What’s behind the rapid rise in athlete speeds?
When looking at the ten fastest 100-meter mens’ records, all of them fall within the past 17 years (1). At the Olympic swimming events, the fastest times for each event in both the men’s and women’s competitions occurred in the five most recent Olympic Games (2). These results suggest that modern humans have a speed advantage over their ancestors. But are humans really getting faster, or does today’s world facilitate their ability to reach unprecedented levels of athleticism?
One contributing factor to the recent speed increase is better training techniques that rely on technology. Modern training is more targeted and specialized for each individual athlete. Moving away from outdated techniques, trainers are opting to focus more on strength, conditioning, agility, speed, and flexibility (3). This new approach allows athletes to optimize their physicality from a young age (3). In addition to newer training techniques, technology in recent years has significantly improved athletes’ progression. Wearable devices, such as motion sensors and high-speed cameras, help athletes recognize areas for improvement (3). Virtual reality technology also gives athletes ways to strengthen decision-making skills, reaction times, and execution (3).
As time goes on, less and less people are able to break records (specifically in the track events).
There have been technological advancements not only in the training of athletes, but in sports equipment as well. Tools such as lighter bikes, deeper swimming pools, fiberglass pole-vaulting poles, synthetic tracks allow athletes to perform better, even if they are not necessarily faster or more fit than their predecessors (4).
Athletes also now have access to better workout plans and nutritional experts, who can provide them with detailed strategies to reach specific goals (3). A catered diet is becoming a greater priority due to its positive impact on muscle development, recovery time, and overall athletic performance (3). Deviny Mo, general manager at UCLA Health Sports Performance, says that athletes at UCLA are becoming more inclined to work with nutritionists. “Athletes at a young age are seeking us and our dietitians out to get a greater understanding of how to properly fuel their bodies for their particular sport,” Mo said. “Performance nutrition is very different from clinical nutrition and foundational nutrition” (3).
While it is undeniable that athletes today have better results than athletes of the past, how can they continue to improve? Over the past 75 years, runners, rowers, skiers, and many in between have become faster, but the rate of improvement has slowed down (4, Figure 1). So while it is unclear when athletes will reach their limit, or how they will continue to break records, with the help of changing technology and willpower, Olympians and professional athletes alike will continue to break barriers for years to come.
Athletes in some events are showing lack of improvement, indicating that they might be reaching their limit.
Sources
- World Athletics | 100 Metres – men – senior – all. (2023). Worldathletics.org. Retrieved from https://worldathletics.org/records/all-time-toplists/sprints/100-metres/outdoor/men/senior
- Venkat, R. (2021, August 9). Olympic swimming records: An American splash and a superman called Michael Phelps! Olympics.com; International Olympic Committee. Retrieved from https://olympics.com/en/news/olympic-record-swim-freestyle-backstroke-breaststroke-butterfly-relay-medley
- The evolution of young athletes: bigger, faster and stronger than ever before. (2023, December 14). Uclahealth.org; UCLA Health. Retrieved from https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/evolution-young-athletes-bigger-faster-and-stronger-ever
- Sohn, E. (2012, August 9). How Do Olympians Keep Getting Better? NBC News. Retrieved from https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna48596641
Images