, any mistakes you make in a race ADD time race rehearsal reduces the chance of error the new suits help a lot, but if you throw an empty suit in the water it goes no where fast racing = Training + hard SMART work + excellent technique + coaching + natural talent + mental fortitude + speed suit + BODY SHAPE & CHARACTERISTICS + DEVELOPED ABILITY Precisely. Welcome to the world of racing. Faster is not a dirty word. Training + hard work + excellent technique + coaching + natural talent + mental fortitude + speed suit = fast racing. Speed suit = only one part of the equation. You don't see folks b*tching constantly about inequities in the other parts of the equation. Why is this one factor singled out so much? It's not the cost, it's the puritanical old fashioned bias at work. Some purist folks prefer "feel" and simplicity so they don't want others to gain an edge from an anti-feel cool tech suit and prefer to force us all to be "feelers." No thanks, I don't need water on my legs.
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