I decided I am going to buy a new one and move from entree level to mid-level. I spent too much on this sport already this year, so the topline is perhaps for when I evolve myself.

I am now in doubt between:

• Blueseventy Reaction: Get's very good reviews, but on this forum so far only one has comparison with another brand and he's not satisfied. It's on sale for € 300 instead of € 400.
• Dare2Tri Mach3S7: Also get's very good reviews and is 44-cell neoprene. It's a relative small Dutch brand though and comparison with other brands / types are hard to find. It's hard to believe that the mayor brands don't develop something better. € 350
• Huub Aegis III: Also good reviews, although some complain about durability. € 330
• Roka Maverick Comp II: Is an entree level suit, but Roka doesn't make real cheap suits. € 375
• Orca Sonar: Again good reviews and very buoyant. It's however 39-cell while the Dare2tri has 44-cell while it's more expensive. € 365
• 2XU P:2 :Propel: I own a 2xu trisuit that I am not too happy about. Doesn't say anything about the wetsuit, but I have a feeling 2XU is more built for lean (not very muscular) people. € 345
• Zone3 Aspire: Don't know a lot about Zone3. This one gets very good reviews. It's last years model though. € 300

There are a lot of alternatives, but for now I just compared two shops that I usually buy my stuff. Prices are all below € 400. I'd have to draw the line somewhere :)

Your start sounds the same as mine. My first completed 200m was with my tongue dragging over the bottom of the pool. May I ask how long you've been swimming? 1:32 pace is amazing (imho).


My support has been far from perfect. I took three courses (12 weeks each), but of all of them were in a big group so you'd hardly get any attention. Last course the trainer had no advise for me whatsoever over the complete span of the course. The analysis was good, but I've only done that once. I am planning on doing that more times a year. Other than that I am training myself or with friends. I'd have to admit I hardly do exercises. I am doing a "fast" 500m and a longer distance like 1.5K, 2K, 3K and then I'd move on. I used to be swimming once a week. Now for about half a year I am swimming twice or three times a week. Three times a week is hard. I have kids, a wife, a busy job, etc. And I'd also want to cycle and run (and do other things).


I am now in contact with a trainer who gives affordable private lessons. I am thinking about doing this every month. I tried joining a tri-club, but the active ones are too far away, which will cause me too much time traveling. I am on the waiting list for the local swimming club.

Thanks-I am an adult onset swimmer so to speak and have been swimming now for 4 years. You will find that even with a squad swimming environment you will struggle to get much in the way of stroke correction advice "in session". You really need the one on one coaching (and i highly recommend video analysis) to be able to see your stroke faults etc. I now get a video assessment done every 3 months, there is so much my coach could correct but each time we try and just focus on 1-2 key things to work on.

I split my weekly swimming up as follows:
1 X technique intensive session with a lot of drill work and some shorter intervals
1 X threshold session with a decent warm up followed by about 1.8-2k at a pace close to CSS
1 X endurance session which tends to be about 5 km done over about 80 min holding a pace anywhere from 0-6 secs per 100 off CSS pace

I don't go to a traditional masters style swim squad as I really just want to focus on freestyle and not be good at other strokes etc, hence my coach and squad is all pretty much geared up around open water swimming rather than pool based swimming (although most of the time we are pool based for training).
I think most people will tell you that to maintain your swimming you really need to be swimming at least twice a week, to start to get some improvement you really need to be swimming 3 times a week at least. Feel for the water is vital. I now prioritise my swim training over most other things in life (much to my wife's annoyance!)-I can fit running and riding around work etc relatively easily but always protect my squad swimming times. I find it incredibly difficult to train for swimming outside of a squad-no way will I swim more than 1500m on my own in the pool without some squad mates there to push me on.
I am really lucky in that I get to swim with this awesome bunch (http://www.swimsmooth.com) under their head coach Paul Newsome (you might spot me in some of the videos or photos). If you have not checked out his videos and systems before it is well worth a look. The videos by Brenton Ford (effortless swimming) are also really good. Initially I started off along the Total Immersion style of swimming but Paul has a slightly different philosophy on things so there is a lot less emphasis on glide time like you have with TI.
All the best!
PS: I am about 5 sec/100 faster with a wetsuit on as well-I use a HUUB now and love it.

Thanks for the reply!

I am going to follow your advise and arrange some private sessions. They were very expensive (one offer was 275 for a two hour session + a video analysis). But I've found a company that does private sessions for almost a 10th of that price per hour.

I will try and go three times a week. I am struggling with a knee injury for a couple of months now, so I am a little less active with running and cyling. The only problem I do have left is that I am not allergic to chlorine, but I do catch some cold from it when I go more than two times a week to the pool. I don't have this in open water, but it's not always possible to swim in open water.

As far as the wetsuits go. I do want another one. I narrowed it down to the Zone3 Aspire and the Blueseventy Reaction. It's probably going to be the first one simply because it has the best reviews out of all of them. Blueseventy has slighly more buoyacy and the Zone3 has better flexibility.

have that HUUB :)

---

___________________________________________
http://en.wikipedia.org/...eoesophageal_fistula
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cerebral_palsy
2020 National Masters Champion - M40-44 - 400m IM
Canadian Record Holder 35-39M & 40-44M - 200 m Butterfly (LCM)

I tried a few wetsuits. Eventually the Zone3 Apsire felt best for the budget I had in mind. I just tried it and swam 1:47 / 100m (3.5 kmph / 2.17mph) average on a 1KM / 0.62 mile swim. That's about 10% - 15% improvement! Plus, it's more flexible in every way, it almost feels like a second skin. So far it seems like a good buy!

Private sessions with a trainer are planned, so this might help me a little more as well.

Great stuff!
Something else to consider....you can always post a quick video on here for the ST community to provide advice on in relation to some simple things you might be doing (eg stroke rate, hand position, catch and pull).
Look forward to following the progress.

Thanks! I will certainly do. I now only have a video from a couple of months ago, but I am getting a new analyse soon and will post it here. Any help is welcome :)