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?
There are quite few mechanical aids that increase swimming speed (buoys, paddles, flippers, and a so called "tech suit").
However I don’t understand the reasoning that the use of any particular one is preferred over another and just why is an increase in speed through the use of a mechanical aid (particularly a tech suit) is considered any kind of accomplishment? :confused:
Dolphin 2
DNFTT!!! DNFTT! Let him mumble in the corner to himself!
There are quite few mechanical aids that increase swimming speed (buoys, paddles, flippers, and a so called "tech suit").
However I don’t understand the reasoning that the use of any particular one is preferred over another and just why is an increase in speed through the use of a mechanical aid (particularly a tech suit) is considered any kind of accomplishment? :confused:
Dolphin 2
Define accomplishment please.
An "accomplishment" is something that YOU as a person does that makes YOU better at something.
So how are YOU (or anyone else) personally making yourself any better by swimming faster through the use of a mechanical aid?
There's your answer!!! :bliss:
Dolphin 2
And these suits don't leave much to the imagination, do they:rofl::rofl::lmao::lmao:
Trip trap. Trip trap. Trip whoaaaaaaa!
(ooops, I tripped over my tech suit when I should have trapped!) :D
And these suits don't leave much to the imagination, do they:rofl::rofl::lmao::lmao:
Hey...they make some of us look better than we really are! Enough reason to get em for me. :afraid:
If tech suits do not produce results why do people wear them?
Well let me think about that...TV became available awhile back much to the chagrin to the radio purists. Anti-lock brakes I assume are cheating in your mind as well...garbage disposals? How about upgrading from leather helmets in footbll? Your arguments are amusing and for those who like to live their lives looking back and thinking "what if" may be interesting. Progress happens and as long as things like goggles and tech suits are tested and approved for competition I'll enjoy using them...
Never said that.
Two swimmers are physically equal in every way and each has the best race of their lives. One wears a brief and the other a LZR. Which one wins the race? Does anyone doubt the swimmer in the briefs loses?
How many world records have been set using the LZR? How many Gold medals?
I think I answered that...if your a 46 year old masters swimmer in the 500 free you can wear a LZR, fins and paddles and I will put money on a bet that says you won't beat Baker in the 500 free wearing a drag suit.
It's simply a mute point, just as many of us have pointed out here if your a top level athlete you don't show up to a major race not ready to race and not trying to make some purist statment by not using approved equipment...as Geek said I haven't seen to many steel TT bikes at the Tour de France with the riders complaining afterwards that they were cheated.
You are trying to make it seem like all the things that go into swimming aren't the reason for faster times...that someone can just put a suit on, then expect to swim fast without all the training needed to swim fast.
No, I think you're wrong. My opposition to the tech suits is just the opposite. I think the deciding factor in who swims fastest should be exclusively based on the training, skill and mental toughness of the swimmer--not on what suit they wear.
