How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

Allen Stark — Tue, 09 Mar 2010 10:43:53 GMT

The new version of hand me downs,the smallest swimmer buys the suit,wears it for a meet then gives it to the next larger swimmer.A team could get several meets out of one suit. I do wonder what some people consider stretched out.My first LZR goes on much easier,but it is still a struggle to zip up and would be uncomfortable to wear very long after 5 meets.

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

Former Member — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:38:36 GMT

I said long ago, and many times, that B70s were going to be more affordable than these new paper suits. I believe my argument was largely dismissed. Can I say, "YOU WERE RIGHT!!!" So I used to get 30+ swims out of my FAST B70 for $399 vs. SLOWER suit $370 good for 1 meet or less. :confused::confused::confused:

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

Former Member — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 16:29:35 GMT

So, regarding the new, approved FINA legal suits that we all need to wear beginning June 1, is anyone else fainting at the price to value (value for me meaning it's a slower suit) ratio of a women's suit? Speedo LZR Racer Elite $370 Tyr ShortJohn $370 B70 option $300 Some of the kids I train with bought the Speedo version and said that on the final day of the 3 day meet, it was done and stretched out. So much for the theory regarding making this sport affordable for poor little Johnny. Tell me what I'm missing so that I don't feel guilty buying one of these.

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

The Fortress — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:07:35 GMT

Will the new B70s be any substantially different material and last longer? I'm not thinking of myself (reduced to jammers), but my teenager who is now competing in a TYR Tracer Light. No, I understand they're made from the same material as the Speedo Elite suit. I'm planning on using my kid's stretched out one at my next SCM meet.

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

Patrick W. Brundage — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 12:02:34 GMT

Can I say, "YOU WERE RIGHT!!!" So I used to get 30+ swims out of my FAST B70 for $399 vs. SLOWER suit $370 good for 1 meet or less. :confused::confused::confused:Will the new B70s be any substantially different material and last longer? I'm not thinking of myself (reduced to jammers), but my teenager who is now competing in a TYR Tracer Light.

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

The Fortress — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 11:35:15 GMT

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

jim thornton — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 02:45:33 GMT

I'm planning on using my kid's stretched out one at my next SCM meet. Stretched out for some may be too tight for others. Not saying this is the case with Ali and Leslie. But not saying it isn't, either. As they say, I am... Just sayin'

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

Elaine Krugman — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 09:09:48 GMT

Duh, I noticed you did tell me that in an earlier post and I missed it! :blush: I'll be cheering for you, too! :D

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

swimshark — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 06:17:43 GMT

Duh, I noticed you did tell me that in an earlier post and I missed it! :blush: I'll be cheering for you, too! :D That's all right. I don't mind repeating the 39 part... I'll keep repeating it when I'm 40, too :afraid:

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

Former Member — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:37:44 GMT

Wait. Unless you are in the youngish 18-24 age group, wasn't that all of us masters at some point? Old school, paper suit, never wore a full body suit before, want to see what fuss is all about. . . Oh, guess not. I'm sure there are many masters who never will never put on a full body suit. Answered my own question. I'm 38. I have 3 meets (one being Nationals) to wear it. I have an idea of what my times will be in the post June 1 "tech jammer" as I wore a FS Pro Jammer at my last meet. At Nationals I'm pretty sure that most of the Top 20 swimmers will be wearing bodysuits, so will I. I train everyday in a Speedo Endurance Square Leg suit, so its not a suit addiction thing for me at all. Hell, the last meet I swam in was the first time I EVER wore ANY sort of jammer. Personally, I could care less about the suit. Sure it helps, but you still have to put the training in.

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

Former Member — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 11:11:34 GMT

Dynamo, my Masters team, is hosting the St. Pat's meet. Yes, it will be a fast meet, several WR and National, State, Regional record holders will be there.

