This has been something I've wondered the last few years. I used to be a college swimmer, fit and trim, but the 10 years since then I've drank my fair share of beer and ate plenty of cheeseburgers. Just curious what peoples' take is on how much the extra baggage really effects swim races.
I don't really fit the swimmer mold anymore. I'm 31, 6'2", and 270lbs with a huge beer gut. I got some strange looks since the meet i was in recently was a USAS meet and I outweighed my competition by 100lbs in many cases. My first race in about 5 years i went 23.4 in the 50y free. I didn't expect to be that fast at this weight but at the same time I almost wonder if the added intertia is helping me more on the start and turns. Followed it up with a low 52 in the 100y free but I had a horrible reaction on the start and incorrect pacing. I think if i raced again today that'd be deep in the 51 range. For reference, typical non-taper times for me in college were in the low-mid 22 range at just a tick over 200lbs but I was obviously a lot stronger, younger, and doing a TON more yards at the time, that's why it makes me wonder just how much the weight is actually holding me back.
How much time do you think I stand to drop if i were 50lbs lighter? Could it be a measurable difference or something just slight? I guess I ask that to see if it'd be worth my while to drop that much weight quickly by dieting in addition to the swimming i'm doing. I don't really like dieting, and i generally eat what I want, when i want. Not gorging myself at every meal doesn't really seem to fit into my lifestyle :blush: Anyone have a similar story? "I dropped XX lbs and went XX seconds faster because of it."
Maybe it's an immeasurable, but I thought I'd ask for opinion anyway. I'm hoping it doesn't turn into a "to diet or not to diet" discussion though.
when I got back in the pool in 2006, nearly 10 yrs later, I was roughly 65lbs over my college weight.
I have to agree with the above statement that fly and *** are more effected by weight gain than free and back. Especially fly if you've lost flexibility and strength.
after about 3 months in the pool I swam the 100 SCM fr in 1:09,9 roughly 1:02 100yds. I was a breaststroker but my best 100 fr yds time was 52.2.
2007 1:06 SCM
2008 1:03.78
2009 1:00.94 --> 54.?? but still roughly 23lbs over college weight.
my goal to the fall is to swim under 1:00.
but with my weight gain, and only swimming 3-4x a week I am mentally better att swimming longer events. my best 200 fr was around 1:52. I think i have a better shot at getting down to 1:52 before I can get to :52
my 2007 3km 45:15
my 2009 3km 36:40
my back times have gone from 1:21 to 1:10SCM my best time in highschool 1:06 in yds, I now swim around 1:03yds, but I only swam back when I had to in highschool dual meets.
my fly and ***, too embarrassed to say my 2006 times, but my 2010 times against my lifetime best
br now 1:05 then 1:02
fly now 1:08 then 53:4 (split from 400 IM, which ended badly 4:19)
when I got back in the pool in 2006, nearly 10 yrs later, I was roughly 65lbs over my college weight.
I have to agree with the above statement that fly and *** are more effected by weight gain than free and back. Especially fly if you've lost flexibility and strength.
after about 3 months in the pool I swam the 100 SCM fr in 1:09,9 roughly 1:02 100yds. I was a breaststroker but my best 100 fr yds time was 52.2.
2007 1:06 SCM
2008 1:03.78
2009 1:00.94 --> 54.?? but still roughly 23lbs over college weight.
my goal to the fall is to swim under 1:00.
but with my weight gain, and only swimming 3-4x a week I am mentally better att swimming longer events. my best 200 fr was around 1:52. I think i have a better shot at getting down to 1:52 before I can get to :52
my 2007 3km 45:15
my 2009 3km 36:40
my back times have gone from 1:21 to 1:10SCM my best time in highschool 1:06 in yds, I now swim around 1:03yds, but I only swam back when I had to in highschool dual meets.
my fly and ***, too embarrassed to say my 2006 times, but my 2010 times against my lifetime best
br now 1:05 then 1:02
fly now 1:08 then 53:4 (split from 400 IM, which ended badly 4:19)
