HallucinogenicPeach t1_jb52lwh wrote on March 6, 2023 at 2:28 PM

Reply to comment by [deleted] in [OC] The most dominant athletics world records by spicer2

I also wonder whether there’s a ceiling to how far we can go without performance enhancers. I think about it with technology and other areas too - there has to be a limit surely.

neurodiverseotter t1_jb5lius wrote on March 6, 2023 at 4:40 PM

There is, in both cases. We have already identified some of the biological factors that make certain athletes excel: a mutation that makes the body more resistant to lactate acidosis for example, or a certain bone/tendon structure specifically optimized for running and so on. We also know that there a threshold when additional muscle doesn't add to more efficacy anymore due to problems in blood circulation and so on. Drugs and surgery can only change some biological parameters, physical aids Like shoe forms have a limit of optimization as well. But people dominating their fields usually do so due to biological advantage. In modern high professionalized sports, there's little "fairness" involved.

kcocesroh t1_jb6qhq9 wrote on March 6, 2023 at 9:14 PM

I'd love to see a separate version of the Olympics where performance enhancers and other drugs are allowed.

Enter at your own risk, but lets see what humans are truly capable of...