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?
Making Sense of a Major Mess: Not an Easy Task -- April 27, 2009
I have no doubt that the times set in these suits will be beaten once the suits are banned. It may take a while, but training methods will continue to improve and swimmers will get faster because of it. Maybe at that point we will be able to better understand the influence of these suits (and other variables e.g training), when all elite swimmers are less enhanced.
How big of a deal will it be when the tech suit times are beaten? I think those performances are going to be worth the wait, and have no doubt they will happen.
Making Sense of a Major Mess: Not an Easy Task -- April 27, 2009
I have no doubt that the times set in these suits will be beaten once the suits are banned. It may take a while, but training methods will continue to improve and swimmers will get faster because of it. Maybe at that point we will be able to better understand the influence of these suits (and other variables e.g training), when all elite swimmers are less enhanced.
How big of a deal will it be when the tech suit times are beaten? I think those performances are going to be worth the wait, and have no doubt they will happen.
