Pool swim wear vs speed
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Toothless posted 48 weeks ago.
If you are going to the pool to jump off the diving board or hang out in the hot tub, then wear baggy shorts. If you are going to swim laps, wear a tight-fitting swimsuit. If your hair is long enough to get in your eyes or if you are worried about chlorine damage to your hair while swimming, wear a cap.
As for your times, I cannot tell you what the difference would be over a mile of swimming, but I assume it would be significant. Swimsuits are pretty cheap compared to other tri gear, so I would definitely get a proper swimsuit unless you have a severe body-image issue. Caps are optional, but I prefer them. If you race with a cap, you can get used to the feel of it by practicing with one.
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beads1985 posted 48 weeks ago.
If you are not competing it doesn't hurt to train in shorts that drag a little.
The resistance is beneficial. You will be fine.
'Nothing to it, but to do it!'
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TriSooner posted 48 weeks ago.
It could be argued that the drag will help in the long run. Go from a drag suit to a full wetsuit sometime and you'll definitely feel a difference. As far as time impovement/reduction goes, that's for someone with a better understanding of hydrodynamics than I'll ever have.
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chekmarks posted 48 weeks ago.
i don't wear a swim cap and i use swim shorts similar to what you are describing.
when i swam club and HS we only wore speedos and caps for conference/sectionals etc... and a few weeks before those days we had a fully clothed practice. yes, long sleeve shirt, sweatpants, SHOES! it makes the fully shaved, swim cap and speedo swim feel so much faster!
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RunMDC posted 48 weeks ago.
A lot of swimmers will wear a set of baggy shorts "Drag Shorts" over jammers in order to do some resistence training. As for caps, I use one sometimes when training. It really depends on how far I am going. if its just a quick mile or if I am doing a lot of drills I won't but long continuous swims or 'race specific' swims I wear one so I can get used to it.
If you wear baggy shorts most of the time you will feel like your going 50mph when you put on jammers. There is a definite difference in drag.
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xc800runner posted 48 weeks ago.
Save the caps for open water so you can be seen (I only wear them for racing, not even training in o/w, but I don't train in my wetsuit either). You don't need them in the pool unless you hair is in your eyes, but not long enough to tie back.
When I was 9, I would wear my baggy shorts to practice in. If you're serious about training, get some drag shorts. They give you resistance like the baggies, but are designed to be used in the pool day in/day out. They cost about $20 and will last at least 500 hours in the pool (I got some about 7 years ago, and after a couple thousand hours, they still look new - aside from the speedo logo peeling off). It'll also give you the added benefit of not looking like a newbie.
Regarding time, a drag suit will add about 0.5 sec/50 yds (at least in my experience) so that comes to about 19 sec for a mile. The baggy shorts, with pockets that balloon out and catch water added about 1.5 sec/50 for me (1 min/mile).
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WanaBSpeedy posted 48 weeks ago.
No pockets in these shorts that I am wearing and although the drag shorts I see on the internet are made of mesh, mine are a thinner, yet longer polyester material, with a mesh liner. Basically they are similar to a lightweight running short with an inner liner.
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xc800runner posted 48 weeks ago.
I'd imagine you're losing less than a second per 50 wearing them. If you're comfortable swimming in them (and assuming they're free since it's military issue) I wouldn't worry about using them. Swim in them until they wear out, then start anew with a fresh pair. Just don't race in them. I actually laugh when I see guys in the pool with new, $40-80 jamers on that won't last more than a few months, but refuse to spend $10 replacing goggles that leak so bad they have to stop every 25 (or perhaps they're just out of shape and can't swim more than a 25 at a time, thus doubling my amusement derived from them in jammers).
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Kwschs posted 48 weeks ago.
+1 to the humor xc
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WanaBSpeedy posted 48 weeks ago.
That's what I am thinking....obliterate my "issued" shorts until I am actually in shape and fast enough to deserve to wear nice swim gear. Oh yeah, and I am in that boat to buy new goggles, but not because they wore out, but because the "ol ladies" cats chewed through both my brand new pairs this week!!! Currently using a pair from 1.5yrs ago.
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NotAsFast posted 48 weeks ago.
When he said military issue I though he meant commando. If I went commando it would slow me down as well.
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xc800runner posted 48 weeks ago.
NotAsFast wrote:
When he said military issue I though he meant commando. If I went commando it would slow me down as well.
No comment regarding the "slow." Well, at least one.... I know I'd be a lot more focussed on the line on the bottom than looking around at the other pool users. Wouldn't want to create an awkward situation with the bikini clad, doggie paddler in the lane adjacent. Perhaps I'd be more focused, and thus faster, by going commando?
Here's a question for you swimmers. I currently train three times a week swimming in a short, 20yd pool. When I swim I do not wear a swim cap as many of my other tri buddies wear. I also wear very thin running shorts, my military issue from the army and now air force. They have the inner mesh in them as well.
So here's the question. How many of you swim in gear other than jammers and swim caps? And how much time do you think I am losing over a mile of swimming ( a typical workout), in what I am wearing vs wearing actual swim gear?
I get no chaffing and it is not uncomforable for me. I also like to think of the shorts as a way to add resistance....since I assume they add a lot of drag in the water versus wearing tight, form-fitting, jammers.