Let's Outlaw Shaving

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

jim thornton — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 12:19:07 GMT

are my inflatable buttock-implants still legal? It depends on what they are inflated with. Saline solution and air are both illegal because they are more buoyant than freshwater found in swimming pools. (Saline inflated butt cheeks are legal for ocean swims.) Air, of course, is legal only for swimming in dehydrated pools. Under such swimming conditions, the officials will need to check to make sure you haven't switched the air inflation system with helium. To be on the safe side, I recommend inflating your buttock implants with natural human substances. If and when, for instance, Angelina Jolie decides to have her lips reduced to normal size, you might be able to use her lip tissues as a fully legal buttock inflation substance. See USMS rule 601.b, subsection H4a, codicil 44 (popularly known simply as the "Help! My ass is fallin!" rule) for a more detailed explanation of what is and is not acceptable.

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Former Member — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 11:19:09 GMT

Ohhhh, Chris! If that were the case then I'd very officially be an evilstroker, such a lucky break. Visible proof positive. Avert yer eyes. DV

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Chris Stevenson — Sat, 15 Aug 2009 06:28:29 GMT

Much of what Erik says about shaving applies equally to training and tapering: makes a huge difference in speed; affects people differently; high opportunity cost in the case of training. Ban them both! We should all show up at the meet with proof positive that we have not been in the water -- not even for bathing purposes, to make verification easier.

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

orca1946 — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 12:40:58 GMT

I'm buying stock in BIC :afraid:

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Redbird Alum — Fri, 14 Aug 2009 03:54:57 GMT

are my inflatable buttock-implants still legal? Only if no "fasteners" are visible outside the suit lines! Also, you may not want to use these in backstroke as they will throw off your body position! :D

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Former Member — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:40:23 GMT

3 hours? Wow. Perhaps I am not paying enough attention to detail. 3 hours wasn't that unusual for me. I couldn't just put shaving cream on, then use a razor. I had to clip the hair down first, which involved having 2-3 clippers. One would get overheated, so I would switch to a different one. Then the shaving down with the razor would be next. Sometimes I would clip one day and shave the next because it did become a pain to do all in one day/night.

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Former Member — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 14:36:20 GMT

3 hours? Wow. Perhaps I am not paying enough attention to detail.

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Former Member — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 13:49:11 GMT

Hey all! I have been lurking for a while and decided to sign up, as I have just started to really get into swimming and love the great info on this site! That being said, it's funny that my first post is going to be about bodyhair :D I'm too much of a man-beast to try to shave off my hair. The dude upstairs played a cruel joke on me: no hair on the top, and plenty on the bottom :afraid: I liken shaving my body to attempting to mow a really big lawn; by the time I am done one end, the other has started growing back...so it's a pretty useless endeavor for me. As a result, I let it run wild and free :bliss:much to the chagrin of my pool mates, who probably never expected to be sharing their lanes with a sasquatch.

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Redbird Alum — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:55:39 GMT

why not outlaw plastic surgery too liposuction & *** reduction surgery give swimmers a slimmer profile But won't these impact buoyancy in a negative way? :D

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

ande — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:48:15 GMT

why not outlaw plastic surgery too liposuction & *** reduction surgery give swimmers a slimmer profile

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Redbird Alum — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:36:03 GMT

... - the suits make more sense - you can only shave once or twice a year for the benefit, you can put on the suit at any time. .... Incorrect... The paper cites drag reduction as the key benefit so the physical improvement effect from shaving is constant if one shaves every day. The psychological lift would be lost.

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Former Member — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:32:18 GMT

The German might like his women hairy, but I like mine smooth, thank you very much.

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Muppet — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:31:51 GMT

To say shaving is unfair is ridiculous. For one, saying Teenwolf gets an advantage by shaving, where Icantgrowabeard doesn't is not accurate. There are physiological advantages by shaving - even where there is no hair - as well as psychological. Also, there are plenty of people that are genetically disposed to very little body hair. In that case, doesn't Icantgrowabeard already have a huge advantage over Teenwolf by having no hair to slow him down? How is that fair? I'd argue shaving is more normal than a wearing bodysuit. People have been shaving for swimming purposes for decades. Bodysuits have been worn for hardly a decade. Body hair acts like seaweed and other hair-like aquatic plants - it catches water and flows with the current. If your body isn't too hairy, contact myself and/or the Furburglar for a live demonstration - or pop in Finding Nemo and look at the coral sway with the current. Shaving is a (relatively) quick, inexpensive process that can be done by any swimmer from any country with any socioeconomic background.

