I used to shave my legs (or ankles and calves to my knee) for football in high school and college. It helped cut down on taping time and pain so i was all about it. My hair on my legs has completely grown back and it isnt darker or coarser. i have a lot of leg hair also but it is blonde. it came back if anything a little less thick than before but just as light

dont know if that answers your question, but my two cents

I shave my legs, every 2 days, entirely, because I also do swim trainings in tri briefs.
I asked the same question to a friend of mine she runs a beauty parlor. She waxed my legs once. ( because we where dating at the time and thought it would be FUN :confused: )
So instead of shaving it I got it waxed once... I will NEVER do that again! AANYYYWWAAYYY..
She told me that it doesn't come back thicker, so don't worry about it.

Noel.

Dude,

If the shaving thing was true I would have some funky patches on my legs.

I had shaved small areas around my ankles during soccer way back in High School, so I could get an ankle taped and it grew back normally.

Basically your genetic makeup determines how your hair grow.

Aside from any injury or chemical change in your body, that doesn't change.

If you shave it stimulates your hair to grow back,
but when it reaches the length it needs to be it will stop.

The only thing I shave is my face.

The time you save in a triathlon by shaving anything is so minimal, so I don't shave.

Besides it itches when it comes back in :eek:

most people do it for comfort. it is much easier to put sun block on shaved legs, (if yours are truely hair you will know what i mean). Also the whole wetsuit thing. makes it easier and more cofortable to pull of fast in T1. The whole crashing and getting infected roadrash. And for the massages. makes it easier on the person giving them so they can really get after it with out pulling your leg hair out. And keeping you cool. they say it lowers the body temp by 3 degrees if it is really hot out.

and don't forget it looks a lot better than wearing wool leg warmers.

I used Nair Roll-On Sugaring Wax last week for the first time. It was $7.99 at my local Stop & Shop buy one get one free. It took me a while to figure out how to do it so it took about 3~4 hours. I don't think that it hurts as bad as everyone makes it out to be. The feeling is like taking off a old band aid only bigger in size. I read some where that if you wax, it takes longer to grow back and when they do they will grow back thinner. Also, the more you wax the longer it takes for the hair to grow back. I wish I had the source handy but I don't sorry...

I shaved my legs during for the sectionals swim meet for high school and it "shaved" nearly a minute off my 100 meter breast stroke time. Not sure if it's because of my training or the leg shaving. Could of been just a mind over matter thing....

Anyway,

The water temp in the swim part of most races I participate in is 70 or below,
so I usually wear a wetsuit.

The bodyglide makes it easy to put on the wetsuit and take it off.

When I use sunscreen, it is a spray and it covers well enough.
Also if you shave you legs, you exfoliate and makes your legs, or any shaved area more susceptible to sunburn. I don't shave my face the day of an event either for this reason too.

I don't get massages too often, but when I do the massuese has used some sort of oil during the massage so I didn't get any pulling or irritation.

I am not even close to winning any event or age group so the few seconds that might be saved for one reason or another don't really motivate me to shave my legs.

I shaved my legs and crotch-area once... NEVER AGAIN. It's ok for one or two days, but after that the hair starts to grow back and itch like a mo-fo. So no more shaving for me. It's not worth the unconvenience.

Been there, done that. Didn't like it! USC actually did a study and the results were that there is no difference in air or water speed. Some people shave so that road rash is easier to clean. Been there, done that with hair too. If you're man (or woman) enough to race and you crash, shut up, suck it up and deal with the pain of getting the gravel out of the wounds.

That said, there will be tons of people who disagree and swear that they shaved and their TT is 10% faster. Here's the deal. If you think it will make you faster, you're right. If you don't think it will make you faster, you're right. What's between your ears is more important than what's on your legs.

There is another good thread (and interesting randomness) on shaving....

http://www.trifuel.com/forums/showthread.php?t=85

For my first tri a couple months ago I shaved almost everything. Feet, legs, chest, back and arm pits. I felt like a sheep after being sheared. It took me about 1 1/2 hours to finish.

First problem I had was razor burn. My skin felt like I had been sitting outside in the sun for hours. The other problem is that the hair started to regrow. It isn't very easy to sleep with stubble all over your body. I had to sleep with a big pillow between my legs just so they weould not rub together. I also got a lot of in grown hairs on my belly which have left some new pretty pink moles.

I've decided that shaving is not for me. Does anybody know where I can get a good deal on drain-o? :o

Have a great day.

Dude,

I have heard of men who shave their bodies like that,....in prison. :D

You sound like you are into the shaving thing.

So,

are you shaving because you do triathlons??

or,

are you doing triathlons so you can shave?? :eek:

I have hair on my body,

Not so much that people think I am wearing a sweater after I take off my shirt.

Not so much I would be confused as a bear/human hybrid either.

I think it is personal preference in what makes you comfortable.

I have not been convinced it will cut any major time off of my race.

I have also heard some 'chicks' say it looks weird.

Dude,

Trichopathophobia-Fear of hair. :D

Just having fun :D

tcrunner07,
watch some prison related movies, or maybe 'OZ' on HBO, for the body hair shaving references.

:eek:

"At the age of fourteen a Zoroastrian named Vilma ritualistically shaved my testicles. There really is nothing like a shorn scrotum... it's breathtaking- I highly suggest you try it."

-Dr. EVIL.

:D

Dude,

I am getting no work done today.

I have been so busy busting your 'shorn scrotum' for a while.

Just having fun :D

I work at a helpdesk so I am on the computer all day. I have a fast connection at work and I can have this site in the background.

When it is slow I can read the forums. and bust chops too!! :D

When I get out of here then I have to go to the gym or run or ride my bike, or maybe even sleep.

Good luck "pasting" with your shaved self.

Sounds kinda pervy. :eek:

tcrunner,

I'm like you, hate the body hair, my wife doesn't like the stubble, so we've reached a compromise, the chest and back get a trim every week or so with a 1/4" blade, the legs are cut a little shorter.

If I don't shave/trim, you take a picture of me and I look like a brown bear, a skinny one, but still a brown bear.

"Other areas" are shaved to allow for quicker and easier adjustment on the fly.

Oh, BTW, my wife digs it shaved too.

I have been reading this thread and have come to this conclusion:

YOU PEOPLE ARE CRAZY... (That must be why I fit in so well)

Thanks for the entertainment ..

(oh and beads, give me a call, my MS Windows XP is acting up - j/k)

My legs looked like those of the hobbits in LOTR.
When all the hair was gone for the first time it looked so weird. By now I love it.
And I bet the girls like it. Unfortunately I am spending more time with my bike than I would with a girl... ;)

nice...and nice bike...i want the shirt that says ...How about a Threesome and then underneath n small it has the pic of swimmer bike and runner

lol..48 euros, thats what 55 american dollars?

rredding- when in doubt, ...reboot, it gives me 5 minutes to finish my coffee :D

Noel- they hear me typing so they think I am working,

tcrunner-if you are hairy beast now, wait to see how your back looks by the time you are 30

I think you guys are having too much fun shaving.

Are you sure you are doing it for the supposed race benefits race benefits? :D

Like I said before it is a good look in prison,

You can get extra cartons of smokes if you are clean shaven all over :D