If they go back to true regular suits and Jammers, we may never see the times of the last 2 years again - well at least not until they change the rules again.... I went back to look at the World Rankings for 10th Place and 25th place for the last 7 Olympic years. The Olympic years have always been the fastest years (except of course for 2009 - thanks to you know what). I used the 10th and 25th spot to avoid the "freak" factor and good a good average rate of improvement. Also - I used Freestyle to avoid the impact of rule changes and the emergence of dlphin kicks.
1984 50.36 50.93
1988 50.13 50.54
1992 49.83 50.43
1996 49.74 50.27
2000 49.15 49.67
2004 49.08 49.45
2008 47.83 48.5
2009 47.77 48.27
A couple of things jump out:
- rate of progress has slowed down to maybe 1 to 2 tenth per Olympic cycle
- Big drop in 2000 with arrival of Fastskin suits - about half a second ! and of course a full second and more in 2008.
- In a 1996 suit, I would guess the current times to be just a little slower than the 2000 times.
They are going to have trials next year for the 2011 Worlds - I am guessing a 49.7 or 49.8 will make the US team in the 100 Free ....
I don't know about all these stats and studies...
But I had a conversation last weekend with a certain recent (3 time) World Record breaking swimmer who says that they will be looking at the records knowing that swim time has been done.
Without concern about the suit, its a time on the wall and they are training to beat it.
I hope this is a call to action for swimmers to ramp it up.
Especially masters swimmers since this is a masters forum.
Seriously!
Work on technique and more specific training for specialty events.
Take a look at the dry land Fort & co. are doing.
Loose that weight that is jiggling and slowing you down.
Quit over-trainng.
Get some ART or therapy attention to the niggling injuries.
Read Ande's Tips
Yes, I'm tired of hearing about how the suit is all that - and we are doomed with or without it.
At least we get to swim with a MILLION different ways to still improve.
Sheez!
I don't know about all these stats and studies...
But I had a conversation last weekend with a certain recent (3 time) World Record breaking swimmer who says that they will be looking at the records knowing that swim time has been done.
Without concern about the suit, its a time on the wall and they are training to beat it.
I hope this is a call to action for swimmers to ramp it up.
Especially masters swimmers since this is a masters forum.
Seriously!
Work on technique and more specific training for specialty events.
Take a look at the dry land Fort & co. are doing.
Loose that weight that is jiggling and slowing you down.
Quit over-trainng.
Get some ART or therapy attention to the niggling injuries.
Read Ande's Tips
Yes, I'm tired of hearing about how the suit is all that - and we are doomed with or without it.
At least we get to swim with a MILLION different ways to still improve.
Sheez!
