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?
Former Member
Paying for elite clubs...what does it matter when the improvements come? Those with money have access to the means to swim faster than those without. Nothing new about that, and it isn't just swimming either.
That's right, there is nothing new about that. But in order to have broader appeal MLB, for example, sponsors urban baseball initiatives. IE: when a sport prices it self out of a demographic you either lose the demographic (I guess that is what you support?!?!) or you do something about the pricing.
It's very strange that in order for someone else to enjoy the sport of swimming they have to take something away from me because they don't train hard enough, don't chose to live near good facilities and don't chose to spend their money on the sport. Can someone explain the fairness aspect of that? To me, it's just whining.
when a sport prices it self out of a demographic you either lose the demographic (I guess that is what you support?!?!) or you do something about the pricing.
As I said earlier, something is already being done, it just doesn't seem to be to your liking.
I've been to a lot of age group meets for younger kids. I haven't seen a tech suit yet, so the problem you refer to doesn't seem to exist here (or at least it isn't caused by tech suits, which I believe aren't even made in kids sizes anyway). The Virginia LSC bans them for swimmers 12 and under.
If you are saying that tech suits are changing -- or going to change -- the demographics of swimming, it might be helpful if you can provide some support for that argument. Perhaps in the form of some actual data, rather than mere conjecture.
There would be a level playing field in swim suits if all men were required to use briefs.
But are all male swim briefs created equal? There's nylon, lycra, the old paper style, and I'm sure there are far more than I know.
I've gotten suits for as little as $5, and as much as $25. I do notice the difference when I wear my Aquablade brief -v- a nylon brief.
I'm assuming you could require that all buy the exact brand/style/color/material....that would be the only way to achieve a, "level playing field," that I can think of.
Debbie did bring up a good point though: what about the 13, 14 or 15 yo that makes their Oly Trial cuts? They should get to wear a full length tech suit. So with that argument, the elite age groupers would get to wear them. I mentioned then, what if an age grouper would GET their cuts if they wore one?
Pfffft, another can of worms to open up. :D
I din't think it really is. Kids that fast would most likely be achieving these cuts at senior meets, not age group meets, and they would be able to wear the suits at these meets.
You cannot, I don't know, pay for dues for an elite club on the way to a swimmeet and suddenly drop 1-2% (or whatever amount you choose to believe). Better googles, better cap? Yeah, I suppose that is the same thing as a better suit, but the expenses are smaller and the improvements less dramatic.
Paying for elite clubs...what does it matter when the improvements come? Those with money have access to the means to swim faster than those without. Nothing new about that, and it isn't just swimming either.
Despite their small expense, goggles have a FAR bigger impact on performance than any tech suit. Try training without them and see.
I would guesstimate that non-turbulent lane-lines and better gutter systems have an impact AT LEAST comparable to any tech suit.
The point isn't about equity -- "someone bringing their own starting block" -- the point is that technological advances have always allowed improvements in times for reasons unrelated to talent/training.
This has been true for decades, not just recently. And renting these better pools is a major expense in the sport, so it isn't as if these advances all came as cheaply as goggles.
So if it's just the training, then why are the suits so popular? Admittedly, training is key. But I think it would be disingenuous to say that the suits provide no benefit.
I was just being sarcastic. I think that for men suits should be limited to a brief. But that would mean swim suit companys wouldn't make as much money and that lazy swimmers would have to train harder to drop their times 2% instead of buying a time.
Even if they couldn't get their parents to pay for a couple suits per year it's the training that gets you through not a suit.
So if it's just the training, then why are the suits so popular? Admittedly, training is key. But I think it would be disingenuous to say that the suits provide no benefit.
Here is a letter from the AD of my college:
Aaron,
Thank you for your email. I share your excitement over this past weekends results. The results are extremely impressive.
Yes, the moratorium that the NCAA passed regarding the suits has caused more of a migraine than a headache. Let me be clear, there is no “line in the sand”. The problem is that there is not enough sand. I would love to be able to provide these suits for the swimmers and would not think twice about doing so if I had the resources to purchase them. The moratorium, especially coming at a time when budgets were already set, has caused a hardship for us as well as many other swimming programs and athletic departments
I cannot wait to race in one of these suits...but if they are banned I will totally understand it. $400 is alot of money, espeically when the suits do not last even one season.
It's just money. Why can't the students go and buy their own suits?
Even if they couldn't get their parents to pay for a couple suits per year it's the training that gets you through not a suit.
