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
Former Member
Get rid of them. Get the speed suits out of the competitions, USMS. Please.
USMS...please keep the suits. Allow the people that want to wear them, and don't feel they are cheating to do so. Allow those that think they are bad, to continue to wear briefs and think like they are in the 80's to do. Allow each person to decide.
Cyclist...yes, it is about fast times. The vast majority of people aren't going to remember years from now what suit they were wearing when the achieved the fastest time they ever went. They are just going to remember their time. So, you can say "it's an invalid argument and the technology is a joke" but they are valid. Do the suits aid in speed, sure, anything that allows one to cut through water, does...but one still has to do the actual swim.
Now, if some of the suit are shown to float, like a wetsuit, then definitly get rid of them((B70). But any suit that doesn't aid in floation, should be allowed to stay, regardless of the amount of coverage.
The sport has advanced beyond briefs. I hope we never go back. The body suits are fun to wear and make one feel good on the deck and in the water. If you don't want to wear them, support them, don't. But don't try to ruin it for those that do...let each person make a choice.
Get rid of them. Get the speed suits out of the competitions, USMS. Please.
USMS...please keep the suits. Allow the people that want to wear them, and don't feel they are cheating to do so. Allow those that think they are bad, to continue to wear briefs and think like they are in the 80's to do. Allow each person to decide.
Cyclist...yes, it is about fast times. The vast majority of people aren't going to remember years from now what suit they were wearing when the achieved the fastest time they ever went. They are just going to remember their time. So, you can say "it's an invalid argument and the technology is a joke" but they are valid. Do the suits aid in speed, sure, anything that allows one to cut through water, does...but one still has to do the actual swim.
Now, if some of the suit are shown to float, like a wetsuit, then definitly get rid of them((B70). But any suit that doesn't aid in floation, should be allowed to stay, regardless of the amount of coverage.
The sport has advanced beyond briefs. I hope we never go back. The body suits are fun to wear and make one feel good on the deck and in the water. If you don't want to wear them, support them, don't. But don't try to ruin it for those that do...let each person make a choice.
