MAKES WOMEN SWIM FASTER? What about the difference between the sexes? Women naturally store slightly more body fat than men, and fat is less dense than muscle, so “there is an intriguing debate about whether women are better suited to long-distance swimming than men,” as Professor Whyte explains. “Not only because they typically carry more fat but that it is also distributed in a way that gives them a better centre of buoyancy, enabling more effi cient swimming.” Although elite female swimmers do not match the performances of elite men in the water, they are more closely matched than in almost any other sport. In a study analysing the gender gap in 82 events over fi ve sports (swimming, track and fi eld, weightlifting, cycling and speed skating) published last year, the smallest gender gap was the 6.36 percent found in 1500m freestyle swimming. Incidentally, data analysis from Steven Munatones at Open
Water Source suggests that, outside of the elite fi eld, women compete even more closely with men and in some cases their average performance is better. However, the benefi ts of womens' fat distribution do not seem to include improved protection against the cold. Study results suggest that a woman’s core body temperature drops more than a man’s over a 10km swimming event, despite their increased levels of stored fat.
JUST DO THE TRAINING AND DON’T GET HUNG UP ABOUT YOUR BODY COMPOSITION MUCH-NEEDED FUEL?
Fat is the main source of fuel for general functions in the human body, and it continues in this role during exercise up to around 70 percent of maximum effort. So, for long-distance and slower-paced swims, body fat performs an important function. However, burning fat for fuel during exercise is conditioned by training. Simply having the fat in place does not mean you have access to it during a swim; even slim swimmers have suffi cient fat to use as a fuel source. It is also important to recognise, fi rstly, in order to utilise
fat effectively as a fuel source during exercise, you need carbohydrates. People who are swimming to lose weight should therefore avoid low-carbohydrate diets as this will result in a loss of performance and less than optimal use of fat. Secondly, we can only store about 1.5hrs worth of carbohydrate that can be used to fuel high-intensity exercise. For people taking part in events longer than this, the use of carbohydrate gels or drinks during the swim is vital to performance and keeping warm enough to fi nish the swim. Clearly there are trade-offs to be made between warmth and speed. Where you want to be on the continuum will be determined by what type of swimming you want to do. If you are attempting a long distance or cold-water swim, then seek expert advice. For the casual swimmer, Whyte suggests: “Just do the training and don’t get hung up about your body composition.” He does point out, however, that for some larger swimmers in wetsuit-compulsory events, over-heating could be a problem. So, if you are carrying a few extra pounds, don't buy the thickest wetsuit on offer. ∆
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