Flashcards for:
The Evolution of Athletic Performance

Technological advancements in aerodynamic bikes improved cycling distances significantly. However, when cyclists used 1972 equipment, the improvement was minimal—only 883 feet further than Merckx's original record.

Genetic selection and adaptation enhance athletic performance, as seen in the Kalenjin tribe's long limbs for cooling and running efficiency, leading to their dominance in distance running.

Swimmers like Michael Phelps have long torsos and short legs, which reduce drag in the water, improve buoyancy, and optimize their swimming efficiency.

Advancements in training, nutrition, technology (e.g., track surfaces), and more professional and scientific approaches to athletic preparation.

Digital technology provides detailed data analysis on optimal body mechanics for different sports, guiding training and selection to enhance performance by matching athletes with specific physiological traits to the demands of their sport.

Modern training is more sophisticated, scientific, and professional, resulting in better performances. Early 20th-century training methods were rudimentary, exemplified by the 1904 marathon winner who used rat poison and brandy.

NBA players commonly have a height of around 6'7" and a wingspan averaging 7 feet, which provides advantages in reach, blocking, and overall physical presence on the basketball court.

Elite Kenyan distance runners, particularly from the Kalenjin tribe, have long and thin limbs suited for efficient cooling and running, an evolutionary adaptation that contributes to their dominance in distance running events.

Modern NBA players have proportions (height, wingspan) that deviate from the classical 'Vitruvian Man' ideal, displaying specialized traits that provide physical advantages in basketball rather than a balanced human form.

These innovations reduced turbulence and improved swimmers' efficiency, leading to faster swimming times and new records.

Modern sports have seen a dramatic specialization of athlete body types, tailored to specific sports to maximize performance (e.g., tall high jumpers vs. muscular shot-putters), driven by digital analysis and changing training/incentive structures.

Developments such as synthetic tracks, advanced training techniques, full-body swimsuits, and aerodynamic equipment have all contributed to the enhanced performance of modern athletes.

Switching from cinder to synthetic tracks reduced slowdowns by approximately 1.5%, resulting in faster running times.

Technological and theoretical advances have redefined athletes' mindsets about physical limits, showing that human capabilities can be extended further, exemplified by feats in ultra-endurance sports and achievements like Kílian Jornet's Matterhorn ascent.

Usain Bolt would have finished with Owens 14 feet behind under 1936 conditions, but biomechanical analysis suggests Owens would be within one stride if both ran on the same modern synthetic track with starting blocks.

The average height of gymnasts has decreased, favoring shorter statures which allow for more efficient rotations and balance, enhancing performance in gymnastic events.