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

swimshark — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 10:52:38 GMT

]Thanks for your practical advice; it sounds good to me. I just want to see how I do at my first meet, at the end of March, and take it from there... But, I will be at Nationals, hoping to improve my times from whatever I do at my first meet- and, I will be in my training suit! Look for me in a purple and white flowered Speedo Endurance Training suit, in the Women's 45-49 breaststroke. I also plan on joining a GAJA medley relay as a breaststroker.Elaine I will be looking for you.:D We need to start setting up a "forumite meet up" since there will be a lot of us. As for me, I will be swimming the 1000, 500, 200, 50 free, 400 IM and 50 ***. Not sure if the 50 free or 50 *** will be my 6th event. My dad and sister will be there volunteering as well. :applaud: My dad hasn't seen me swim since 2004 and my sister since 2001 so I'm excited. My sister swims with the Killer Whales and my dad swims on his own in Gwinnett County.

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

swimshark — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 09:19:14 GMT

Thanks! Hey, what age group will you be swimming in at Nationals? 35-39. I'll be 39 :)

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

Former Member — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:52:44 GMT

That's exactly what I was thinking. I think I will wear my current suit for the remainder of the year to get my baseline times, then work on getting my times down, before I consider a post-6/1 suit in the future. If I reach my goals this year, I can treat myself to a new competition suit for 2011. :D Not a bad approach. It think it's well worth remembering that tech suits should help you when comparing your times with those of the other swimmers against who you'll be competing. It has next to no value in comparing, or I should say monitoring your own personal progression (comparing your times with your own times). My opinion on the topic isn't even worth a single cent. I have been racing in a very short and conventional bathing suit so far. I was against tech suits at the first place, and I'm still against them. But maybe it is primarily because 1. I like to focus more on my own improvement 2. So far that didn't stop me from beating a lot of swimmers wearing tech suits or not. In fact, my biggest fun is to beat a tech suit user on the touch. Then I'm saying to myself "So what's next for you tech freak? Gonna spend $100 extra dollars on your next suit? Bring it on... I'll beat you anyway!"

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

Elaine Krugman — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 07:19:56 GMT

Thanks! Hey, what age group will you be swimming in at Nationals?

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

swimshark — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:48:51 GMT

Is this for the St. Patty's Day Meet? In the past, that meet has enjoyed some good swimming, really good. I need to get to that meet one day. I was asking "Swimshark" about Nationals, but I will be at the St. Patricks Day meet, as well. It will be my first Masters meet and first competition in 30 years! I am going to try not to drown in the 200 ***, my first event. The others will be: 50 and 100 breaststroke and medley relay. This is where I hope to get some decent seed times and compete in Nationals... Elaine, St Pattys was my first masters meet, too. It's a good one to start off with. Enjoy :) I used to be a Dynamo Master. I lived in GA until 2001 when I moved to Oregon and now Virginia.

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

Elaine Krugman — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:28:52 GMT

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

swimshark — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 06:04:05 GMT

Is this for the St. Patty's Day Meet? In the past, that meet has enjoyed some good swimming, really good. I need to get to that meet one day. Hey, that was my first masters meet ever. Good memories!! Great idea! Hey, I forgot to ask... What age group are you in so I know when to watch for you? I'll be swimming 50 *** in the 45-49 group. How cool your family will be there! Mine is all out in California (where I am from), so they won't be there to see me. I'll have to get my husband to record one of the races on our camera... I'll be 35-39 age group (I'm 39). Once you get there and meet everyone, we'll all be family :D and be cheering for you. I lived in Oregon for 5 years so I can relate to family being on the other side of the country.

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

aquageek — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:25:22 GMT

Is this for the St. Patty's Day Meet? In the past, that meet has enjoyed some good swimming, really good. I need to get to that meet one day.

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

Elaine Krugman — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 05:21:42 GMT

I will be looking for you.:D We need to start setting up a "forumite meet up" since there will be a lot of us. As for me, I will be swimming the 1000, 500, 200, 50 free, 400 IM and 50 ***. Great idea! Hey, I forgot to ask... What age group are you in so I know when to watch for you? I'll be swimming 50 *** in the 45-49 group. How cool your family will be there! Mine is all out in California (where I am from), so they won't be there to see me. I'll have to get my husband to record one of the races on our camera...

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

swimshark — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 02:30:52 GMT

I'm 38. I have 3 meets (one being Nationals) to wear it. I have an idea of what my times will be in the post June 1 "tech jammer" as I wore a FS Pro Jammer at my last meet. At Nationals I'm pretty sure that most of the Top 20 swimmers will be wearing bodysuits, so will I. Nope... mine will be a knee skin. I have never worn anything longer than a knee skin and I've actually only worn that one twice. My other "tech"suits are tanks.

