Why Swimming World Records Keep Falling
Ever notice that world-record swim times never seem to stand all that long?
You are not alone. You also are not wrong.
Every time we sit down to take in the latest Olympics or World Championships, a record seems to fall. It doesn’t matter whether it’s in freestyle, backstroke or breaststroke. Or whether it’s in individual medley events. With only a few exceptions, world-record holders never seem to hold their place in history for that long.
This is part of what makes swimming such a draw. It isn’t just religious fans that tune in or invest in the events. Casual viewers crop up in droves. The relative unpredictability across so many different events has also made various swimming events major attractions in the sports wagering scene. From World Aquatics Fantasy Game where 10,000+ swim fans formed 2,907 fantasy leagues to win prizes (or just bragging rights) to Florida online betting sites or Wyoming wagering sites and every market in between, swimming competitions grab eyeballs.
That brings us back to the fundamental question: Why are world records in swimming shattered more frequently than in sports like track and field?
Technique Optimizations are Always Evolving
Talk to any swimming expert or pro coach, and they will be quick to note that the sport takes into account movements of the entire body. This allows for more constant tweaks in approach and execution.
The variable of competing in water is also at play. This invites more experimentation when it comes to gear, flips, breathing and so much more.
“[Swimmers] involve virtually all parts of the body,” Tiago Barbosa of Singapore’s Sports Biomechanics Laboratory once explained to BBC. “And they are moving through water which is so much more dense, which means that everything that you do has to be optimized–your head position, your streamline position with your body, how your arms are above and below the water, how you kick. Those are all things that are very complex. It means that there’s lots of room for optimization.”
This additional room for optimization—for trying new things—contributes to a higher than normal turnover for world records. And because there are so many technical areas to play around with and experiment with, the rate at which world records fall aren’t in danger of slowing any time soon.
The Invention of Tech Suits Changed a Lot
Back in 2008 and all the way through 2009, the advent of what became known as “super-suits” allowed world record after world record to fall. These suits were predominantly made of polyurethane, and they touted how muscular compression resulted in better buoyancy and less drag for competitive swimmers.
After initially being sanctioned by most competitive governing bodies, the original versions of these suits were banned by many events. Still, the overarching idea behind them endures when looking at swimming today.
In fact, according to Swim Competitive, many of the “newer suits use carbon bands and internal muscle taping to increase power.” This is achieved, apparently, because of the “way that the taping is placed can pull muscles in certain directions to bring muscle groups together and allow them to work more efficiently together.”
Nutritional Optimization is at an All-Time High
Many do not give diet and nutrition as much consideration as training, gear and technique. For pro athletes, though, it is comparably important. Especially in this sport.
Swimmers are uniquely susceptible to nutrient timing because of the shorter, more frequent bursts at which they operate. Tailoring diets around those performance schedules has become a common practice at the highest levels.
What’s more, we now have better information on the type of macros that benefit swimmers the most. For instance, consuming a certain amount of protein used to be considered taboo. That has proven to be a fallacy, just like when it comes to certain types of weight training. The concern that too much muscle would way swimmers down is no longer mainstream.
Really, the amount of information available and applied can be overwhelming. The best of the best take into account everything from carbohydrate release times to foods that might inflame the body and make it harder to execute movements.
When you consider all of the advancements that have been made across so many different areas of the sport, it’s no wonder why records fall all the time. Swimmers are constantly evolving, and therefore constantly improving. It only makes sense that their performances in events are, too.
