I know there have been numerous threads posted about this and I've read the USMS Masters statement, thanks Ande.
Nevertheless,
I have never swam with these magic suits that has FINA in such a tizzie. I never will swim with them as I joined masters swimming just this year. I guess I missed an era :(. I would like to know how many folks are still racing with the suits (did Rowdy use one in his world record swims this weekend)? In addition, how many folks who set masters world records this year, used the high tech suits?
I know it would be fun to wear one of those suits and easily pull out a time I have no business going at 38 years old. I guess if I went some insane time in the 100 free, I'd have a hard time getting myself back into the mental state to swim knowing that the marks I set will never be attainable by me if I can no longer wear the suit. I think we are going to be very surprised at the swim times produced around the world come January 1, 2010. I think it will be a devastating blow to the sport IMHO. FINA will have to deal with that when that occurs.
So I'm curious how many swims are going to be swum in Atlanta next spring with the tech suits? I bet I'm the only one on the blocks without one like I was at my first meet this year.
I thought it was funny to be rather old school and beat all these guys with the full body batman outfits.
Am I a little envious, sure. I wish I could have worn one when the suits weren't in a state of speculation and then showed people my best times and said, "oh, of course not I wasn't wearing one of those tech suits, no, that was from my honest to goodness hard work"... But I never will if the ruling continues to hold.
I won't ever have an asterisk next to my name.
Totally agree with Fort on this issue of more specialized sprint training showing results... finally - after years of overtraining these athletes.
I'm not denying a role by the tech-suits, but it certainly is not the entire explanation.
If anyone can see it demonstrated it should be masters swimmers. They have busy hectic lives with little time to train. If they're serious about swimming faster they make it specific.
Often they resist racing early on thinking they could never hit times close to those swum without the thousands of meters trained. A light bulb goes off unexpectedly in a timed workout swim...
But they do hit times and some times are even faster than ever!
On very little but very specific training.
I come from the 70s where we trained 15-20,000 as drop-dead sprinters. And as a 80s & 90s triathlete - more is better.
Last year, under strained circumstances, I trained my a** off and incorporated dozens of new found technique improvements.
But oh well, all will be chalked up to "the suit".
I know better.
If anything, regardless of the allowed fabric/rubber, I appreciate that "the suit" holds in the jiggles and the deck strutting is bearable to watch :)
Totally agree with Fort on this issue of more specialized sprint training showing results... finally - after years of overtraining these athletes.
I'm not denying a role by the tech-suits, but it certainly is not the entire explanation.
If anyone can see it demonstrated it should be masters swimmers. They have busy hectic lives with little time to train. If they're serious about swimming faster they make it specific.
Often they resist racing early on thinking they could never hit times close to those swum without the thousands of meters trained. A light bulb goes off unexpectedly in a timed workout swim...
But they do hit times and some times are even faster than ever!
On very little but very specific training.
I come from the 70s where we trained 15-20,000 as drop-dead sprinters. And as a 80s & 90s triathlete - more is better.
Last year, under strained circumstances, I trained my a** off and incorporated dozens of new found technique improvements.
But oh well, all will be chalked up to "the suit".
I know better.
If anything, regardless of the allowed fabric/rubber, I appreciate that "the suit" holds in the jiggles and the deck strutting is bearable to watch :)
