Brent S. Rushall, Ph.D.,R.Psy [01/10/2001]

Much has been learned since the introduction of bodysuits. Before, and at the 2000 Olympic Games, swimmers, coaches, and some scientists (not in the employ of swimsuit manufacturers) evaluated them. This section of the Swimming Science Journal lists what has been discovered about the most recent form of swimming suit, the "bodysuit."

1. Bodysuits come in a host of shapes and degrees of covering from many manufacturers. It is clear that covering the arms and lower legs is disadvantageous to a swimmer. Those surfaces need to be rough, not slick. Although Ian Thorpe and Kieren Perkins wore sleeved-neck-to-ankle suits at the Sydney Olympics, these questions are being asked; "How much faster would they have gone if they had not worn these suits?" and, "Did Kieren Perkins sacrifice his place in swimming history as a three-time gold medallist in the 1500 m for the promotion of the full bodysuit?"
2. The suits increase a swimmer's buoyancy. This feature enhances swimming performance. To maximize this feature, suits should be worn dry in races. Because of their greater amount of fabric, when they finally become wet they actually increase drag. These suits should not be worn in distance races during which they will become "waterlogged." Glossy Adidas-type materials (fabrics with chemical impregnations such as Teflon) maintain buoyancy longer than the more absorbent Speedo fabrics, but only until the chemical presence deteriorates.
3. In laboratory settings, the latest materials have mostly been shown to have characteristics that improve upon Lycra fabrics. However, when used as a swimming suit, many of the characteristics are not replicated and the fabrics provide little assistance. In most cases, the fabrics are no better than shaved skin at reducing surface resistance.
4. Traditional-cut suits are best for breaststrokers. Not even "jammers" should be worn because they hinder hip flexion. [It should be noted that Domenico Fioravanti, the dual Olympic Champion in men's breaststroke, wore a knee to neck suit -- but, that should be treated more as an exception rather than the rule.]
5. Traditional-cut suits for women, and at most, "jammers" for men, are best for backstroke and butterfly swimmers. Any covering below the knee will reduce the effectiveness of the kick in both strokes. An upper torso covering tends to restrict the range of arm movement through decreased mobility of the back muscles. Women should pay particular attention to the cut along the back of such suits.
6. Neck-to-knee suits and jammers are popular with crawl strokers. Women have to wear the top, with fewer men electing to do so. However, the "tightness" about the hips and the flotation of the thighs and hips do contribute to a "better feeling" in the minds of a number of swimmers.
7. Major difficulties with the neck-to-knee suits occur at the start (it is harder to bend down and assume a good starting position), and at turns (the degree of hip flexion is reduced causing turns to be slightly slower than when full flexion is accommodated). These restrictions make the suits less suited to short-course than long-course swimming, principally because of the fewer turns in the latter.
8. Suits with ridges of stitching increase resistance. They should be avoided. While the patterns look good and are supposed "to channel the water flow", because swimmers change postures so often in the phase of one stroke, they predominantly serve as added asperities that increase drag resistance by separating fluid flow unnecessarily.
9. Generally, wearing the new suits approaches conditions that result from "shaving down" for big meets. In heavy, unshaved training, they could assist some swimmers to improve in performance. Once a taper is experienced, and a swimmer is shaved, they would serve no other advantage other than to increase a swimmer's flotation.
10. The advent of the "new" bodysuits appears to have been market driven, backed by some remarkable claims by advertising and promotional executives, and accompanied by some shoddy "science." One should not believe the advertising claims for these suits. Many top-swimmers are paid to endorse these "hi-tech" bodysuits, but when they compete in important races, they do not wear them. For example, in Adidas advertisements, Alex Popov is shown wearing Adidas bodysuits but in Olympic races, and when he set the 50-m world record at the Russian trials, he wore a traditional brief suit. Similarly, Grant Hackett and others wear the most-expensive, generally full-cover suits, as promotional stunts, but refrain from wearing them in important prize-money races.
11. More often than not, custom fit suits are more comfortable than "off-the-rack" suits. Some fabric stretching occurs with each wearing. Swimmers are advised to wear the suits a few times at practice, to produce some accommodating stretch, before using them in races.
12. When suits feel uncomfortable, it might be necessary to cut extra pieces out of the suit. This occurs often on the upper back so that outward rotation of the scapulae is not hindered. For swimmers with heavy thighs, the above-knee seams can be too restrictive and might need to be cut to free up circulation and the function of muscle tendons.
13. For age-group swimmers, it is unlikely that an investment in a high-priced new suit would be wise. Age-groupers can gain much more by swimming with good technique and training with sensible volume. Any miniscule assistance from a new-fabric bodysuit would be a short-lived, transient advantage.
14. Suits made of the latest high-tech fabrics do not last. Those with glossy or impregnated fabrics (e.g., Teflon enhancement) quickly lose their advantage as the specialized treatment wears off. Consequently, these expensive suits are good for a few meets and then lose any advantage.

Return to Table of Contents for The Bodysuit Problem.