I read a bit on this new swimsuit going to be used in the 2008 Olympics. Basically it covers eveything but your arms.
I have read many articles about it but basically the ones that say it work are from Speedo or connected with it. I’ve read just as many from universities like Indiana and New York that say it made no difference.
So what’s the straight dope? If it doesn’t help and as long as it doesn’t hinder it could be a marketing ploy? Or just to make swimmers think they are faster so they get a psychological boost and go faster.
Plus as a women it covers too much of those swimmers up
And speaking of which as Speedo says the suit sheds water, so shouldn’t the arms be covered. Yes I realize that covering them would reduce arm flexibility but suppose they made it a unconnected sleeve to cover the arm so the armpit and moveablity wouldn’t be restricted
They’ve had suits like this since the 2000 Olympics. Some of them do cover the entire body, and while I haven’t looked at the newer suits, I’d be surprised if one couldn’t get a suit that has arms as well.
I own two of the older suits and can tell you how they work for me. The suits are supposed to be tight. From what I understand it’s supposed to act as a compression suit which keeps the muscles tight, though I don’t know the point of that. What I’ve found is that the extra fat in the gut, or any loose skin is now kept flat. I know this helps a bit in streamlining off of the walls. I say simply because of this there is some advantage, though how much I wouldn’t know. For someone like me with a bit of a gut a lot more then someone like Phelps who has none.
As for having separate arm pieces, FINA rules do not allow two piece suits, except maybe a top and bottom for women. This would disallow any arm pieces.
As for a psychological advantage, the suits might. You should hear some people talk on swimming boards, gaining 10% faster just by shaving, though they seem to always forget the resting part as helping out. People even say that even with wearing the suit you have to shave because little hairs stick through the suit and will slow you down.
I’m going to say that the suits will give you a slight advantage, but only enough that if you’re an Olympic swimmer or someone who’s trying to break a world record is going to really notice. Or if you’re just looking to hold in the fat like me.
I don’t think you could push through the water as well if the water was slipping around it. I think you rely on the friction between your arms and the water. However, lowering the friction between the rest of the body and the water is probably good.
Think of your body as a car (aero dynamic and low wind resistance is good), but your arms are like the tires (friction-good).
Except it your hands that do most of the pulling through the water. Here’s a photo of Ian Thorpe in his full body suit. He is a freestylist and I don’t really recall many people who do other strokes using the full body suit.
