Question o "Easy Freestyle" by Terry

[wie]

From the TI-easy-freestyle-manual.pdf page 5:

In 1992, USA Swimming researchers Jane Cappaert and John Troup found that elite swimmers at the Olympics generated no more stroking power than average swimmers. Cappaert and Troup concluded that their superior speed resulted from 'better whole-body streamlining.'

I wonder if this is correct.
Why then are elite swimmers so muscular and do so much muscle training?
Is this just for better streamlining?

[PanamaRed]

Originally Posted by wie

From the TI-easy-freestyle-manual.pdf page 5:

I wonder if this is correct.
Why then are elite swimmers so muscular and do so much muscle training?
Is this just for better streamlining?

Swimming is an incredible complex event. To be able in one sentence to capture the essence of swimming is futile.

What is the definition of stroking power, how is it measured? If the power stroke did not measure hip rotation, leg propulsion, core efforts, flotation etc. then we are comparing apples to oranges. All things being equal, one person with a stronger core will probably swim faster!? And core power is not necessarily stroking power! You get my point.

Streamlining becomes more important the faster you go in a fluid (water and air). When you go from 1 mph to 2 mph the drag increases 4X, at 3 mph it is 9X. So if you can reduce your X (drag variable from lets say 1.2 to .9) then you will swim faster with the same stroke power.

Now if you reduce your X (drag variable) and increase your stroke power, then you will swim even faster.

But beware of adding more power, in my 180 hp airplane I can cruise at 200 MPH, to increase the cruise to 220 mph I would need to double the HP to 360! Power is produced by energy, in an airplane 200 mph is 10 gallons of fuel an hour and 220 mph would be 20 gallons of fuel and hour. So for swimming or flying, to increase speed in a fluid, the easiest and cheapest way is to reduce drag or to streamline. Conserve energy.

If exerting tremendous amounts of power is not a concern, i.e., sprinting, then OK, but if you need to get out of the lake and then do a bike ride and a run, you need to conserve excess power to be used later.

[Talvi]

Originally Posted by PanamaRed

...Streamlining becomes more important the faster you go in a fluid (water and air). When you go from 1 mph to 2 mph the drag increases 4X, at 3 mph it is 9X. So if you can reduce your X (drag variable from lets say 1.2 to .9) then you will swim faster with the same stroke power...

But beware of adding more power, in my 180 hp airplane I can cruise at 200 MPH, to increase the cruise to 220 mph I would need to double the HP to 360! Power is produced by energy, in an airplane 200 mph is 10 gallons of fuel an hour and 220 mph would be 20 gallons of fuel and hour. So for swimming or flying, to increase speed in a fluid, the easiest and cheapest way is to reduce drag or to streamline. Conserve energy....

Great post, thanks :)

[wie]

But it does not answer my question.
It is said: "elite swimmers at the Olympics generated no more stroking power than average swimmers."
Why then are elite swimmers so muscular?

[sojomojo]

Originally Posted by wie

Why then are elite swimmers so muscular?

Elite swimmers are LEAN muscular; not bulky muscular. I read that Ryan Lochte swam 5-6 hours a day, six days a week (which I think is an insane amount). With that many hours of swimming, an elite swimmer can’t help but be lean and muscular (no time to eat ice cream). Elite swimmers also have youth and good genetics in their favor. They also have swim coaches, strength coaches, and sports nutritionists to help them with their diets.

[Talvi]

Originally Posted by wie

But it does not answer my question.
It is said: "elite swimmers at the Olympics generated no more stroking power than average swimmers."...

I also see a problem in that statement. If they generate no more power how come they go so much faster. There is surely a limit to the proportionate increase in speed achievable through reduced drag alone. What pace does an "average swimmer" achieve. Do you have a link to the research paper itself? What was being measured and how?

6 MONTHS LATER ...

Maybe what's being referred to is power input to the stroke rather than power output delivered to the water propulsively i.e that average swimmers are as strong as elite ...? No, that doesn't seem to make sense either.

[dprevish]

I think that one needs to know the method of power measurement...can some one expound on that?

[Talvi]

I tried to huint down the original research but no luck so far. I'll post back if I find anything.