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

Former Member — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 17:25:04 GMT

The "Only" reason I'm wearing a bodysuit until June 1 is because I'm from the old days of paper suits and have never gotten the opportunity to wear a bodysuit. Wait. Unless you are in the youngish 18-24 age group, wasn't that all of us masters at some point? Old school, paper suit, never wore a full body suit before, want to see what fuss is all about. . . Oh, guess not. I'm sure there are many masters who never will never put on a full body suit. Answered my own question. And this brings me to my next question. I wish that the coaches who are advising us masters to now lose weight and train harder could advise us to what that actually means. This direction is so vague it makes me want to pull my hair out. How about some ideal body fat % and BMI ranges for swimmers; distance and frequency of workout goals (doubles? triples? - I hope NOT - seems like too much to me.) I just find it interesting that during the tech suit craze it was all about less is more and now it seems as if I'm being told to train harder and more often.

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

Former Member — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 16:19:23 GMT

The "Only" reason I'm wearing a bodysuit until June 1 is because I'm from the old days of paper suits and have never gotten the opportunity to wear a bodysuit. So now I have about 3 meets to try them out. For my price of entry (very little $) I might as well see what the fuss is about.

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

Elaine Krugman — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 10:41:09 GMT

It's definitely all about the fun for me. :D I loved swimming competitively in high school, but dropped off the Jr. College team, because it wasn't fun anymore. Now I have an opportunity for a second chance at this; something I didn't think I would be able to do after major shoulder surgery (for thoracic outlet syndrome). I started this thread out of curiosity more than anything. It was obvious to me why tech suits were used in the Olympics, but it just seemed like overkill for many Masters swimmers; especially a new one like me who happens to be on a budget. But, I wanted to know just how much time they really shave off a time. Now I know, thanks to the responses on this thread. Answering your question regarding body type, I'm 5'71/2", 125 lbs. I have long arms and legs, so I have a thinner build. How would a (legal!) tech suit benefit (or not) my type of build? Thanks! Elaine

RE: How much do tech suits benefit a new Masters swimmer?

Former Member — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 06:27:03 GMT

Almost impossible to advise an athlete virtually about these questions. I would like to see all swimmers focus on improving their athleticism in some way. We all have different stories about time availability, injuries, and commitment levels. Can you squat, pull yourself out of the pool, do push ups or sit-ups - or run for your life? Work with your coach or another knowledgeable athlete and find something to improve your basic strength. I am also fairly lean, but could find ways to get stronger and leaner so my body is closer to the state its in when encased in my sensational B70 Nero even after it is banned... This isn't rocket science. It means eating better and training smarter - not longer. (don't get me started on the masters athletes who think they have to swim 5,000+ yard workouts to be fit) Cripes. That's me. But it's 5,000+ (and I mean waaaaay plus) b/c I really enjoy it. I know I'm somewhat fit. So for example, if this is what I did Saturday, it's just too much even though I had a blast with the kiddos? LCM 300 Warm Up 6x200 50 Stroke/ 50 FR @ 3:15 4x150 1 of each stroke IM ORDER 1st 50 - Right arm 25/ left arm 25 2nd 50 Drill 3rd 50 Swim the stroke 8x25 @ :30 IM Order FLY DAY 8x100 50 Fly Drill/ 50 FR @ 1:30 3 TIMES THROUGH - gah! Went 2nd in the lane and forgot what the heck the intervals were - but let's just say I had around 5 to 10 seconds rest 1x200 FR/ Fly by 50s 1x150 Fly/ FR/ Fly by 50s 1x100 Fly/ FR by 50s 1x50 Fly 4 TIMES THROUGH 4x50 Fly Drill @ 1:05 1x50 EZ 1x50 FAST FLY for time - held 32s on all 4 1x100 EZ 5700 meters BTW, I DON'T do this every day! LOL! Thanks for the response. I know it's not rocket science but I've had organic chemistry classes that were easier than figuring out correct freestyle stroke.