We can only push the human body to a certain extent until it can no longer surpass the physical limits of what human bodies can do. Olympics athletes have trained all their lives to surpass those limits and that's why we see many records being broken by Olympics athletes. But there maybe certain fields which not even the most dedicated and hardest-training athletes can surpass.
For example, the record for the hammer throw has not been beaten since 1986. And the reason for this may lie in muscles and the limitations thereof. Just as it becomes more difficult to further reduce body fat once you have reached a certain percentage, unless you continue grinding and squeezing every last inch, there comes a point as well when muscles will hit a ceiling.
Although there is much benefit to growing one's muscles, especially when training for a sport, bigger muscles generally will provide extra force, that needed 'oomph', that would boost an individual's performance. However, if the muscles grow a bit too big, they can also become an anchor that hinders performance after reaching a certain point. It's the law of diminishing returns, and after the peak has been reached, one's performance will either plateau or start to regress.
Apart from muscle size, there's also the factor of muscle fiber. Two types of muscle fibers do two different things. The first is the fast-twitch muscle fiber which allows for explosive bursts of movement due to its ample stashes of energy, and the second is the slow-twitch muscle fiber which allows for high-endurance activities like marathons.
Training which muscle fiber depends on at which sport one wants to excel. The problem is we cannot have the best of both worlds, unless we bioengineer or genetically alter a person's physical or physiological composition. But it doesn't seem like anyone has developed the Captain America serum just yet. In any case, these are some of the physical limitations that impede athletes from breaking certain records.
That being said, experts say that there are other ways that athletes can continue breaking records. The first is through the advancement of equipment, gear, and attire. As materials science continues to progress, we are able to produce footwear, swimwear, and other attire and gear that augment a person's physical performance.
For example, the 2008 Olympics saw 25 world records broken with the help of polyurethane-coated swimsuits. Such groundbreaking feats pushed the committee to ban the use of those swimsuits. Later on, special shoes fitted with carbon-plated insoles were designed to help runners run faster. Although these shoes have not been banned by the track-and-field regulatory body, they require that the foam base not be higher than 1.6 inches.
Another means of further breaking records is through the development of new techniques. One such example is the Fosbury flop which helped Dwight Stones break the high-jump record at the time. So, we may continue to see further records be broken as, although humans have physical limitations, there are ways in which those can be circumvented. This can even be further improved with the help of science and data, so that athletes can tailor their training regimen, diet, and other habits to the achievement of those goals. - via Real Clear Science
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