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.
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www.jssm.org/.../v7n1-9pdf.pdf
+1
The only way a trailing swimmer could affect the drag coefficient of a swimmer in front would be to change the hydrodynamic properties of the leading swimmer. The easiest way to do that would be to climb on their back, but of course that brings to mind other issues. There is obviously a large benefit from drafting closely behind someone. In an OW swim it drives tactics and makes races so unlike pool racing. If you can get a gap by surging you can swim the person off your feet and leave them to fend for themselves. You can also try the slow down veer off and sprint method. But no matter what you choose never let it affect you mentally. Think of it: if you could draft off someone faster than you, you would do it.
www.jssm.org/.../v7n1-9pdf.pdf
+1
The only way a trailing swimmer could affect the drag coefficient of a swimmer in front would be to change the hydrodynamic properties of the leading swimmer. The easiest way to do that would be to climb on their back, but of course that brings to mind other issues. There is obviously a large benefit from drafting closely behind someone. In an OW swim it drives tactics and makes races so unlike pool racing. If you can get a gap by surging you can swim the person off your feet and leave them to fend for themselves. You can also try the slow down veer off and sprint method. But no matter what you choose never let it affect you mentally. Think of it: if you could draft off someone faster than you, you would do it.
