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
You are losing me a bit on the logic. You seem to say that you want parallels with FINA and USA swimming on one hand for these rules, but you don't think personal motivational difference by participants between the organizations is relevant.
I mean..... why do you really care if you get beat by a guy in the lane next to you at masters nationals if he is wearing a rubber space suit and you are not? You know very well the approximate benefit of the suit. Isn't knowing enough? My son is 14 and swimming at the Western Zone championships this week in Hawaii in regular Fastkin Pro leggins against kids in full-body rubber wonder suits. He knows the value of his swims, and so does everyone else at the meet.
Let me put it this way. Because you only train 10,000 a week, should we allow you to do one-handed turns -- or flipturns -- in *** and fly because you aren't "serious?" It would enable you to go faster, after all. Who cares if it isn't exactly what Phelps & co are doing; it's only masters and has only some resemblence to "real" swimming.
As far as "why do I care if I get beat by a guy who wears X"...well, I don't like to get beat. Period. I'm sure you are the same way, protestations of "seriousness" to the contrary. But this is not a major reason for my position. I can always wear a suit if the thought of losing b/c I didn't wear one is too much to bear. Right now I'm fine with jammers.
We all have some thinking to do about what serves our members best, depending how circumstances unfold. I'll enjoy the result no matter what happens.
To reiterate my original reason for posting in this thread: I guess I am somewhat alarmed at how many people seem ready to say "screw FINA" if they decide that their new rules apply entirely or in part to masters swimming. The suits are certainly addicting, I guess.
But I think all of this noise is really addressing the question, "what should FINA do about the suits for masters?"
An honest question form me, which I believe is more in line with the OP, is: what do you think would serve USMS best if FINA decides the suits should go? Keep the suits and maybe no US swimmer is eligible for WRs and FINA Top Ten? The majority of masters swimmers do not set WRs or get FINA TTs, after all. Or should we comply with FINA?
You are losing me a bit on the logic. You seem to say that you want parallels with FINA and USA swimming on one hand for these rules, but you don't think personal motivational difference by participants between the organizations is relevant.
I mean..... why do you really care if you get beat by a guy in the lane next to you at masters nationals if he is wearing a rubber space suit and you are not? You know very well the approximate benefit of the suit. Isn't knowing enough? My son is 14 and swimming at the Western Zone championships this week in Hawaii in regular Fastkin Pro leggins against kids in full-body rubber wonder suits. He knows the value of his swims, and so does everyone else at the meet.
Let me put it this way. Because you only train 10,000 a week, should we allow you to do one-handed turns -- or flipturns -- in *** and fly because you aren't "serious?" It would enable you to go faster, after all. Who cares if it isn't exactly what Phelps & co are doing; it's only masters and has only some resemblence to "real" swimming.
As far as "why do I care if I get beat by a guy who wears X"...well, I don't like to get beat. Period. I'm sure you are the same way, protestations of "seriousness" to the contrary. But this is not a major reason for my position. I can always wear a suit if the thought of losing b/c I didn't wear one is too much to bear. Right now I'm fine with jammers.
We all have some thinking to do about what serves our members best, depending how circumstances unfold. I'll enjoy the result no matter what happens.
To reiterate my original reason for posting in this thread: I guess I am somewhat alarmed at how many people seem ready to say "screw FINA" if they decide that their new rules apply entirely or in part to masters swimming. The suits are certainly addicting, I guess.
But I think all of this noise is really addressing the question, "what should FINA do about the suits for masters?"
An honest question form me, which I believe is more in line with the OP, is: what do you think would serve USMS best if FINA decides the suits should go? Keep the suits and maybe no US swimmer is eligible for WRs and FINA Top Ten? The majority of masters swimmers do not set WRs or get FINA TTs, after all. Or should we comply with FINA?
