If the full body rubber suits do end up getting banned, why should USMS follow their lead on this issue? (i.e. assuming the suits would continue to be manufactured).
Isn't Masters mostly for each individual to pursue what they want and the level they want out of the sport?
If the full body suit is preferred by many USMS participants, why not satisfy the base by keeping it available?
What's really the point of forcing old USMS swimmers out of their girdles if FINA bans them?
John Smith
Parents
Former Member
I am not sure if John Smith is kidding or serious, but I was thinking along the same lines. Why should Masters swimmers not continue to use the tech suits? It might make Masters competitions stand out and be more attractive to younger swimmers who think the suits will help them swim faster. So, we might get more young elite competitors who want to compete in a Masters meet where they can use a tech suit. Fine with me.
Then there is the aesthetic element. We are older. Our bodies sag more. We are simply not the perfectly sculpted folks we see racing at the Olympics (sure, there are exceptions but...). Frankly, I think that people over 40 look significantly better in the full body suits. They look great AND help us swim more efficiently. We are not going to set Olympic records, so who cares if we decide to continue allowing the tech suits? I would be interested to see how a Jaked or an X-Glide feels in the water. It's fun. Masters is supposed to be fun.
There has been so much posturing in Rome; folks taking everything WAY too seriously and hypocritically (Bowman the prime example), but Masters do what we do because we love swimming, racing, and having fun; the tech suits ARE fun and they make us look and feel good. I say keep them.
I am not sure if John Smith is kidding or serious, but I was thinking along the same lines. Why should Masters swimmers not continue to use the tech suits? It might make Masters competitions stand out and be more attractive to younger swimmers who think the suits will help them swim faster. So, we might get more young elite competitors who want to compete in a Masters meet where they can use a tech suit. Fine with me.
Then there is the aesthetic element. We are older. Our bodies sag more. We are simply not the perfectly sculpted folks we see racing at the Olympics (sure, there are exceptions but...). Frankly, I think that people over 40 look significantly better in the full body suits. They look great AND help us swim more efficiently. We are not going to set Olympic records, so who cares if we decide to continue allowing the tech suits? I would be interested to see how a Jaked or an X-Glide feels in the water. It's fun. Masters is supposed to be fun.
There has been so much posturing in Rome; folks taking everything WAY too seriously and hypocritically (Bowman the prime example), but Masters do what we do because we love swimming, racing, and having fun; the tech suits ARE fun and they make us look and feel good. I say keep them.