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

jim thornton — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 11:36:11 GMT

The ad for this thread: Loading... Laser Hair Removal CenterFind A Specialist Located In Your Area & Remove Your Unwanted Hair! www.AmericanLaser.com I wonder how the cost of this would compare to the cost of high tech body suits purchased every other year until life expiration?

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Speedo — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 09:10:06 GMT

Between the blood loss and the filets taken out of my ankles, weight loss is unavoidable if I shave. Although, I could stand to put a few pounds on.

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Former Member — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 07:36:59 GMT

are my inflatable buttock-implants still legal?

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Former Member — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 05:53:53 GMT

I'd argue shaving is more normal than a wearing bodysuit. On a more serious note -- ARE YOU SERIOUS ???? Just because swimmers have been doing it for many years does not make it more normal. If both would offer the same benefit - and you would ask 100 people who know nothing about swimming, how many would say that shaving all your body hair is more normal ? Incorrect... The paper cites drag reduction as the key benefit so the physical improvement effect from shaving is constant if one shaves every day. Sure - that is why female swimmers used to shave all the time .... oh no, coaches asked them not to shave for months before a big meet.

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

knelson — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 02:33:21 GMT

Sure - that is why female swimmers used to shave all the time .... oh no, coaches asked them not to shave for months before a big meet. That doesn't mean the coaches were right, though! Anyway, I would think the rationale for this is more part of the psychological aspect. They're used to swimming hairy, so when they dive in hairless they feel totally different and that boosts their confidence so they swim fast.

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Former Member — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:47:43 GMT

A lady without a doubt :) The time spent is directly related to the number of cuts inflicted. 3 hours is required for a fullbody shave of hair and top layer of skin + TWO customary cuts ( a cut is defined by "blood running in the bathtub"). For each half hour less of total shaving time the number of cuts will double -- 4 at 2 1/2 hours ...8 at 2 hours ... 15 minutes, you may as well call for a blood transfusion :applaud: I laughed. Would read again. :bliss:

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Former Member — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:38:24 GMT

Still, three hours? It takes me maybe 15 minutes if I hurry A lady without a doubt :) The time spent is directly related to the number of cuts inflicted. 3 hours is required for a fullbody shave of hair and top layer of skin + TWO customary cuts ( a cut is defined by "blood running in the bathtub"). For each half hour less of total shaving time the number of cuts will double -- 4 at 2 1/2 hours ...8 at 2 hours ... 15 minutes, you may as well call for a blood transfusion :applaud:

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Former Member — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:23:12 GMT

There's always waxing... :bolt: Grows back softer, only hurts for a few hours after, and if you leave a thin translucent coat of beeswax on your skin, maybe people will think its a tan and no-one will notice that the water is beading right off.

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Former Member — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 11:14:12 GMT

- the opportunity cost is much higher than any body suit >> 3 hours of shaving + 2 weeks of agony afterwards - not to mention the complaints by your partner about the stubbles. I missed this part. More than three hours? Are you serious? What, does it first take two hours to construct the scaffolding, and then one more hour to have workers perform the actual shave? :D Don't hit me. I kid! (Mostly. Still, three hours? It takes me maybe 15 minutes if I hurry.)

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Former Member — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:53:57 GMT

tl;dr I shave for social reasons. That it makes me more hydrodynamic is a fortunate--dare I say it--side effect. :D

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Former Member — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:47:35 GMT

I'm fine with that too. Would manscaping still be allowed or would there be not trimming of the lenght? While I am not that embarassed by my extremly eccessive body hair, I do like to keep it in check a little with the clippers.

RE: Let's Outlaw Shaving

Former Member — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 10:37:00 GMT

Shaving is simply not fair: - it affects different swimmers in different ways > one of the main arguments against the suits. Teenwolf has a huge drop in time, while Mr. Icantgrowabeard goes the same times - what is more normal ? Putting on a body suit no matter what material or taking a razor blade to your entire body ? - the advantage of shaving to not shaving seems to be just as big as any of the suits out there (see research) - we are naturally born with the hair -- what's next ? Cutting off body parts that are in the way - the suits make more sense - you can only shave once or twice a year for the benefit, you can put on the suit at any time. - it's too bloody - we should not require to expose the kids to razor blades. - the opportunity cost is much higher than any body suit >> 3 hours of shaving + 2 weeks of agony afterwards - not to mention the complaints by your partner about the stubbles - and last for the guys ... seeing you in the body suit was weird for her -- just wait till you ask her to shave the hard to reach place around your speedo ....