I wear size small gloves, and can usually borrow my wife’s women’s smalls fairly easily. I have size 8 US (41 EU) feet. Today in the pool I decided that all you people with big hands and feet can bite me.
I know that certain physiological characteristics are common among elite athletes in a given sport. My question: how much does being a midget cost me in the pool? I know someone Rapp’s size is going to beat me in a TT even with equal w/kg - it is what it is and I need to pick hilly courses where w/kg matters more than w/cda (not that I would beat him on a hilly course, either).
I know how to do the math on that one - what’s the math on 5’7" and tiny hands/feet versus an “average” sized male?
there was a short swimmer from japan in the olympics. I think he medaled too.
basically I wouldn’t assume you have any limitations based your height alone. height is one of 1000 features that affect your speed and 900 others are in your control.
Yes, but if I had a twin with equal aerobic capacity, training time, and form, who happened to be 4" taller and had large hands and size 12 feet, he would be faster than me. What I want to know is how much.
It’s a SCIENCE question Jack. I thought you’d be all over this (not very helpful, as normal, but all over it)
its probably too hard to answer. like if I had bigger hands I don’t think it would do me any good at all right now. I’d just tire upper body out faster, haha
there are wetsuits that effectively make your ‘hands’ bigger =)
Yes, but if I had a twin with equal aerobic capacity, training time, and form, who happened to be 4" taller and had large hands and size 12 feet, he would be faster than me. What I want to know is how much.
It’s a SCIENCE question Jack. I thought you’d be all over this (not very helpful, as normal, but all over it)
“Are you suggesting coconuts migrate? …It’s not a question of where he grips it! It’s a simple question of weight ratios!” I think the same thing applies here. While you may be lamenting the smaller-than-average size of your feet and hands, us larger-than-average folks are envying what appears to be your bird-like hollow bone structure and lighter weight.
Just like the watts/pound ratio evens out on the bike, I’ll bet the hand/feet size/weight ratio evens out in the pool.
Yes, but if I had a twin with equal aerobic capacity, training time, and form, who happened to be 4" taller and had large hands and size 12 feet, he would be faster than me. What I want to know is how much.
My non-scientific opinion is that assuming the longer, taller person would be faster given all else equal has to be faster may very well NOT be the case. There is a ton more drag on someone that much bigger and since water is ~ 800 times more dense than air it stands to reason the more surface area you drop in the drink the more drag. Does the longer paddle and foot overcome all of that? Some science brain will probably come up with an equation.
The other reason I feel that way is b/c the fastest swimmer at Masters is a woman about 5’6" and she freaking HAULS arse, screams through the water. Last Saturday she passed me in the lane over while doing 50 kick sets while I was swimming 200’s. Chicked x 10.
In water a longer boat is faster, (out of water a boat is pretty slow however) same with people being longer is faster. And Jack, try paddles some time, trust me you’d be faster. For everyone shorter is a disadvantage, but I doubt more than 2-3 people here, male or female, have faster PRs than Sheila Taormina, and she is pretty much Gnome sized,