Swimmen shave to get more speed

With the swimming postseason a mere eight days away, the Penn State men's swimming team is not reaching for heavier weights or more vitamins, instead it is reaching for razors.

The Lions (8-2, 3-2 Big Ten) are beginning to shave their bodies in preparation for the Big Ten Championships Feb. 26 in Minneapolis and will continue to raze themselves for the remainder of the season.

Shaving, a routine procedure for the start of the postseason in competitive swimming, lessens the friction between the swimmer's body and the water. The idea behind it is simple -- the less hair the better.

To the layman, the peach fuzz of hair on some men or women might not make much difference, but some are hairier than others. Whatever the case, the difference shaving makes to athletes and coaches is profound.

"It makes such a difference," coach Peter Brown said. "It creates an entirely different sensation and produces less drag in the water."

In the athletes' minds, the advantages of shaving are not purely physical.

"Shaving is mostly a mental thing," freshman Joe Peresan said. "It's definitely more mental than physical."

Some swimmers feel the mental advantages stem from the physical feeling of the shave.

"The advantages are psychological," sophomore Robert Balazs said. "It makes you feel faster because your skin is so sensitive to the cold water."

Brown said shaving is a must for the postseason, but every swimmer performs the deed differently.

Paul Monyok, a sophomore middle-distance swimmer, now shaves once a day and does a lot of it.

"I shave everything that the suit does not cover," he said.

Areas such as legs, back, chest and arms are standard shaved areas for swimmers but some places are contingent upon the athlete. Although no swimmer for Penn State will be doing so, some diehard swimmers will go as far as shaving their eyebrows for the possibility of improving their time by hundredths of a second.

"Everyone has their own unique pattern and ritual," Brown said.

Besides the eyebrows, another area of question for shaving is the head. Some swimmers will opt to wear a swimming cap rather than look like Mr. Clean for a month. However, some swimmers feel the bald look is necessary.

"I'll be shaving everything that shows," Peresan said. "And yes, even my head."

Some swimmers are actually pleased the postseason has come -- it gives them a chance to douse themselves in shaving cream without being called names.

"I look forward to shaving every year," freshman Hogan Thomas said. "I have no problems with it at all."

Just like the debate of what to shave, the enjoyment of shaving is also split among the team.

"I don't like to shave at all," Peresan said. "I do not look forward to it."

Jason Pollock, a freshman sprinter, said he likes to shave but does have one complaint.

"It starts to hurt after a while and it takes forever to do the first time," he said.

Pollock said his first shave of the season lasted approximately two hours and it now takes him about 45 minutes for a full-body touchup.

Although some see it as time consuming and painful, it is understood by all that shaving is necessary for success in the postseason.

"Everybody shaves now," Brown said. "You must shave to keep pace with everyone else."

Swimmers and coaches agree -- in order to reach top level of competition, they must first reach for a Bic.