Did Michael Phelps use super suit?

[Vulcan]

So in the news tonight they talked about the suit, apparently it's not so NASA'y... it was developed in part in NZ at the Uni of Otago. And speedo also offered to let any swimmer at the olympics use the suits for free.

[lyric1]

Any way you cut it put on supersuit,superbicycle,supershoes. There is still some one who is paddling in the pool turning those pedals or running like a mad person to win. Still comes back to the individual.

[indy007]

Funny how certain types of advantages are perfectly legal, like a suit that's shaving multiple seconds off of times...

but taking a chemical that helps you heal faster so you can train more often is not only illegal, but will cost you all of your sponsors and accomplishments.

Technology should advance on safety gear, like football helmets... but the swimsuit is crap. Either let them use every advantage, or none at all.

[CAP1]

Funny how certain types of advantages are perfectly legal, like a suit that's shaving multiple seconds off of times...

but taking a chemical that helps you heal faster so you can train more often is not only illegal, but will cost you all of your sponsors and accomplishments.

Technology should advance on safety gear, like football helmets... but the swimsuit is crap. Either let them use every advantage, or none at all.

i thought the olympics were to test/demonstrate/prove the competitors actual physuical ability?

 is so, then why do these people need this stuff?

[bizz]

the only way to fix this is to require complete nekkidness when swimming in competitions. 

If Phelps wasnt able to stick those big ears behind a cap his times would be about 2 to 3 seconds slower.

[indy007]

i thought the olympics were to test/demonstrate/prove the competitors actual physuical ability?

 is so, then why do these people need this stuff?

Theoretically, they don't need it at all... but it's used all the time. It's just my opinion that it should be all or nothing, instead of the hypocrisy of what is & is not allowed now. Goes beyond the Olympics into pretty much all sports.

[CAP1]

Theoretically, they don't need it at all...

that's all that needs to be said.

for swimmers, then just a pair of swim trunks, and bathing suits for the women. all of the other sports too......just basic uniforms. none of this "performance enhancing" bullchit.

[Chalenge]

The suit doesnt do anything to speed the swimmer up it just doesnt wrinkle up to cause drag in the water. Pretty lame whine this one.

[CAP1]

The suit doesnt do anything to speed the swimmer up it just doesnt wrinkle up to cause drag in the water. Pretty lame whine this one.

well, if something wrinkles, and causes drag, then in theory, the drag would slow him down.

still think they should forget the fancy stuff and just do what they train to do

[edog1977]

The suit doesn't do anything to speed the swimmer up it just doesn't wrinkle up to cause drag in the water. Pretty lame whine this one.

I remember a reading a quote from a female American swimmer who stated the suit allowed her hips to ride higher in the water.  Sounds like the suit may add some buoyancy as well as reduce drag.

[REP0MAN]

I remember a reading a quote from a female American swimmer who stated the suit allowed her hips to ride higher in the water.  Sounds like the suit may add some buoyancy as well as reduce drag.

That wasn't the suit, that was the extra helping of Peach Cobbler at the Beijing Hometown Buffet.

[Ripsnort]

12,000 calories a day! 

I remember when I was weight lifting and trying to pack muscle on, I was eating 6,000 calories a day (two-a-day work outs 5 times a week) and I near puked after each meal because I ate so much. I can't even imagine 12,000 calories!

[Chalenge]

I remember a reading a quote from a female American swimmer who stated the suit allowed her hips to ride higher in the water.  Sounds like the suit may add some buoyancy as well as reduce drag.

She just wanted photographers shooting her hips. After games playboy bid! 

[mtnman]

Which athletes don't use equipment/clothing that enhances their performance? 

Football pads/helmets may look like "safety" equipment, but in truth they allow the players to perform in a manner that would be impossible to sustain without the pads.  What about skis, kayaks, tennis rackets, high-tech bicycles, etc?  Don't they contribute to an enhanced performance?

As for the swimsuit, as a former competitive swimmer I'll tell you that you missed the most obvious performance enhancing piece of equipment the swimmers use.  Without goggles their times would suffer hugely.  The fastest part of the race is the start, followed by the turns.  Clear vision is massively important to properly approach and time your flip turn.  A few inches too far from or close to the wall and your turn will suffer.  A goggle malfunction can easily cost you the race.

Wearing the low-drag suit isn't any more "artificial" than it would be to wear a big draggy pair of trunks.  If anything, reducing drag to a level more consistant to skin is less "gamey" than applying the artificial drag of the trunks.

As far as the evolution of sports goes, athletes have always and will always be looking for an edge.  Heck, even our modern knowledge of diet, mental and physical conditioning, and the easy, rapid transmittal of information gives modern athletes an "unfair" advantage over our "ancestors".

[moot]

I saw an article a few days ago (didn't have time to read it) mentioning that performance drugs were getting away from means of detection.  It argued some of the good reasons to legalize doping methods (since it's not just drugs but genetic treatments too, now), obviously including the level playing field argument, but also that average joes would benefit from it.