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.
Former Member
Hi Jazz, I agree fully on your thought.
Just like you I swim for myself, yes I can talks about fitness, wellness, but the truth is that I've a goal, a stupid ones, and it's the reason because I swim and not miss any workouts : I want to reach it 100% from myself without any "tech" help.
just like for you the bodysuit is for me = cheating to myself, it'a a shortcut, just like steroids.
The Day that I'll change the reason to swim and I'll swim to compete, at that time I'll use whatever (is legal) to beat my opponent, because the right gear is part of competition, so Bodysuit, legsuit, whatever, but for the near future I'll swim in my speedoo, a cap, and a google.
P.S.
I use a cap to protect my hairs from clorine and because it's mandatory in all the pools in my country.
I use the googles because my eyes don't like the clorine at all and I don't want to became blind due at swimming.
I'll start with a disclaimer. I'm slow and don't beat too many people.
But how cool is it to jump in with a cheesy brief or jammer and beat people in expensive suits? It's like getting on you old(er) steel road bike and beating the pants off of people on their $5000 carbon bikes. Plus, I'm a cheapskate. I have a hard time shelling out cash for a new training suit, much less a tech suit!
You want cheesy briefs... just wait until zones!
I really think that people who have some moral objection to tech suits probably just can't afford them, bottom line. There, I said it, someone had to.
That's fair. Provided you accept that two identically talented swimmers are still identically talented even if one wears the funny gimp outfit. One just has more money to throw on an artificial aid... it didn't make them a better swimmer. Just the one with a record gained by a suit.
There I said it...I had to.
It's a bit like when Arnie said about steroid use, he felt the top body builders would still have been the winners without the use of steroids...
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.
I swim because I love to race. I love winning and hate losing. I still have fun either way though, because I love racing people. Because of that, I do seriously compare my performance to other people. Especially if they're in lanes next to me...in bodysuits.
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.
Me and water might need a divorce, because I am cool with "disrupting" this relationship. I'm pretty hairy. I shaved just once as a masters swimmer (recently); it was a bloodbath during and in the weeks after. Clients stared at my bare arms and my excessive scratching. I worked hard to have disposable income to spend on my few extracurriculars. I have no problem buying a fancy suit (on sale). I experience swimming as moving as quickly through water as possible (while minding the rules).
Were there any swimmers setting national or world records recently that were NOT wearing technical suits?
There I said it ... I had to.
Perhaps the majority of more talented swimmers affirmatively choose to wear technical suits. The only ones I can conceivably think of that might accomplish this are the younger masters swimmers recently out of college. And of course SwimmieAvsFan always has to rag on me because she's a feel freak.
I don't think so. However, Phelps and Lochte both went under WR pace in the 400IM last night with a measly legskin suit. I've heard a lot about the benefits of the bodysuits-acting as a corset- but how much of that WR pace can be attributed to the legskins last night?
The word "best" requires a definition to be meaningful.
OK, the US is the best, has the best swimmers wearing the best suits. That should suffice for best.
So are competitors at the Trials are cheaters or just masters swimmers?
Geek, I think my Monday officiating is getting rained out. I always let the one hand touches go. But the blatant scissor kicks?
I've said that I agree with Jazz, I swim for myself, and if I use a bodysuit it'll lower my time so I'm cheating myself, it's a shortcut to reach my goal. i don't want that my money will buy my little dream, I want my passion, my hard works carry me to reach it.
The bodysuit for olimpians is legal just like for master, and swimmers that compete in any race at any level is better that use it because anybody else will do it.
Nothing more nothing else.
I see the point. There are enough variables as it is, such as whether you are tapered, comparing meters and yards, and let's say for the sake of discussion that you attended a meet where the outdoor air temperature was 110 degrees. I started wearing the FS2 for meets and that is just one more variable, comparing pre-FS2 and post-FS2 times. So I don't really have any idea how well I'm swimming now. It's frustrating, but I still plan to keep the FS2 for meets!
Were there any swimmers setting national or world records recently that were NOT wearing technical suits?
There I said it ... I had to.
Perhaps the majority of more talented swimmers affirmatively choose to wear technical suits. The only ones I can conceivably think of that might accomplish this without fancy suits are the younger masters swimmers recently out of college. And of course SwimmieAvsFan always has to rag on me because she's a feel freak.
I agree. if everyone has one provided to them if they wish, then the field is level and fair. Soon it will be with rebreathers.
The word "best" requires a definition to be meaningful. One can separate best swimmer from best swimmer/suit combination.
You are over intellectualizing. The word "best" in masters swimming is already clearly defined as the person with the fastest time competing with a legal stroke and legal suit in your age group (FINA rules). And separating the two categories described above in masters? Nonsensical. There are no two such divisions in the sport. Although I'd love to compete in the best swimmer/best SDK competition in my age group -- even without fins and a monofin -- or in the best swimmer/least yardage competition. But, hey, those aren't categories yet. Why are people so hung up on suits when so many other training things or lifestyle choices make such a difference?!
