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2014-09-13 12:21 AM

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172
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Kenmore, Washington
Subject: Swim times improved overnight
I took almost 10 seconds off my 100y pace since Tuesday. How is this possible you ask? With 15 minutes of training in my bathtub, and by training I mean buzzing a bunch of hair off with some clippers. I'm slightly less manly now. I did leave the clipper guard on so there's some manliness left I can sacrifice to go even faster in the pool. While I've made peace with wearing Lycra, I cannot bring myself to take a razor to my legs.

I've been swimming 4k yards / week just to maintain fitness over the summer and my pace was around 1:45 sec / 100. Today I was knocking out 100s in 1:35, and my fast 50 yard swims (after 1 min rest) were under 40 seconds (best was 32 seconds!). Woohoo.


2014-09-13 7:04 AM
in reply to: pnwdan

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Expert
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Floriduh
Subject: RE: Swim times improved overnight
Seriously, you took 10 sec off your 100 time by shaving? Jeez, are you a Wooki?
2014-09-13 7:39 AM
in reply to: Oysterboy

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370
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, North Carolina
Subject: RE: Swim times improved overnight
Originally posted by Oysterboy

Seriously, you took 10 sec off your 100 time by shaving? Jeez, are you a Wooki?


More realistically he's probably a yeti, I doubt a Wooki would have the digital dexterity to manipulate a keyboard or shave for that matter.
2014-09-13 7:44 AM
in reply to: pnwdan

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Master
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Eugene, Oregon
Bronze member
Subject: RE: Swim times improved overnight
Maybe a little placebo effect here? If it was that dramatic, too bad I'm female and not very hairy even for that--will never see those kinds of gains from shaving my legs and will have to be happy with believing that my compression suit makes me way faster than my normal suit. It does--by 5-8 second/100m, but I'm sure at least 3-4 of those seconds are because I think it will and I "feel" faster in it!
2014-09-13 10:01 AM
in reply to: pnwdan

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Champion
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MA
Subject: RE: Swim times improved overnight

Shaving your legs makes even a bigger difference on your bike....wind tunnel tests prove it.

2014-09-13 10:20 AM
in reply to: pnwdan

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201
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Hereford, England
Subject: RE: Swim times improved overnight
Is there any data out there regarding shaving for the swim, bike or run?

I've found bits for the bike, and it says over 40km tt it's about 50-80s quicker to be shaved.


2014-09-13 10:28 AM
in reply to: Oysterboy

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172
1002525
Kenmore, Washington
Subject: RE: Swim times improved overnight
I am not a wookie. I did post a video in the "Swimming Help - Post your videos" thread as proof :-) I am not super hairy. I buzzed my legs, arms, and chest, and my wife took care of my back.

It could be that the water just felt different. I'm used to slowing down if I don't work, but yesterday I would just glide, especially after kicking off from the wall.

2014-09-13 10:55 AM
in reply to: #5049698

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Subject: RE: Swim times improved overnight
thank you for getting my hopes up high and immediately dropping them off a ten story building. Only exposed area I have left to shave are my eyebrows.

Guess I'll stick to my "the pool keeps getting longer" theory to explain my getting slower problem.
2014-09-13 11:05 AM
in reply to: 0

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1502
1000500
Katy, Texas
Subject: RE: Swim times improved overnight
A little off topic, but what are all of your thoughts on arm shaving? Here's my theory; in the water your legs are all drag, so it makes sense to shave em, but if you think about it, your arms are more effective in what they do (pulling) if they have hair. In my opinion, you want more hair on your arms to add "grip" to the water as that's exactly what you're trying to do. So, I think you're best off shaving the parts you want to slip through the water; legs, chest, shoulders and back, but leave the arm hair. Am I nuts?

