If Fina really goes through with suit rules briefs or Jammers for guys. Will swimmers be shaving their bodies again.
Where did shaving the body begin? I saw Jon Hendricks 1954 at the British Empire and commonwealth games do it. I also saw many cyclist doing the complete shave thing in 1954.
Later I saw a team that Jack Knelson coached shave all of their body including the head.
No I did not. I asked the cyclists why they shaved, they said they shaved because the massages were easier to do. I never shaved except for my beard. I never asked Jon Hendricks why he shaved but knew he had many massages so I thought that was the reason he shaved.
I was always clean shaven but never shaved my body. I found that even the shortest stuble would cause rubed shoulder burn so also used vaseline on my chin and around the back of my neck to stop rub burns.
Jack Nelson told me years ago the reason his swimmers shaved was to stop hair from causing water resistance which we now call drag. There was no mention of feel for the water.
We had tried other things to get the body to slide through the water. Which was his father said was the reason he shaved.
I used camphorated oil on parts of my body. I had heard it stopped water tension. I used it more extesively when doing marathon swims in the 60s never told any one about, but it have mentioned it on this forum before. May even be worth a try now. I believe it is barred from use on boats used for rowng events.
From all reports I read Jon was the first swimmer to shave for a meet.When asked why ,his father answered "Are you kidding,he's hairy as a goat."
A goat!... that sounds like me. I'm about to enter my second season of competitive swimming, still haven't tried this whole "shaving down" thing, but as I swim and think about swimming, the more I realize how much of a, well, drag, hair truly is. After shaving, besides the initial benefit offered by being able to slip through the water that much easier, there's also the "getting tired less quickly" thing, plus a third benefit supplied by the whole mentality of feeling faster, and even a fourth in the better feel for water.
Meh. I should try it some time. First meet of the season is coming up this time next month.
I am fine with shaving as I feel like is sacrificing my hair to the gods of speed.What I don't like about it is having to wear my flannel pajamas for months so my wife will let me in bed.
A goat!... that sounds like me. I'm about to enter my second season of competitive swimming, still haven't tried this whole "shaving down" thing, but as I swim and think about swimming, the more I realize how much of a, well, drag, hair truly is. After shaving, besides the initial benefit offered by being able to slip through the water that much easier, there's also the "getting tired less quickly" thing, plus a third benefit supplied by the whole mentality of feeling faster, and even a fourth in the better feel for water.
Meh. I should try it some time. First meet of the season is coming up this time next month.
x3...I'm not quite Robin Williams hairy, but it's getting there...I'm not sure my wife loves me enough to shave my back:)...that and a guy with a bit of a belly shaved down just looks awkward in my book...
Shaving is perfectly OK with me as a person's advantage is determined only by the individual's own physique and other personal attributes. :agree:
Dolphin 2
Shaving is perfectly OK with me as a person's advantage is determined only by the individual's own physique and other personal attributes.
Tell you what. Enter Nationals in Atlanta, shave down, and I will buy you a beer.
