One topic of great interest to us all is
"What do you need to do to have a major swimming breakthrough?"
"What do you need to do to significantly improve your swimming times over one season?"
Do you have any specific, nitty gritty type suggestions.
I think it's really easy to fall into ruts, to just show up and go through the motions rather than seizing the moment while we train.
Any one have any thoughts on what we need to do to significantly improve?
forums.usms.org/showthread.php
fat floats however fat creates volume for the swimmer to pull through the pool
It is true that the fastest swimmers are lean. But the question remains, is that because you have to be lean to be a fast swimmer, or is it simply a consequence of the amount of training needed. Perhaps, a higher percent body fat would allow these swimmers to go faster, but it is not possible with all of the long hours of training.
I am no suggesting that a morbidly obese person has the ideal body composition for an elite swimmer, but I do believe that there is a happy medium between 3-4% body fat and, lets say 30% body fat (error on the high side).
Watching the Olympic Trials, I noticed that the top swimmers are really not that lean. I don’t see 3-4% body fat. Many of the top swimmers do not have a visible six pack. There is definitely a layer of fat. Fat that could be lost, but I don’t see any of these talking about how if they could just lose a few extra pounds.
I think the question for this thread should be “what is the ideal percent body fat”
If body fat does not alter the shape of your body dramatically, I believe it would be advantageous for a swimmer to have body composition in the ~15% range. More buoyancy allows for less energy to be used to keep the body on top of the water. I would put my money on a swimmer with 10% body fat as opposed to a swimmer with 5% body fat if all other variables were equal.
Fat floats, and if you can stay on top of the water with fat as opposed to using part of your arm stroke energy, then more energy can be used for forward propulsion as opposed to keeping your body on top of the water.
fat floats however fat creates volume for the swimmer to pull through the pool
It is true that the fastest swimmers are lean. But the question remains, is that because you have to be lean to be a fast swimmer, or is it simply a consequence of the amount of training needed. Perhaps, a higher percent body fat would allow these swimmers to go faster, but it is not possible with all of the long hours of training.
I am no suggesting that a morbidly obese person has the ideal body composition for an elite swimmer, but I do believe that there is a happy medium between 3-4% body fat and, lets say 30% body fat (error on the high side).
Watching the Olympic Trials, I noticed that the top swimmers are really not that lean. I don’t see 3-4% body fat. Many of the top swimmers do not have a visible six pack. There is definitely a layer of fat. Fat that could be lost, but I don’t see any of these talking about how if they could just lose a few extra pounds.
I think the question for this thread should be “what is the ideal percent body fat”
If body fat does not alter the shape of your body dramatically, I believe it would be advantageous for a swimmer to have body composition in the ~15% range. More buoyancy allows for less energy to be used to keep the body on top of the water. I would put my money on a swimmer with 10% body fat as opposed to a swimmer with 5% body fat if all other variables were equal.
Fat floats, and if you can stay on top of the water with fat as opposed to using part of your arm stroke energy, then more energy can be used for forward propulsion as opposed to keeping your body on top of the water.
