As a math guy, this is something I've been pondering for a while. Is there a limit to how fast we can swim. For instance, I remember a discussion point a while back was that there was no physical way a human could run the 100m in less than 9 seconds, that the forces you would create within your body in order to run that fast would cause you muscles to tear and bones to shatter.
In swimming we're seeing a HUGE leap forward in technology as it pertains both to how we train and what we put on our bodies. For instance, how fast could Matt Biondi swum a 50 or 100 if he had access to the wealth of information we have now just 15 years later in regards to training, nutrition and suits.
Could he possibly 20 47 low in the 100 if he were in his 20's/early 30's right now?
And to my point, imagine the 50 free. How fast is "impossible"? We just say Bousquet take 1/4 second of the 50 free WR. What's the limit? You'd think at some point someone's going to set a WR that will never be broken.
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Former Member
Interesting subject -- I don't think the "there is no limit" answers make a lot of sense. Of course there is a limit - we are not there yet, but we are getting closer. The rate of progress has slowed down - so, outside of suit improvments, we will probably reach a limit rather soon.
Look at track and field -- they seem to have reached a limit in many events and only PED are able to reach them -- I don't think a human can jump over 2.40 meters -- I don;t think a woman can legally run under 10.8 sec in the 100 dash -- I don't think men can jump over 9 meters at sea level. I think we are getting closer to track and field. Biondi swam 48.4 more than 20 years (2008) ago -- without the suits, they are probably only about .6-.8 faster - the record in 1968 was 52+ - so yes we are getting closer to the limit.
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Former Member
Interesting subject -- I don't think the "there is no limit" answers make a lot of sense. Of course there is a limit - we are not there yet, but we are getting closer. The rate of progress has slowed down - so, outside of suit improvments, we will probably reach a limit rather soon.
Look at track and field -- they seem to have reached a limit in many events and only PED are able to reach them -- I don't think a human can jump over 2.40 meters -- I don;t think a woman can legally run under 10.8 sec in the 100 dash -- I don't think men can jump over 9 meters at sea level. I think we are getting closer to track and field. Biondi swam 48.4 more than 20 years (2008) ago -- without the suits, they are probably only about .6-.8 faster - the record in 1968 was 52+ - so yes we are getting closer to the limit.
