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 ....
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Former Member
A swimmer has to propel their body through water, not air. I don't think you can categorically state that you need more pure strength and power for track.
A swimmer does not have to carry their own body weight - the amount of strength for one arm pull is so small comapred to what you need for a stride of running.
Impact on the body is much bigger? Again, where's the data to support that?
Go right ahead - ask any runner to complete an equal to a college swim training program while running --- 60k in the water = about 240 k a week running. A marathon a day - no problem. And during hell week - they will do one in the morning and one in the evening :applaud:
Running technique not complicated? Cmon, man, that's patently untrue. It's a hyper technical sport like swimming also.
Ok - what is "new" in running in the last 20 years ? Bolt runs exactly like Carl Lewis - he is just taller.
A swimmer has to propel their body through water, not air. I don't think you can categorically state that you need more pure strength and power for track.
A swimmer does not have to carry their own body weight - the amount of strength for one arm pull is so small comapred to what you need for a stride of running.
Impact on the body is much bigger? Again, where's the data to support that?
Go right ahead - ask any runner to complete an equal to a college swim training program while running --- 60k in the water = about 240 k a week running. A marathon a day - no problem. And during hell week - they will do one in the morning and one in the evening :applaud:
Running technique not complicated? Cmon, man, that's patently untrue. It's a hyper technical sport like swimming also.
Ok - what is "new" in running in the last 20 years ? Bolt runs exactly like Carl Lewis - he is just taller.
