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?
I was 16, and in my sophomore yr at states, everyone else shaved but me. I was beat by guys that I was beating durinng the regular season. it was at my next big meet that I shaved for the first time. what a difference. i've shaved for 2 meets a year while active, and 3 meets a year as a masters
we have a '92 (almost 17) and a '93 (about to turn 16) on our team, and neither have even considered shaving. they both where pants for anything over 200m and full body for anything under 200m
the '92 swims only freestyles. His times in scm are 24.71, 53.22, 1:56.38, 4:10, 16:43
the '93 swims fly, free and IM. his times in scm are free 24.50, 53.89, 1:54.78, 4:10 and 16:20, in fly (his best) he's got 25.77, 56.44 and 2:04.03 and in IM 1:01.55, 2:11,07 and 4:38.85
I think my two sons shaved first around 13 years old. No magic to the age. They had some hair at this point in their lives.
I think 11-12 is a bit early - mainly because there are so many other things that matter at this age. Good turns for example. Breathing correctly. I'd hate for them to think that shaving was a big deal at this age.
And to the person who suggested Nero Comps.....I think 11-12 cannot wear suits below the knee any longer. And boys can't wear suits above the waist.
Ten years old............yes, sheds the dead skin layer.
If you feel like it, get them a tight Nero Comp (with your USMS Discount) and let them 'Rip!
Have them wear it over legskins or jammers
any age beyond 10 is good for a shave down.
Tom
A possible benefit to shaving at 11-12, besides those already stated, is that it removes the dead skin layer (outermost layer of your skin). This enhances the "feel" of the water.
I probably shaved when I was around 13 or 14, probably for my first Junior Nationals, but I honestly can't recall. My oldest daughter is now 13 and she's going to shave for her state championships this year; but this is probably more related to the fact that her non-swimming girlfriends are shaving their legs than for the competitive edge. Still, she's kind of excited about the prospect.
The real question is: At what age do we stop shaving for meets?
When I started swimming Masters. I've been back at Masters since 2000, competing most years with varying levels of intensity. This past December was the first time I shaved as a Masters' swimmer and, as I was wearing a B70, I only shaved my arms. Took about 15 minutes max. I don't know if it mattered, but it was so simple, I'll do it again for my two taper meets this spring. Thanks to full body suits, I can't see a day when I'm going to shave my legs again ... which is good because my 5 year old daughter already thought I was bonkers to shave my arms; I don't know what she'd think about Dad shaving his legs!
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."
