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.
Former Member
Furthermore, looking at masters and seeing some overweight gals and guys is really not a fair look at the real question. Because some "chunky" stud of a masters swimmer is real fast doesn't mean that being heavy doesn't slow them down. Just means they are not as fast as they could be.
Be as light and as powerful as possible, which requires finding your "optimal" body weight, and your body will aid your performances and not hinder your speed.
Seems logical, but evidence and science seems to invalid the correlation between swimming performance and body weight.
Seems logical, but evidence and science seems to invalid the correlation between swimming performance and body weight.
yep, just one necessary factor to arriving at your potential
Swimming is a sport that relies heavily on technique...if you are an "ex-college swimmer", chances are you can roll into the sport 10 years later and put up times that would make most others in USMS drool. I think the ability to put up the times you are is more a result of the intimate "feel" for the water that is developed especially as an "age grouper" and college swimmer.
Interesting question. I think that body weight affects swimming speed only to the extent that it may (or may not) reflect your current level of conditioning. Good technique probably more than compensates for the affect of obesity on form drag.
Swimming is a sport that relies heavily on technique...if you are an "ex-college swimmer", chances are you can roll into the sport 10 years later and put up times that would make most others in USMS drool. I think the ability to put up the times you are is more a result of the intimate "feel" for the water that is developed especially as an "age grouper" and college swimmer.
I have "rolled" back into it and I'm going reasonably fast. Whether my times actually cause salivation problems for others I can't answer :) Note: I was never an "age group" swimmer, I started swimming at 15.
No doubt this discussion will bring forth the healthy people with their lifestyle suggestions for me. I've never argued that being fat as I am is healthy.
I see. And thanks btw for having welcomed my superficial comment (I hadn't even read the thread anyway) with such open mind.
I think you are a great candidate for diversifying your training little more. Again, this is a superficial suggestion since I do not know you. But at first glance, maybe adding 60min of dryland aerobic exercising such as cycling could contribute to achieving your goals more rapidly.
Anyway. I will now let you guys discussion physics and since I am very bad it these calculations, I will just follow on this thread staying remote.
Stay well
I see. And thanks btw for having welcomed my superficial comment (I hadn't even read the thread anyway) with such open mind.
I think you are a great candidate for diversifying your training little more. Again, this is a superficial suggestion since I do not know you. But at first glance, maybe adding 60min of dryland aerobic exercising such as cycling could contribute to achieving your goals more rapidly.
Anyway. I will now let you guys discussion physics and since I am very bad it these calculations, I will just follow on this thread staying remote.
Stay well
Thanks for your comments I try to welcome them all :) Right now I'm sticking purely to the swimming. If I add too much too fast I know it'll just become work again and I'll fall off the wagon for another few years only to have to start another comeback. :blush: My training focus wasn't even this shave meet I just did. My college is having an alumni meet this fall and it's been my goal to go there and beat at least one of their guys in my event. :banana:
Thanks.
How's your 200?
I'm:
Weight 164
Height 6'1"
Armspan 6'5"
Inseam 3'0" (obtained by same method cyclist use for sizing a bike)
I'm very slow at any distance over 100, and not as slow under.
I support the idea that proportions might be more significant to swimming potential than weight, even in sprinting events as in your case.
Out of curiosity, what is your wingspan and inseam?
Wingspan is a mutantly 6'8" :O
Unsure of inseam exactly. All of my pants are 34 though and they seem to fit ok heh. :)
