Lots of records falling.

[gadders]

How about those speed walkers, huh? Absurd.

Yeah, but our twelve year olds will beat your twelve year olds. Tokyo Olympic Games 2020: Sky Brown is youngest Team GB athlete

[PizzaDad]

If you are really interested in why, start by reading:
Peak by Dr. Anders Ericsson

I made a long list of books on another thread somewhere about how to acquire expertise.

You are suggesting that a large number of athletes are all of a sudden able to “aquire expertise” at a high enough level to smash records in a dozen different events. These same athletes have been competing for years with the best training available but suddenly after a long layoff, they all achieve this increase in performance at the same time?

[novicejay]

You are suggesting that a large number of athletes are all of a sudden able to “aquire expertise” at a high enough level to smash records in a dozen different events. These same athletes have been competing for years with the best training available but suddenly after a long layoff, they all achieve this increase in performance at the same time?

Why don't you read the books and the research? Once you do that, we can have a conversation.

[Mark Rippetoe]

The Two-Factor Model of Sports Performance | Mark Rippetoe

[CommanderFun]

PEDs combined with better/modern training methods, sports-mechanics, and deeper and wider pools of athletes .... gear like shoes, the track, etc.

I'm sure things like that help. As do the PEDs selection improving and knowledge of how to administer them. I just wasn't sure what the OP was getting at, it seemed like an implication that suddenly records were being beaten because of PED use. I'm just making the point that PED's proliferated through pretty much all sports quite some time ago. Someone aiming to be the best in the world isn't going to let the fact that they decided NOT to take the injections be the thing that makes them fall short.

[PizzaDad]

I have no illusions that PEDs are new to the Olympics. I don't know if and how testing continued thru the quarantine. The last time I remember this many records being crushed was the Olympics of the Balco scandal. What it makes me suspect is some new designer PEDs on the scene that they can stay on longer and closer to competition. If they go back and retest samples in 10 years will they be revoking medals?
Personally I think they should just turn them loose to train and prepare how they want. PEDs included.
Again, I may just be cynical but the idea that all these athlete who have been competing on international level for 5-10 years all managed to bring it together at the same time seems a bit far fetched.

[tomskarda]

I’d be curious to know what the top end competitors are using. I imagine it’s pretty much magic at this point.

We live in an age where your average high school athletes can order top end conventional steroids to their houses over the internet and guys who look like Schwarzenegger in his prime can’t even compete in the Mr. Olympia.

The fact that so many records are falling so quickly definitely points in the direction of a new compound/technology.

Super curious to know what it is.

[rever]

Why don't you read the books and the research? Once you do that, we can have a conversation.

Telling someone to read a book on an internet forum without giving any sort of explanation of the basic argument of the book is a waste of everyone's time. Sure, I will, on the recommendation of some random internet person with no argument or explanation whatsoever, order a book, because he said so, wait for it to arrive, read the entire book, and then come back because I am so desperate to reply to his content-less post.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You just replied to his post.

[novicejay]

Telling someone to read a book on an internet forum without giving any sort of explanation of the basic argument of the book is a waste of everyone's time. Sure, I will, on the recommendation of some random internet person with no argument or explanation whatsoever, order a book, because he said so, wait for it to arrive, read the entire book, and then come back because I am so desperate to reply to his content-less post.

If Coach Rippetoe hasn't taught you to educate yourself at this point by reading books, including all of his, then I don't know what to tell you as you have missed the entire point of this forum.

It is exactly why he has difficulty having conversations with people who ask questions but have not read the books, i.e., he knows the conversation is pointless because the person is ignorant of the subject matter. Thus, he usually does not answer and says read the book.

However, I assume most of us are on this forum because we enjoy educating ourselves, and one of the first things I ask high-level people is: what books have you read that have had the most impact on you? I do that because I want to get better and gain knowledge.