TYR/Speedo Technical Suits

i tried some on @ nationals. They are harder to put on then actually swimming the 50 or 100 free! :). I hear good things about the speedos tho

The fit is slightly different for each manufacturer in my opinion. The body compression aspect is the best reason to buy them in the end. John Smith (Team TYR)

Make sure you take a swim with the suit before your meet to get a feel for it. I remember when I was at Texas and we were one of the test groups for Speedo's new Aquablade bodysuit in the mid-1990s (for men? what the....). We were going to wear them in a dual meet, but we got them a week early and we all tried ours on. I got a bodysuit and I never liked losing that sensation of water going over my entire body. Trying on a bodysuit for the first time after years of wearing traditional suits is awkward (especially where buoyancy is concerned), and you need to retrain your body that you are 1) actually swimming in water even though you can't feel it from your chest to your ankles and 2) the added fabric might mean adjustments to your stroke. I've worn jammers in a breaststroke race only once, because I didn't like that little pocket of air in my crotch. You know it's there and you can't concentrate on anything else. That's the reason I give people for losing that race. That said, the fabric on racing suits these days, from briefs to full-body, are quite astonishing. The science that goes behind them is remarkable. Jeff (Team Traditional Suit)

Thanks for your input! WOW!!! I will definitely keep all of your comments in mind! I probably won't be getting any of the full bodysuits, long legged suits, or the "short john's"... just the standard female "old school" cut - recordbreaker back or highneck... I think I would need to have the feel of the water on my body while I compete... just a mind thing, I guess. OH MY, the "pocket of air" thing is a good point - that would seriously divert my attention - I'm sure female swimmers have experienced the BUBBLE in the legged suits. HA HA!!! THANKS AGAIN!!!:D

Sarah- Being a fellow female swimmer, this should help out.. I have never worn a legs suit - I was/am a breaststroker and I need to feel the water with my legs. I'm sure if I did free/back/or fly ONLY, I would get the legs in a heartbeat. I wore jammers in college, it's a new feeling in breaststroke, but it's fine. I've never experienced a trapped bubble in my suit, but maybe I'm in the minority. The only bad thing with legs on a suit are the wedgies. You don't have the edge of the suit to pull down on. :D Also, remember these suits are TIGHT. I am very tall, so the suits pull more on my shoulders than the average person. I ususally just pull the straps down so I can make it through the day. Right now I wear a fastskin recordbreaker - just a "normal" cut of suit. I am thinking of getting a jammer next, though. Now the bad side of these suits: the water repellant coating only lasts a few meets. And the more they are worn, touched, rubbed, etc the faster it rubs off. It still works as a suit, but it's not 100% effective, anymore.

I’ve been swimming on and off for about 35 years and I believe the best (and fastest) suit is what ever is the most comfortable. Being a guy, that is a conventional racer brief. I’ve tried some of the new high tech suits and aside from being uncomfortable, lab testing concludes they aren’t much faster (see link below). forums.usms.org/showthread.php Plus, there are many manufacturers for the conventional style suits and they are a LOT less expensive (since my athletic budget is rather limited to buying the "plain vanilla" suits). Happy Swimming - Dolphin 2 :)

There are vast differences in the technology, and fit, of these racing suits. What most swimmers do not appreciate is that all of them are designed and fit differently. The fabric composition of TYR is basically nylon/lycra like the traditional suits. The Speedo suit has alternating strips of water-repellent and water-absorbing fabric to create "vortices." Only Arena is completely hydrophobic and repells all water. Since it is also the lightest weight suit, it fits differently. There is very little compression in the chest, so once the female suit is over the hips, the rest is a breeze. The male suit allows for the more muscular build without binding. The secret is that breathing is not hindered by a tight upper body, but only in the Arena suit. Another secret is that a swimmer should go in "dry" to a race to get the absolute maximum benefit. Why start a race with ballast? As for buying one at these high prices or not.....if you have lots of stuff that jiggles (like loose skin, lots of hair?) the more benefit you will feel with these suits. However, many breaststrokers want contact with the water inside their legs and many butterfliers need the feel on their chests. That is why there are several styles. If you train hard and put the effort in, you deserve to have the best equipment to allow yourself the opportunity to perform your best and feel the satisfaction of doing so.

"The secret is that breathing is not hindered by a tight upper body, but only in the Arena suit" Are you saying that breathing is more difficult in the Arena bodysuit? If so, what makes it more difficult? I am looking at trying out one of their suits. Thanks!