Edited by 3mar 2014-09-13 11:06 AM
2014-09-13 11:31 AM
in reply to: pnwdan

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Master
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Somewhere on the Tennessee River
Subject: RE: Swim times improved overnight
2014-09-13 1:07 PM
in reply to: MadMathemagician

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Subject: RE: Swim times improved overnight
Yeah I don't think it's because you've shaved. I did beat my fastest 100yds this week by 10 second (1:16...with lame open turns). I also for the first time did shave my legs before my IM last week but I know that's not it. Things are slowly starting to click and my coach's advice is sinking in. I'm very aware of hand position now and also I'm still living it up from my taper.

I would say your technique got better and/or you're less fatigued now.


2014-09-14 3:17 PM
in reply to: pnwdan

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Coach
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Stairway to Seven
Subject: RE: Swim times improved overnight
Originally posted by pnwdan

I am not a wookie. I did post a video in the "Swimming Help - Post your videos" thread as proof :-) I am not super hairy. I buzzed my legs, arms, and chest, and my wife took care of my back.

It could be that the water just felt different. I'm used to slowing down if I don't work, but yesterday I would just glide, especially after kicking off from the wall.




My guess is that you felt differnt things in the water by shaving and if you let it grow back and did those same things, YOu'd probably retain much of your new found speed.
2014-09-14 5:17 PM
in reply to: 3mar

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Elite
7783
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PEI, Canada
Subject: RE: Swim times improved overnight

Originally posted by 3mar A little off topic, but what are all of your thoughts on arm shaving? Here's my theory; in the water your legs are all drag, so it makes sense to shave em, but if you think about it, your arms are more effective in what they do (pulling) if they have hair. In my opinion, you want more hair on your arms to add "grip" to the water as that's exactly what you're trying to do. So, I think you're best off shaving the parts you want to slip through the water; legs, chest, shoulders and back, but leave the arm hair. Am I nuts?

What about all the time from when your arm enters the water through extension?  That's likely when your arm is moving fastest (relative to the water around it, apart from a dive/wall push) and most affected by any drag the hair creates.

On top of that, the inside of my arms - the part that is catching the water in your pull - is pretty hair free.  The hair is all on top of my arms.

2014-09-14 5:46 PM
in reply to: axteraa

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1502
1000500
Katy, Texas
Subject: RE: Swim times improved overnight
Originally posted by axteraa

Originally posted by 3mar A little off topic, but what are all of your thoughts on arm shaving? Here's my theory; in the water your legs are all drag, so it makes sense to shave em, but if you think about it, your arms are more effective in what they do (pulling) if they have hair. In my opinion, you want more hair on your arms to add "grip" to the water as that's exactly what you're trying to do. So, I think you're best off shaving the parts you want to slip through the water; legs, chest, shoulders and back, but leave the arm hair. Am I nuts?

What about all the time from when your arm enters the water through extension?  That's likely when your arm is moving fastest (relative to the water around it, apart from a dive/wall push) and most affected by any drag the hair creates.

On top of that, the inside of my arms - the part that is catching the water in your pull - is pretty hair free.  The hair is all on top of my arms.




Just a thought, and really an excuse to not have to shave my arms. My legs are enough to keep up with.
2014-09-14 5:56 PM
in reply to: 3mar

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Elite
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PEI, Canada
Subject: RE: Swim times improved overnight

Originally posted by 3mar
Originally posted by axteraa

Originally posted by 3mar A little off topic, but what are all of your thoughts on arm shaving? Here's my theory; in the water your legs are all drag, so it makes sense to shave em, but if you think about it, your arms are more effective in what they do (pulling) if they have hair. In my opinion, you want more hair on your arms to add "grip" to the water as that's exactly what you're trying to do. So, I think you're best off shaving the parts you want to slip through the water; legs, chest, shoulders and back, but leave the arm hair. Am I nuts?

What about all the time from when your arm enters the water through extension?  That's likely when your arm is moving fastest (relative to the water around it, apart from a dive/wall push) and most affected by any drag the hair creates.

On top of that, the inside of my arms - the part that is catching the water in your pull - is pretty hair free.  The hair is all on top of my arms.

Just a thought, and really an excuse to not have to shave my arms. My legs are enough to keep up with.

I'm too lazy to shave anything other than my face.  

that and my wife threatens divorce....  

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