We have a lot of threads about the new magic suits. People are asking, do they work? How do they work? Is it cheating? Are they ruining our sport? Is it fair? What size do I get? Will I become sweaty?
So, my apologies for starting a new thread about bodysuits in the context of masters swimming. Most of this is my personal opinion and experience, but I hope other people have similar ideas.
We have to admit that masters swimming is more laid-back than elite swimming. It's competitive, sure, but I've always seen it as a social organization above all else. There's less on the line, here. We aren't going for endorsement money, Olympic berths, or anything like that. If we want to go to the big meet, we just sign up for it. There's no need to do everything possible to qualify.
Maybe this is where I differ from other masters swimmers, but I swim for myself. I compare my performance to what I've done before and what I know I can do. I don't seriously compare my performance to other people, although I'm always down for a good gridge.
With these things in mind, I've thought about what I would gain from buying, say, a nero comp. The anecdotal evidence suggests that I could drop some time in my events. But if I only compete with myself, I really wouldn't be gaining anything at all. With a time drop comes an uncertainty: did that happen because of me, or because of the suit? If the suit makes me faster, eventually I would be able to establish a new standard of fast for myself, and compete against that. But there's no net gain for me.
My current personal scale of fast times involves wearing a first-generation jammer or legskin, and shaving. I've been on this scale since high school. Thinking about why I don't want a bodysuit has also made me think about whether I should even bother shaving for big meets. This might be where I make a personal distinction about the bodysuits that has been discussed here before in an integrity-of-the-sport context.
I experience swimming as the relationship of my body to the water. When I shave down for a meet, I'm not disrupting that relationship. I'm adapting my body to be better suited for the water, which is exactly what I'm doing when I'm training. Swimming shaved is still just swimming, to me. Swimming with a bodysuit is something else. I don't expect everyone to agree with this, and maybe it's something I could even get used to with enough time. But my current feeling is this: a suit that constricts the form of my body, makes me float, and separates me from the flow of the water is a technological intrusion into my swimming experience. It's not something I want.
I can't assume anything about why you swim, but if your reasons are like mine, it might be worthwhile to ask if the latest technology in our sport will benefit you in the same way it benefits a professional athlete.
Parents
Former Member
I completely dispute this assertion and think it depends on your personality and the team you train with. I promise you I'm not getting up at 4:30 am to go socialize. Find yourself a serious USMS team and report back. You are fast but aren't as fast as most sprinters on my team twice your age and they put in about 4-5X your yardage a week. Don't confuse your intentions with those of all adult competitive swimmers.
I think characterizing it as a social organization is pretty darn insulting. Sure there's a great social aspect but there are a lot of social groups that don't revolve around physical fitness.
Wear a bodysuit or not, I could care less. It's your money, spend it as you wish.
Glad to see we are disagreeing again, geek.
I am very serious about swimming fast, and although I don't put in a lot of yardage, I do spend something in the neighborhood of 10 to 15 hours a week training.
I completely dispute this assertion and think it depends on your personality and the team you train with. I promise you I'm not getting up at 4:30 am to go socialize. Find yourself a serious USMS team and report back. You are fast but aren't as fast as most sprinters on my team twice your age and they put in about 4-5X your yardage a week. Don't confuse your intentions with those of all adult competitive swimmers.
I think characterizing it as a social organization is pretty darn insulting. Sure there's a great social aspect but there are a lot of social groups that don't revolve around physical fitness.
Wear a bodysuit or not, I could care less. It's your money, spend it as you wish.
Glad to see we are disagreeing again, geek.
I am very serious about swimming fast, and although I don't put in a lot of yardage, I do spend something in the neighborhood of 10 to 15 hours a week training.
