Question

Imagine you are an Olympic speed skater. Explain which kinds of clothes you should wear to increase your speed. Other than air resistance on clothing, what other forces are working against your speed? What are some ideas reducing these other forces?

Answer 1

you should wear nylon clothes because it's sweat resistant, reducing the weight of the fabric.
wind, friction, height of the skater and the orientation of the knees and arms( inward/outward) work against your speed.
To reduce these forces, the skater's knees should be held inwards and the arms should contract towards the body, swinging hands alternatively.

Answer 2

There are many elements that can work against your speed, for example, your clothing. In order to improve this, you should wear light clothes that offer little to no resistance and that are tight on your body to allow for freedom of movement.

If you are skating outside, then the wind could affect your speed. This is one of the reasons why competitions are often held indoors. Moving to an indoor arena could help you improve your speed. Another force that could work against your speed is your personal strength and weight. If you get fitter, lighter or stronger, it is likely you will also be able to skate faster.