As quoted in the AP article:
"You'll all have to see. I'm not saying anything until we unveil it," Phelps said with a grin when asked how he's tweaked the stroke. "It's a significant change. You'll be able to tell exactly what I did as soon as I take my first stroke."
He's on tap to swim the 100- and 200-meter free and the 100 butterfly at the Charlotte UltraSwim in NC. Should be interesting to see.
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Former Member
I think it is important to look at it in its totality...physchology, physiology, central nervous system, technique, and the suits. It seems that we are probably past the point of questioning the efficacy of the suits. (I'm almost afraid to enter an opinion here. But...) A pretty simple statistical analysis leads one to conclude that the suits have played an important role in the recent swimming achievements.
For instance, Joel Stager ran a statistical model (which you can listen to him talk about on floswimming.com) on the time drops which came with the suits. Nothing special happened until the LZR came around. Things were pretty much the same up through the fs pro historically. After the LZR and the suits that have followed, strange things started to happen that were and are out of whack with the long history of speed progression.
So, I have to agree on some level that Fred would probably not be able to accomplish yesterday's swim without the assistance of the newer suits. At the same time, you could have put anybody in Fred's suit and they would not come close to swimming like him. Its amazing.
Now don't get me wrong. I don't have a strong opinion about the suits as it relates to the swimming world at large. I personally have a love/hate relationship with them. They are a pain in the butt, but they feel great. And, that's just for me personally...my own opinion as it relates specifically to me and my swimming. And, as long as they are legal, I'll be sporting one.
I think it is important to look at it in its totality...physchology, physiology, central nervous system, technique, and the suits. It seems that we are probably past the point of questioning the efficacy of the suits. (I'm almost afraid to enter an opinion here. But...) A pretty simple statistical analysis leads one to conclude that the suits have played an important role in the recent swimming achievements.
For instance, Joel Stager ran a statistical model (which you can listen to him talk about on floswimming.com) on the time drops which came with the suits. Nothing special happened until the LZR came around. Things were pretty much the same up through the fs pro historically. After the LZR and the suits that have followed, strange things started to happen that were and are out of whack with the long history of speed progression.
So, I have to agree on some level that Fred would probably not be able to accomplish yesterday's swim without the assistance of the newer suits. At the same time, you could have put anybody in Fred's suit and they would not come close to swimming like him. Its amazing.
Now don't get me wrong. I don't have a strong opinion about the suits as it relates to the swimming world at large. I personally have a love/hate relationship with them. They are a pain in the butt, but they feel great. And, that's just for me personally...my own opinion as it relates specifically to me and my swimming. And, as long as they are legal, I'll be sporting one.
