Are the suits really the best $500 value out there ?
Ok - the Blue 70 is $390, but you many people buy two, just in case the other one rips -- the LZR is what ? $600 -- so, I figured $500 was a nice round number.
Other ways to get faster for $500:
- hire a personal coach for weekly lessons > you should be able to find a good college swimmer with a good eye for technique for some indivual instructions. You learn very little in a group setting - and coaches only have so much time for each swimmer.
- join a gym -- I guess it depends on location, but you should be able to pay for about a year - no personal trainer for that budget though...
- do the swimetrics + a couple of coached sessions > I did try it - great info, a must for anybody
- read Ande's blog and thread on how to get faster and donate the money
- join a faster, bigger, better team -even if you have to drive further ($500 would be gas money) > this can work wonders..
Any of those better than the suits ?
I just spent that money on a trip down to sea level. This is the second year I've done that and my time drops both years have been way more than the altitude adjustment in Appendix B of the the USMS rule book, averaging close to 3.5 seconds/100 yards over all events from both years.
I also am considering spending $150/mo to swim with the USS team close to my house for their summer LC season.
Wouldn't you want to travel UP to altitude?
Think MCTRUSTY meant swimming in a meet away from home - at sea level for faster times.
That can work and lots of athletes do it!
Going UP to race at altitude rarely works... but training at altitude is challenging and coming down can be a huge relief - and makes for fast times.
Wouldn't you want to travel UP to altitude?
If you go up in altitude, the air will be less dense, and your body will have more difficulty taking in oxygen. So, the times will drop because your body is less efficient, but over a week or two of altitude training, your body will adapt and become more efficient. When you return to your normal altitude, you will be more efficient and your times will be faster.
If you just travel to sea level and swim once or twice, you won't be getting physically faster, but just taking advantage of the denser air.
Am I wrong?
That is how the Costa Rican woman racked several Olympic medals. They apparently swim in high altitude there.
Think MCTRUSTY meant swimming in a meet away from home - at sea level for faster times.
That can work and lots of athletes do it!
Going UP to race at altitude rarely works... but training at altitude is challenging and coming down can be a huge relief - and makes for fast times.
Yep, that's what I meant.
Wouldn't you want to travel UP to altitude?
If you go up in altitude, the air will be less dense, and your body will have more difficulty taking in oxygen. So, the times will drop because your body is less efficient, but over a week or two of altitude training, your body will adapt and become more efficient. When you return to your normal altitude, you will be more efficient and your times will be faster.
If you just travel to sea level and swim once or twice, you won't be getting physically faster, but just taking advantage of the denser air.
Am I wrong?
I just spent that money on a trip down to sea level. This is the second year I've done that and my time drops both years have been way more than the altitude adjustment in Appendix B of the the USMS rule book, averaging close to 3.5 seconds/100 yards over all events from both years.
I agree with you. Paying for the elevation drop is the easiest investment I can make to reduce my times. I think I get around 2.5 seconds per 100 benefit (around 1 second for a 100). I have tested it a number of times and it is a very consistent drop. Other than that, working harder and swimming more frequently seem to work as well as anything.
By the way, you had some very nice swims at nationals. Way to go.
Just so everyone knows, McCrusty dropped 17+ seconds in his 400IM between the CO state meet and nationals.
Tim
What is the suit benefit? Est 1-2 sec drop per 100?
Right now, I think I can drop about 3-4 seconds per 100 without the addition of a suit, so I think all your options are better uses of the money for me, rather then spend it on the suit now.
Here is how I am spending some of my hard earned money on swimming this year.
1. Swimfest just to meet Ahelee, and maybe get filmed and have a dozen or so coaches tell me what I am doing wrong.
2. Weekend with SCAQ where ehoch supposedly trains and probably lots of other fast people I don't know about yet.
I have another option to add, a cheap one no less.
Join USA-S for increased racing opportunities. USA-S meets are charged per event, so they are much cheaper to participate in, especially if you have one target race you need practice in.
