Trying not to beat this into the ground, but... FINA says that the majority of swimmers and coaches would like to see the "tech suits" disappear forever, and all swimmers to return to "knees to navel" for men, and "shoulders to hips" for women with all suits using only fabric.
Are you in the majority?
Click here to choose yes or no.
Click here to see the results.
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I'd like to see the tech suits go the way of the do-do bird, but I'm not a fan of the guidelines for suit cuts ("knees to navel" for men/ "shoulders to hips" for women). If women can cover their torsos, men should be able as well; likewise, if men can cover their upper legs, so should women. I think the biggest outcry on these style guidelines will be from women looking for leg coverage. On both men and women, there is a lot of flab in the upper leg (just watch someone push off the wall and look at the muscle waves generated), and the advantage gained by compression in that area is in my opinion a huge contributing factor for the successes of swimmers in the last several years. If only men are allowed this advantage, I foresee the ladies starting an uprising. Another thing to think about - these body suits have afforded countless Muslim women an opportunity to compete on the international stage in a sport that traditionally has left them on the sidelines due to customs. |
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I think these suits have done much more to hurt our sport than to help it. About the only thing you can say in favor of the suits is that a lot of records were broken at all levels of our sport in the past year and that should have gained some notariety in the press. But beyond that it has made us look foolish to the general public. How do you explain to someone, that is not knowledgeable about the sport, how so many world records were broken in one year? When something like this happens I believe people tend to dismiss the entire sport as simple, something that anyone can do. Just buy a $500 swim suit and you too can be a great swimmer. However, I will give creedence to the idea of full body suits allowing for people of different faiths to compete. That is a diversity issue that certainly needs to be considered. |
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I'd just like to know how I rank compared to the swimmers of today. My 15:02.40 from 1976 held up pretty well before TS were introduced. |
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No. I just want this polyurethane, triathlete 's wet suit like bull to disappear. If a suits is smoother in the water than skin, fine; but if it gives you buoyancy it should be out. |
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There's a different slant isn't there within the Masters environment. I see a lot of mature swimmers (male and female) who have more confidence because of the coverage given by body suites. I don't know, but I'd suspect a (significant?) proportion would stop competing if they lost this coverage... |
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Brian, of course, you'd still stack up pretty darn well, even 33 years later. You know my slant on that from a breaststrokers point of view, with so many rule changes, we're uncomparable anymore, just as backstroke without the need of touching the wall for the turns, and butterfly with the use of underwater dolphins. I think freestyle is the closest to comparable, and your time is still stellar. I do have some pics of us in our LZR's from Trials last summer. Just wondering if I should post those. ;) |
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I agree tech suits should be regulated, especially since there have been rumors of a suit that would provide biofeedback being in development. However, I think simply banning suits, or drastically limiting their area of coverage, would be a big leap backwards. I understand how some people are frustrated with the impossibility of comparing times with the past, but I believe – contrary to many people – that the suits have helped swimming a whole lot. Honestly, swimming has become a lot more marketable since the suits came along. I really don’t understand when people get so mad at the suits and say that people who are not part of the swimming community are mocking on us now. What I really see is that swimming has gotten a lot more exposure with the suits. I talk to a lot of people who are not related to swimming at all, and they are all a lot more aware of the sport and everything related to it since the suit revolution. In addition, it is unquestionable that swimming has been getting a lot more TV exposion than ever before. So people are talking more about the suits than the swimmers? Well, before they didn’t use to talk about the swimmers at all… Last, but not least, we have to remember that all the suit companies are investing a lot of money into swimming as well, and so we are finally seeing a lot more swimmers being able to be professional athletes and focus on their training. So again, I agree the suits should be regulated, but I think simply banning them would be really bad for swimming. One note though: age groups are a different story, and I think even at HS level suits should be limited to a few meets only.
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Lucas, I appreciate your comments. And I really agree with your last paragraph! I think I would be satisfied if the suits were taken away from HS and age group meets. I think the cost factor is detrimental to the sport at those levels. If we want to keep them for the national and world class athletes at certain events then so be it. Especially if it will keep the sponsor money flowing into the sport. However, I think Speedo and others will always find ways to keep their name in front of the swimming community. The swimming demographic spends way to much money for them to not be involved. |
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Suits like the FS PRO seem fine - they look like fabric, feel like fabric, and yes increase speed. But the Jaked and B70 suits feel like rubber and appear to add significant buoyancy in pool races. They do seem like too much. No technical argument here just my gut reaction. I quite enjoyed swimming the NE Champs in my used FS PRO but don't think I'd put down $400 for a B70. Excessive I say. |
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We all know what Craig Lord wants. I can see both sides of the argument. However, I'm going to say keep the tech, because getting rid of it will be too difficult. Besides, for all those arguing that tech suits have destroyed swimming, swimming is at its highest right now in the public opinion. Let it be. |
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Enough already !!!!! I will make a statement -and please ponder......How about I will throw my swimmers tech suit in the water, let's see how fast it swims and wins the race by itself....oh that's right....it is the swimmer that can make it swim and win the race not the suit itself!!!! My daughters train hard and the tech suit, FS II, FS Pro and now Blueseventy give them the confidence to achieve their goals...but it is the swimmer not the suit! We tried our own experiment with tech Suits and without (since Blue Seventy banned for a short time and had to use their FS Pro & FS II - well they got exactly the same times!!!! But they feel more comfortable in the Blue Seventy - it is all a mental thing!)
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Many of the suits are legal again. Tell your daughters to put their Blueseventys back on and enjoy themselves (for a while). |
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Amen to that M. |
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I agree tech suits should be regulated, especially since there have been rumors of a suit that would provide biofeedback being in development. However, I think simply banning suits, or drastically limiting their area of coverage, would be a big leap backwards.......... |
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