Does drafting hurt the lead swimmer (draftee)?

Oh, I definitely agree that it hurts mentally! It pisses me off. :bitching::bitching: But does it do actual physical harm? Whenever someone is drafting off of me, I feel like I have to work harder to "pull them" along. But I'm not sure if this is really true or just psychological. :confused:

I think you are just working "harder" by not having someone to draft off of. I agree that having someone draft is psychologically tough. I'm always afraid that if the person behind me is right on my feet, I'm not going fast enough. Then when I ask him/her if he/she wants to pass and they say "Nope! You're doing great!" I know that I'm suffering so they can have an easier swim and it both pisses me off and is a little demoralizing. I hate it when I don't see the person behind me at the turns because they are so close behind me they are in my turning "blind spot"... *Of course* when I'm not leading I try (unless I can't keep up otherwise) to stay a full 5 seconds behind the person in front of me but I don't always do that either...

Steve Munatones, Dr. Genadijus Sokolovas, and Gerry Rodriguez were working recently at our pool in Mission Viejo for a few days. They were filming and testing groups of Olympians and open water swimmers. This exact question was put to the test... Keep an eye out for the results :) Its not for me to say, but I will tell you that there is real evidence supporting just the right type of drafting if you want to win the race!

If I am in a lane with people of similar abilities, I like to split up the lane leading abilities so we are equally being the drafter/draftee.

The drafter (follower) is behind the draftee (leader). The closer the drafter is to the draftee the more benefit the drafter receives. The larger and faster the draftee is the more benefit the drafter receives. I don't think the leader gets any benefit from the follower. It's just annoying to have someone right on your tail. It's even more annoying when they're tapping your toes but refusing to pass. The draftee has to work harder than the drafter. Especially longcourse or in open water. This may be opening a can of worms here, but I'm having an argument with someone in my group. If someone is drafting off of you in a pool set (like 4x200 SCY), does it hurt your effort? Does the lead swimmer have to work harder or experience some other negative benefit? I've read a bit about aerodynamics and it would seem that in car racing, the lead car actually gets a positive benefit, but I'm not sure if that's true in swimming.

We rotate the lead for diff stroke & just to keep toe touching to a mimium

It does hurt the lead swimmer --- MENTALLY .... Thats *&%(&*^)*^)... of a *&%$%^$* has to stop touching my ^$^$^%$* feet. I believe there is no possible other reason to slow down the lead swimmer.

This may be opening a can of worms here, but I'm having an argument with someone in my group. If someone is drafting off of you in a pool set (like 4x200 SCY), does it hurt your effort? psychology put aside, from pure physics perspective the answer is no. Absolutely not. The lead swimmer is not *towing* the back swimmer. Drag is caused (in this case) by the difference in pressure between in-front and behind. By moving (legs, body etc), the lead swimmer is moving the water, troubling the water thus causing a depression. Then the difference between pressure in front of the back swimmer and that behind the back swimmer is lessen. Probably not clear at this point.... (I can feel it, when I am not clear). Do you know a bit about diving? Referring to the 10m platform here. A diver dives from 10m, the water surface is perfectly flat. Diver does a *flat* (outch that hurts). Diver goes back up on its 10m platform. The coach now turns on the huge bubbling system. Water surface is all troubled now. Pressure is lessen. Diver tries a second attempt, fall flat again. This second flat will not hurt as bad since the difference of pressure between the *in-front* (water sufrace) and the *behind* (air) is lessen. So it is the fact of moving the water, troubling it that makes the back swimmer's life easier. Front swimmer can not feel this.

I hate it when I don't see the person behind me at the turns because they are so close behind me they are in my turning "blind spot"... *Of course* when I'm not leading I try (unless I can't keep up otherwise) to stay a full 5 seconds behind the person in front of me but I don't always do that either... I move or just get out when I'm being drafted. It happened last week on a set of 50's. After I moved the other swimmer apologized and said he was just trying to draft to get a better time. If I can't move, I'll go last and give them 10 or sometimes even 15 seconds depending on the set.

I don't believe the draftee is forced to work harder. But the drafter does not have to work as hard. This gives the drafter a little extra gas in their tank at the end of a set (or open water race) and allows them to finish stronger. I try not to get angry with drafters during my open water swims. That is a proven waste of mental energy which is better spent on focusing on the race ahead and planning a strategy for how not to let the drafter pass you at the end.