Ban the tech suits?

Tossing this thought around. I pull faster with fins on than I can swim (well maybe not now, I picked up some speed). I believe the fins helped get my balance in an optimum position which I learned to better adopt now without fins. It is possible that your swimming feedback loop changed with the addition of the B70. Could be that you've gotten used to it and have improved your technique to best fit the suit's design...I still think that the suits may be a great training tool--even if banned for competition. Suit could just be a mental booster too... It's a thought, maybe ... but I don't think so. In fact, I feel the opposite in one way: I believe the B70s screws up my breakouts and turns, and I don't have a coach to help me resolve these technical problems. I also don't swim with it in practice. Here's what I could do to test Jimby's theory. Go back to the way I trained in 2007-08 before B70 use. Swim less, do less yards, lift far less, do less drylands, laze around. Then I'll put on the B70 and, if I swim as fast, it's all B70 and nothing to do with my increased or changed training. All improvement was illusory and I can train less and, presto, be just as good. Wow, what a comforting thought ... Don't even have to bother with or worry about tapers anymore, because I can just rely on a B70 to make everything right. Somehow I don't think it'd work out that way ... Geez, guys .... There are confounding factors with Karen's improvements too. She (1) skipped a generation, or two, of tech suits, (2) may have the pregnancy hormone assist (Dara, Sheri Hart), and (3) says she's training better for the first time in 9 years. Most others don't see these kind of time drops. I notice that super well conditioned athletes like She Puff or Chris or Tall Paul don't have these type of miraculous drops. And you can still have mediocre swims in a B70. Warning: Very cranky. Children with flu with kid and usms meets looming.

Some swimming federations and athletes from poorer nations have complained that the costly suits offer an unfair advantage. Wow, now some federations and athletes are complaining. Perhaps we should stop all competition till they get a job and stop their whining. This is Ameraca dagnabbit, how could we let those people in our club?

Karen that is quite an improvement, great times.

Simple question: can I wear a brief under my FSPro at my Masters' meet in 2 weeks? The ruling appears to be immediate that the answer is NO. I don't think anyone is going to care.

... now have an initial baseline of B70s times in many events. I have subsequently improved beyond those times. I don't think the subsequent improvements can be attributed to B70 use. Do you?... Tossing this thought around. I pull faster with fins on than I can swim (well maybe not now, I picked up some speed). I believe the fins helped get my balance in an optimum position which I learned to better adopt now without fins. It is possible that your swimming feedback loop changed with the addition of the B70. Could be that you've gotten used to it and have improved your technique to best fit the suit's design...I still think that the suits may be a great training tool--even if banned for competition. Suit could just be a mental booster too...

I have found the solution to the crumbling economy. Quit your job and retire.

Wow, now I've read it all, tech suits and the crumbling economy are somehow related. And now responsibility is the new self-righteousnes? This is insufferable. I'm sick of this whining on every post. This thread is about swim suits, not insurance companies, take it somewhere else please. There are a million blogs and sites devoted to these economic topics, there is one forum for adult swimming. Whew, Smell that? Seems like somebody doesn't like what's comming down the pike.

Mostly agree with both statements. The issue of permeability...I'm not sure why this comes up. If the source of this rule is some sort of touch-feely idea that swimmers need to be "one with the water" -- otherwise it isn't "real" swimming -- then I think it is silly. If it is because they worry that trapped air will cause buoyancy in use even if the suit itself is not buoyant, that's a different story. But why 50%? Seems a little arbitrary. Evil capitalist thought of the day - I agree. It does seem arbitrary. However, if I were a tech suit manufacturer and my suits typically lasted longer and cost less than my competition and a governing organization wanted to put in an arbitrary restriction that might force my users to upgrade sooner and more frequently, I might not protest too much (as long as it wasn't effective immediately). Tim

Evil capitalist thought of the day - I agree. It does seem arbitrary. However, if I were a tech suit manufacturer and my suits typically lasted longer and cost less than my competition and a governing organization wanted to put in an arbitrary restriction that might force my users to upgrade sooner and more frequently, I might not protest too much (as long as it wasn't effective immediately). Tim I've had a similar capitalist thought. I wonder if the bigger company is licking it's chops now at buying the smaller better competitor at a cut rate price because their product is possibly going to be DQ'd but has significant value and potential without much alteration.

I wore another suit under my B70, not to try to go faster, but b/c I got the suit on in about a minute between the suit and the plastic bag on my feet. After I got the suit on I wished I could take off the other suit, but it was SO easy to get it on with another suit on already. How will this be enforced?