“reminds me of a great TED talk about this”
Argues athletes are not simply getting bigger and faster.
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Fasinating, reminds me of a great TED talk about this: "Are athletes really getting bigger, faster, stronger?" this video tl;dr: no
Are athletes really getting faster, better, stronger? | David Epstein
7.1M views · Apr 29, 2014 · 14:54 · 3 HN recommenders · 3 mentions · discussed 2014–2020
David Epstein argues in this TED talk that improving athletic records owe much to technology, training and the selection of specialized body types, not just humans getting inherently better. He gives counter-intuitive examples across sports.
Why Hacker News points people here: HN links it in threads about athlete body types, sports technology and record-breaking as a relevant, counter-intuitive explanation.
What Hacker News said 3
“Relevant TED talk”
Pro athletes reflect selection of specialized bodies for each sport.
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Professional sports today are the more result of artificial selection of people that have specialized bodies for their sport. Relevant TED talk: this video
“I suggest you watch this TEDx for reference”
Relevant to technology driving records in sport.
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I can attest that running on a thick plated pair of shoes like the Zoom Fly SP I had is exhilarating, especially after training in other "normal" shoes. I see how the competition should measure athleticism and not a sponsor/athlete unit, but all recent records have been broken because of technology, let's be honest. I suggest you watch this TEDx for reference: this video