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 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
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
