swimming

[zebraben]

I have heard that guys when they swim are asked to shave there body hair. when i first heard this i thought it was not real. im wondering why a guy would be asked to shave how can body hair weight a guy down?????

[Wutty3]

It doesnt weigh you down...It creates drag in the water.

[outoftob]

My son is a swimmer and for championship competitions he shaves down. It creates less drag and and by removing a layer of skin makes the water seem wetter (if that makes any sense) making the body move through the water faster (less resistence). Some of it is physical and some of it is mental.

 

[RoughPoint]

For what it's worth, Ben, I think there is at least some truth in this. I still swim a lot, and I can feel the water "washing" the hair on my body. No question that causes drag. Does it matter to the average person? If they're in competition, maybe. I don't know. Remember, sometimes we're competing for hundredths of seconds.

[zebraben]

thanks for the replys it is just something i heard guys say so for really no reason i just wanted to know if it was true. when i was in high school and i know a lot of guys wont believe this but the times in physical ed. or gym class on the days swimming occured the guys had to swim in the nude. it was not coed. in junior high it was if you forgot your swim suit.

[TK1]

I also read that since hair reacts to tactile stimulus the water against the hair constantly fires neurons to which the brain and body react. By shaving down, the swimmer eliminates the tactile responses and the body and brain have less interference to process.

[TinyJock]

I've heard that it was to cut down on drag. Same reason for wearing speedos or other formfitting swimwear. Ever try doing laps in baggy trunks?

 

In high school it was a hoot after a swim meet. The swimmers would come crowding into the showers sometimes at the same time we on the football team were sudsing up. With their more slender builds and their body hair all shaved, they looked like plucked chickens heading into a pack of bears. :roflmao: :roflsmilie:

 

Guess they had the last laugh, though. Probably just freak distribution, but the swim team was overall noticeably better hung. We had a lot of short stubbies; they had a lot of long skinnies

 

 

 

Edited August 9, 2011 by Guest

[Fighting Blindly]

Guess they had the last laugh, though.

 

Just saying.

[RoughPoint]

And by college some of us were shaving each other's backs in those showers, too!

 

-- Plucked Chicken #8

[Riftalope]

Yes, Z. you were part of that last line of kids that got to swim nude as a default. For the U.S. it ended in the first half of the 70's. Some places sooner than others. Other than out in the country on the Boys creek side, I missed it all.

 

As for the shaving, they're doing what they can to not lose by letting someone else get that edge over them. That's racing for you.

[Czechfish]

Cyclist shave their legs and arms for aerodynamics. I don't know if it really helps that much but as long as they think it gives them an advantage that's all that matters, just like spending fifty dollars for a carbon fiber water bottle rack.

[anxious_guy]

.....and don't forget bodybuilders!

[tyke]

Cyclists shave their legs & arms as a precaution if they crash/fall off their bike at speed any gravel rash is minimized & easier to clean any wounds up afterwards. Body hair causes more drag resulting in more skin damage.