Should Bolt compete with ppl his weight (&height)?

[Gordon18]

This is the most retarded shit ever.

Thats exactly what i thought as soon as i read it

[imaginative]

There is no particular reason to expect that sprinters grow taller faster than
the average population. Apart from great size bringing some disadvantages (but
greater advantages), there are many factors that make a great sprinter,
including percentage of ``fast'' muscle fibers, body proportions, and
self-discipline. (Not to mention the environmental factors.)

To be a world-class sprinter, it is necessary that the combination of these
factors is sufficiently good, which implies that tall people _on average_ will
find it easier to become sprinters (just like people with smaller feet). At
the same time, however, the overall sprinter population will be influenced by
the relative scarcity of people who are unusally tall (or have a unusually
small feet), and the number of unusually tall sprinters people (with
sufficiently high ``scores'' on other measures) is currently not large enough
to dominate sprinting.

The exact developments over time will depend on what proportion of the tall
population is funneled into sprinting, but two possible scenarios are:

1. Height became _less_ of an advantage going from, say, 1900 to 2000. In 1900,
with the lower levels of competion, lower scores on other measures would have
been needed for someone tall to be a good sprinter. In 2000, OTOH, the level of
competition was so high that _just_ being tall would not had been enough to get
anywhere.

2. Competition in the upmost regions of competition eventually becomes so
fierce that sprinters have to be unusually tall to have a chance at global
medals---everyone else on that level is already so exclusively selected that a
non-high score on _any_ measure (be it height, size of feet, fast fibre, ...)
will be too large a liability.

A reasonable analogy would be consider the decathlon, and let the above
measures correspond to the results in the individual events.

[Powell]

What's the deal with small feet? First time I ever heard that.

[Triplej]

There is no particular reason to expect that sprinters grow taller faster than the average population. .

I think you may have missed the scientist's point. He is not suggesting that sprinters grow taller faster than the average population. His theory is that the individuals at the extreme (elite) end of sprinting are becoming further removed from the average population, e.g. the suggestion is that perhaps the next "Bolt" will be 2.05m tall in fifty years time - not that any particular sprinters will grow quickly.

I would like to see what data he has used.

[Paul Henry]

I am beginning to have it with these egg heads, they're just full of it.

4 years ago, the calculator was telling us that a stature of Bolt's proportions ought not manange sub-tens. Today, pops these air heads predicting the contrary. What are the sons of Layman to do when science gets this subjective?

26mi, JRM, Eldrick your views needed here.

[TrainerPhil]

Paul, people tend to lean too much on data. As I said before, stats can help GUESS what might happen. And yes, it seems like scientists continue to alter their data as runners continue to prove their predictions wrong.

[BisonHurdler]

I am beginning to have it with these egg heads, they're just full of it.

4 years ago, the calculator was telling us that a stature of Bolt's proportions ought not manange sub-tens. Today, pops these air heads predicting the contrary. What are the sons of Layman to do when science gets this subjective?

26mi, JRM, Eldrick your views needed here.

So the solution to the over-sciencification of the sport is to consult more scientists?

[Paul Henry]

I am beginning to have it with these egg heads, they're just full of it.

4 years ago, the calculator was telling us that a stature of Bolt's proportions ought not manange sub-tens. Today, pops these air heads predicting the contrary. What are the sons of Layman to do when science gets this subjective?

26mi, JRM, Eldrick your views needed here.

So the solution to the over-sciencification of the sport is to consult more scientists?

LOL, LOL, LOL. I was actually jabbing at them, but you got me there. :lol: :lol: :lol:

[Tempo]

Paul, people tend to lean too much on data. As I said before, stats can help GUESS what might happen. And yes, it seems like scientists continue to alter their data as runners continue to prove their predictions wrong.

Isolating obvious data points while ignoring others tends to lead to skewed results. I would like to know if the results of the studies have been offset for factors such as the tracks athletes run on, the equipment they use, training techniques and the transition from athletics as an amateur vs. professional pursuit. There has to be a point at which the benefits of height (e.g. stride length) are outweighed by countervailing factors (bad start, weight on limbs). The overall physique of a particular athlete may have more to do with speed than mere height.

[ross sez]

I'd like to see Height Classes in the High Jump.


Watching 5'5'' guys jumping well over 6'4 would be just as fun to watch and a 6'4 guy jumping 7'5

[Paul Henry]

I'd like to see Height Classes in the High Jump.


Watching 5'5'' guys jumping well over 6'4 would be just as fun to watch and a 6'4 guy jumping 7'5

LOLOLOLOL..stick it to them!!! LOLOLOLOL

[track_expert]

Most absurd non sense, don't know who these guys are popping out with their "ideas."

[toyracer]

What about the theory that it is predicted that in the future speed events will be dominated by people who are even more different to 'normal' people than our current elite sprinters are?

Aren't the current basketball players taller on average than players 50 years ago? Isn't the NBA dominated by people "who are even more different to 'normal' people"? Is anyone making a big deal about that?

Aren't the awareness of the importance of physical fitness, proper diet and nutrition and weight training all contributing factors to the fact that on average sprinters are bigger and heavier now than 50 years ago?

[track_expert]

What about the theory that it is predicted that in the future speed events will be dominated by people who are even more different to 'normal' people than our current elite sprinters are?

Aren't the current basketball players taller on average than players 50 years ago? Isn't the NBA dominated by people "who are even more different to 'normal' people"? Is anyone making a big deal about that?

Aren't the awareness of the importance of physical fitness, proper diet and nutrition and weight training all contributing factors to the fact that on average sprinters are bigger and heavier now than 50 years ago?

Lets make a pro basketball league for the little men and one for the big men, im sure the fan base will be very much equal.

[larro_yel]

What about the theory that it is predicted that in the future speed events will be dominated by people who are even more different to 'normal' people than our current elite sprinters are?

Aren't the current basketball players taller on average than players 50 years ago? Isn't the NBA dominated by people "who are even more different to 'normal' people"? Is anyone making a big deal about that?

Aren't the awareness of the importance of physical fitness, proper diet and nutrition and weight training all contributing factors to the fact that on average sprinters are bigger and heavier now than 50 years ago?

good point! so basketball is overrun by superhumans ... and thats 'dangerous' ...but damn entertaining!

the geeks are coming with their theories, but n the bigger scheme of things it is irrelevant (& im being kind).... nevertheless its still a more interesting piece than some of the stuff we blog here ... the only difference is that he gets funding for it!