The coach at the local Y suggested that 11-12 year olds should shave for a big meet this weekend. I know there are individuals on this site who have children swimming, past and present. How early to shave? I believe 11 years old is too young. How much time can be dropped by an 11 year old wanting to shave. Is it me? Old fashioned? Have times changed in the arena of swimming? How young have kids be encouraged to shave? What was the result?
Parents
Former Member
I was certainly no older than 12. May even have been 11. I think I shaved for many meets that year. As someone else posted here - you spend many, many hours training, why not spend a few minutes shaving to get any boost you can get? I definitely remember getting psyched for meets when I would shave. And I don't remember getting razzed by the guys at school, either. Most wouldn't notice. And if anyone did, I just explained that it was for a swim meet, and they accepted it. I would expect it to be even more acceptable to the general public now, just months after Phelps took the world by storm in Beijing. "Yeah, I shave my legs for meets, just like Michael Phelps."
I was certainly no older than 12. May even have been 11. I think I shaved for many meets that year. As someone else posted here - you spend many, many hours training, why not spend a few minutes shaving to get any boost you can get? I definitely remember getting psyched for meets when I would shave. And I don't remember getting razzed by the guys at school, either. Most wouldn't notice. And if anyone did, I just explained that it was for a swim meet, and they accepted it. I would expect it to be even more acceptable to the general public now, just months after Phelps took the world by storm in Beijing. "Yeah, I shave my legs for meets, just like Michael Phelps."
