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.
I've been up and down with my weight the last 3 years. what I have noticed at the end of this summer and start of the fall is my weight definitely effects my practice speed and my practice speed effects my racing times.
in 2009 I got down to 184lbs from 236lbs in 2007 and I was able to reduce my test set of 10x100 from st 1:35 to 10x1:25 and my 100 fr time from 1:02 to 1:00
in 2009 I got hurt, shoulder problems, and I slowly put most of the weight back on getting up to 225 again. my training times dropped to 1:30 and it was tough.
I am only back down to 213 now but already I am going 100's on 1:25. My race times from july 2011 are faster than 2010, but not quite to 2009 levels. I have 2 meets the last two weekends in sept, and then one the last weekend in oct and one in the middle of dec. if I can continue my current training and weight loss i will be back under 190lbs by dec and I beleive I will be swimming faster than I was in 2009.
Not sure I will or won't to get to 184 again, but once I get to 190 and I can maintaín my weight and intensity with training then I will allow myself to go those extra 5-6lbs. but I won't be changing anything in the way I live today. with 3 kids, family parties, work parties and just relaxing on sundays is enough to ruin what ever extra work i would be willing to do during the week.
I've been up and down with my weight the last 3 years. what I have noticed at the end of this summer and start of the fall is my weight definitely effects my practice speed and my practice speed effects my racing times.
in 2009 I got down to 184lbs from 236lbs in 2007 and I was able to reduce my test set of 10x100 from st 1:35 to 10x1:25 and my 100 fr time from 1:02 to 1:00
in 2009 I got hurt, shoulder problems, and I slowly put most of the weight back on getting up to 225 again. my training times dropped to 1:30 and it was tough.
I am only back down to 213 now but already I am going 100's on 1:25. My race times from july 2011 are faster than 2010, but not quite to 2009 levels. I have 2 meets the last two weekends in sept, and then one the last weekend in oct and one in the middle of dec. if I can continue my current training and weight loss i will be back under 190lbs by dec and I beleive I will be swimming faster than I was in 2009.
Not sure I will or won't to get to 184 again, but once I get to 190 and I can maintaín my weight and intensity with training then I will allow myself to go those extra 5-6lbs. but I won't be changing anything in the way I live today. with 3 kids, family parties, work parties and just relaxing on sundays is enough to ruin what ever extra work i would be willing to do during the week.
