Speedo LZR suit - cool
 

Been reading about the Speedo LZR swimsuit that has been worn by almost everyone who's set a new WR in this Olympics and in the Olympic trials.

Pretty cool technology. Material repels water and is extremely low-drag. Compresses muscles and midsection. Stiffer panels (which you can see in pics) over the chest, stomach, thighs are even lower-drag than the fabric. Ultrasonically welded with no stitching or seams. Shrouded zipper.

Supposedly 5% less effort to go the same speed. Phelps' coach said the suit is cutting 2% off times. Since suit's February release, 48 world records were set in it - then appx 12 more set during the Olympics so far. I have read that almost every new swimming WR set this year has been by someone wearing a LZR.

Many swimmers from many countries are wearing LZRs in the Olympics, even if their team has a contract with a different suit maker. Sometimes the Speedo logo is covered with tape.

http://swimming.about.com/od/swimsuits/qt/speedo_lzr_race.htm
http://www.public.iastate.edu/~nscentral/news/2008/jul/olympics.shtml
http://news.ino.com/headlines/?newsid=689271667382713

really cool technology. if performance enhancing drugs are prohibited, shouldnt other means of performance enhancement be banned also? just wondering.

I don't think swimsuits are like drugs. Drugs are (potentially) harmful to the athlete, a high-tech swimsuit isn't. That's one difference. Also, everyone can see who's using which suit, and thus can go get the same suit.

At the same time, if the rules were that every swimmer must swim in identical regulation suits or briefs, that would be fine with me too.

I heard an interview with an athlete who was talking about the suit. He said he was pleased that it now only takes him ~ 10 minutes to get it on... used to take over 20 minutes!

They also said that it's only good for a few uses... after that it starts to stretch

This is not the point of the sport. I think that it should be banned. Why not allow swimmers to have outboard motors?

I ask to find one Pelican to argue against regulating required nude swimming (at least for females)!

Somehow it feels wrong, I agree. Why should a WR be allowed because of a change in the technology like this? (It's true that it happens in winter sports especially). OTOH, everyone has to lift the same weights, throw the same javelin/shotput/discus. Is a team that can afford new suits every 5 races really better than less wealthy swim teams?

sounds like auto racing ;)

Ya gotta wear a suit, why not wear the best?

I don't think these suits enhance performance as much as other suits impede it.

Looks like everybody in the pool is wearing a LZR. What's the problem?

And...... How long do Hoosier tires last?

I saw a few of these suits today on display (yes, really) at the Phoenix Art Museum. I had a meeting there and, while I walked past the display and didn't notice it on the way to the office I was visiting, the lady I met with told me about it. So I looked for it on the way out. Apparently, the museum is real big on fashion collections as art. They have a big thing coming up on 100 yrs. of the one-piece bathing suit. I jokingly asked if this was gonna involve suffragists' bloomers. She was dead serious and said yes.

I think the teams get the suits for free; that's what I read, at least.

Effective advertising, yes?

Best,

I saw an interview with Spitz where he talked about the suits... said that you had to go 6mph or faster for the drag to be effectively reduced. In some of the races where the swimmers don't have to (or can't) go that fast, they don't wear them. That's why in some of the shorter/faster races, you see Phelps wearing it, in some of the other ones, you don't. (He wears a smaller suit instead).

Also, they are VERY constrictive, which is why you see the swimmers (male, anyway) drop the straps right after they get out of the pool.

I noticed that not all of the backstrokers don't wear them. Probably because of the constrictive nature.

How about the high-tech pools they're using now? The lane rope floats are specially designed to dampen waves. The water is actually salt-water rather that chlorinated fresh water, which is more bouyant to the swimmers. There are troughs on either side of the pool to further dampen the wave action.

Although when Michael Phelps swims, it looks like you could jump in with a long board and ride his shoulder wave the full 50 meters!!

Apparently the Chinese Olympic pool is deeper which also reduces wave action.

Interesting story on the suit: http://www.engadget.com/2008/08/12/indifferent-swimmers-break-8-world-records-while-whining-about-s/

I really do like how they offer the suits to all competitors, free of charge. Talk about some cheap world-wide advertising.

Same issues with Bob sledding in the winter Olympics.
Jeff Bodine provides sleds for teams. Pretty high tech stuff.
Ski's, rifles, bikes, it's all the same. Best techology that you cn afford to win.

Cheating? NO.

Naked women's swimming and Gymnastics? Hell yea!!!!!!!!!

How about adding a rule where they have to be a certain size too. Imagine the underwater view with 4,5 pairs of b/c cups floating around.:D

On a serious note, I would expect the suit maker to give these men/women the suit for free. They do this stuff all the time in professional racing and professional athletics in the USA.

The problem comes at levels where the suit isnt free. Should high school swimmers be paying $500 to save a fraction? Or even just feel the pressure to?

Have we forgotten that the poles in the pole vault used to be stiff, non-bending? In the "old days", one's muscles had to do the work to get over the bar.

Now, it is the pole that puts the vaulter over the bar. The vaulter is just along for the ride.

Perhaps the only "pure" sports left are the discus, the javelin, the shot put, and running. Any other sport that relies on technology is not what the Olympics WAS all about.

And so how is badmiton an Olympic sport? Or beach volleyball?

Don't get me started!!!!!!