Swimsuit question
 

I've been swimming more and more and am getting faster, but I've noticed that I'm the only man in the pool with regular swimming truncks (the baggy kind that people wear at the beach). The other male swimmers either have the speedo brief type suit or the longer tight-fitting jammers.

I have two questions about swimming suits.

1. Will changing from my regular, baggy swimsuit to either the speedo type or a jammer type suit help me swim faster? If so, will it help much?

2. In looking at the jammer type suits, I've noticed that they can be made from nylon/spandex or polyester. Which of these fabrics is best for pool training and maybe use in a triathlon?

Thanks in advance!

tritogofast

1. It will help go a little faster. It is noticable but probably on a couple of seconds per hundred at best.

2. Both types are good for pool and racing.

You will definitely be faster in jammers than a regular suit. I used to wear Billabong Board Shorts and I got a lot of drag...especially because of the pocket :rolleyes:

As an aside, I'm the kind of person who generally doesn't care much about aero/hydro dynamics when I'm training (I don't wear a swim cap, I usually bike in a loose t-shirt). I figure the extra resistance helps. However, I think the jammers may actually help with your technique as the resistance from your trunks may have a negative affect on your stroke...then again, I could be talking out of my a$$

I'm not sure of the difference in fabrics but I would say you are generally good going with either Speedo or Tyr.

I'm not postitive but i think that polyester lasts longer (in pool water) than the other fabrics. I dont' think it makes a difference if you are open water swimming but for the pool polyester is better, I think.


Tyler

This one is not even a close call! A Speedo type suit will make a tremendous difference compared to anything even slightly baggy. The drag effect is a multiplier. Wearing a Speedo you glide further and most importantly you can go fast enough with less effort to maintain a "flattened" horizontal swimming position. It is like"plaing" in a motorboat. It takes a certain amount of power to get the boat "on step" but once that speed is reached and the boat is on step, the power can be throttled back with no loss of speed.

Occasionally I train in something with drag just for grins. But most days I stay in the Speedo and I definitely will race in the speedo.

Tyson

Thanks all for your great advice! I picked up a jammer-type speedo today and look forward to trying it out next week.

Man, I find that if I wear baggy shorts I bonk very quickly. I hate not training in a brief.

Baggy shorts?? not in my life I'd wear them to race. I could imagine doing a 1500m swim in 18 minutes and feel like crap afterwards compared to my time of 16:50. Personally, I train with a squareleg drag suit. Jammers work well. I don't think you need to bother with any of the acquablade/fastskin models as the speed it gives you is much smaller compared to the time you may lose putting on your helmet. So get the suit which lasts longer

I am new to this as well!!!!

I bought Zoot tri short and whether or not it has less drag.... it feels a million percent better in the water! I then bought another tri suit (Sugoi) to have a spare. ( I swim jsut about EVERY day)

You'll LOVE the difference.

the baggy kind get torn up in the ymca pool drying gizmo

Training and Racing are 2 different applications
1. YES

2. For training I use a regular spandex Speedo
- For faster training I will use a Speedo Fastskin Jammer - remember the pool chemicals eat fabric so I tend not to use the nice stuff in a pool.

For Racing it depends on several factors, Water temp, race length and rules - but I own and use all three. All of my Triathlons are openwater events.

A. FSII Hi-Neck Kneeskin for something like Ironman Kona or other events where a wet suit is not allowed by rules due to water temps that are too warm. The FastSkinII is a very fast suit, and easy to get out of in T1.
Wetsuits - Wetsuits, you tend to ride higher in the water so your faster (in short you are more buoyant), and I just tend to just feel safer wearing one.
B. An Ironman Stealth Longjohn wet suit: Where water temps that are warm but still wetsuit legal. This is my normal weapon of choice as I perfer something that does not bind my sholders.
C. The fastest option - an Ironman Stealth full wet suit: I will use my full suit in early season races when ater temps are too cold. Sorry but I'm just a wimp when the water is cold - I HATE COLD WATER.
Many other triathletes I know will use a full for most all of their 1/2 Ironman and Ironman distance events because they are the fastest option.

Just do what I do. Wear bike shorts when you swim :). I ride with two coworkers to the pool at lunch, swim in my bike shorts and then ride back to work. On a typical day my shorts will be just about dry by the time we get back to the office.

The baggy shorty swim suits are a drag alright....I wear tri shorts in the pool, ride in them afterwards. My wife swears she will divorce me if she ever sees me in Speedo ;-)