Are Your Pigeons Too Heavy For The Race?

[Andy]

That would be muscle though king
You only have to look at sports people now to see that

I agree with what you say there Neil but isn’t it muscle that we are talking about. The skeleton of a pigeon would weigh about the same in all of them. It would be the amount of muscle that would add weight. Having said that fat weighs heavier than muscle

[MIL]

I tell novices if they don't understand
A table tennis ball is light n buoyant
A new potato same size round but heavey
Can't keep it much simpler
Light buoyant with muscle like a pumped up bike inner tube.

Yep, I'd agree with that.

I can tell a "light" pigeon the moment it hits my fingertips. It's almost like an "ill" feeling

Buoyant are still strong and powerful but their weight is presented differently

[MIL]

Here's something many may not know.
The weight of the Olympic 100m champion has generally increased since the first Olympic Games, from around 60-70 kg (130-154 lb) in the early Olympic years up to 94 kg (207 lb) Usain Bolt.

And athletes have never ran faster than ever before thanks to the advancements in training, nutrition and sportswear

[Anthony webster]

I tell novices if they don't understand
A table tennis ball is light n buoyant
A new potato same size round but heavey
Can't keep it much simpler
Light buoyant with muscle like a pumped up bike inner tube.

Yep, I'd agree with that.

I can tell a "light" pigeon the moment it hits my fingertips. It's almost like an "ill" feeling

Buoyant are still strong and powerful but their weight is presented differently

Yes pal I agree n some familys just seem to handle that way there whole life.

[Andy]

Here's something many may not know.
The weight of the Olympic 100m champion has generally increased since the first Olympic Games, from around 60-70 kg (130-154 lb) in the early Olympic years up to 94 kg (207 lb) Usain Bolt.

And athletes have never ran faster than ever before thanks to the advancements in training, nutrition and sportswear

It’s the same was swimming. I was a competitive swimmer. Records started falling when the full sharkskin customs were introduced, now banned. And when you were able to stay under water for as long as you could from a start or turn, faster under water than on top, now limited to 20 meters. The strokes have also changed. You used to be disqualified on breaststroke if your head went under water or your hands came out of the water, now both allowed. The training aids now are far superior to what we had.

[NeilA]

That would be muscle though king
You only have to look at sports people now to see that

I agree with what you say there Neil but isn’t it muscle that we are talking about. The skeleton of a pigeon would weigh about the same in all of them. It would be the amount of muscle that would add weight. Having said that fat weighs heavier than muscle

King said Athletes weigh more now
In my view It’s more muscles weighing more than 40 odd years ago that doesn’t mean they were fat before but didn’t have the same muscle mass

[king]

That would be muscle though king
You only have to look at sports people now to see that

I agree with what you say there Neil but isn’t it muscle that we are talking about. The skeleton of a pigeon would weigh about the same in all of them. It would be the amount of muscle that would add weight. Having said that fat weighs heavier than muscle

King said Athletes weigh more now
In my view It’s more muscles weighing more than 40 odd years ago that doesn’t mean they were fat before but didn’t have the same muscle mass

I not say ALL Athletes weigh more now, just that I noted the 100m ones are bigger, from around 60-70 kg (130-154 lb) in the early Olympic years up to 94 kg (207 lb) Surely nobody thinks that extra weight is just more muscle? your talking of 30+kg of EXTRA WEIGHT!
Fanciers should note that the fastest Wild birds that fly SHORT distances very fast are normally BIG and HEAVY. ie pheasants and partridges! and while many BIG heavy birds also fly long distances they are a different shape altogether.
Many sprint pigeons are big fronted shorter wings and distance birds smaller with longer flights. Constant crossing the 2 stops a family reverting to the correct type for the correct distance. Thats why it's important to choose carefully any cross you bring in.

[NeilA]

I’m referring to the big powerful athletic types really king sprinters etc
Yes I do think they weigh more as they have built more muscle mass look at the lady tennis players now to the 60’s that’s muscle not fat they are carrying plus the human size has grown over time . In the past power sportsman were trim and lean with muscle of course but now there muscles are clearly more visible

My best sprint cock was as you described massive front hardly any rump I even use to pass him to fanciers that couldn’t judge a pigeon as I know top fliers would think how unbalanced he was yet he topped the fed 3 times all front he was

Are you sure pheasants fly fast compared to a sparrow over short distances and what is a short distance to a sparrow is it the same as a pheasant version of a short distance ? Maybe I haven’t understood that part of your post

[king]

I’m referring to the big powerful athletic types really king sprinters etc
Yes I do think they weigh more as they have built more muscle mass look at the lady tennis players now to the 60’s that’s muscle not fat they are carrying plus the human size has grown over time . In the past power sportsman were trim and lean with muscle of course but now there muscles are clearly more visible

My best sprint cock was as you described massive front hardly any rump I even use to pass him to fanciers that couldn’t judge a pigeon as I know top fliers would think how unbalanced he was yet he topped the fed 3 times all front he was

Are you sure pheasants fly fast compared to a sparrow over short distances and what is a short distance to a sparrow is it the same as a pheasant version of a short distance ? Maybe I haven’t understood that part of your post

Sparrows fly at 17 - 24 mph. A Pheasant when startled, will burst to the sky in a “flush.” They can fly fast (up to 60 miles per hour when chased)
The point I was really making is a Pheasant is like a 100m runner, HUGE power over a Short distance. Both are BIG/HEAVY. Both Pheasants/sparrows have wings that aren't built for high speed for long periods

[NeilA]

Probably pointless comparing a massive bird to a sparrow thinking about the wing beats per min would make any comparison pointless like comparing a grown man with a toddler stride pattens would make that a daft comparison