It seems like most wetsuits emphasize extra buoyancy in the legs, since triathletes tend to have lean, heavy legs. I have the opposite problem: I am naturally crazy-buoyant. The wetsuits I've used in the past make my legs ride too high so that I end up swimming with a strongly arched back. This screws up my body position and I end up with a back ache. At the same time, I am a cold-water weenie so I still want the warmth of a full-sleeve wetsuit.
I've spent the past couple of hours looking at various reviews sites, including the Swimmer wetsuit review videos. I've noticed that some people distinguish "swimmer" wetsuits from "triathlon" wetsuits.
Does anyone else have this issue? Any recommendations?
Also, double check your form to make sure you are using your core when you swim. When I started training more in open water, I had lower back problems on long straight swims, with or without wetsuit. Eventually, I realized the problem wasn't building up to the distance, it was that I wasn't activating my core at the longer relaxed pace like I was at pool paces. Once I stopped being "lazy", all the lower back issues on those long swims went away.
You can find wetsuits that cater more to swimmers than triathletes, though. Look for lower thickness in the legs. All the OW swimmers on my team (8 of us) swear by various models of BlueSeventy suits. But there are other models and brands that have similar features.
Also, double check your form to make sure you are using your core when you swim. When I started training more in open water, I had lower back problems on long straight swims, with or without wetsuit. Eventually, I realized the problem wasn't building up to the distance, it was that I wasn't activating my core at the longer relaxed pace like I was at pool paces. Once I stopped being "lazy", all the lower back issues on those long swims went away.
You can find wetsuits that cater more to swimmers than triathletes, though. Look for lower thickness in the legs. All the OW swimmers on my team (8 of us) swear by various models of BlueSeventy suits. But there are other models and brands that have similar features.
