Has anyone noticed or given this any thought? I normally vary my swim speed a lot during workouts, depending on what I am doing. But I always warm up with a 70.3 race effort 100 and cool down with the same. Those were running about 1:40 or slightly less all summer. Very consistant. Then I broke my googles and bought some cheap Aqua Sphere full face goggles (Look almost like a dive mask) at Walmart and few days later left my swim suit in the locker room and it disappeared so I started swimming in old running shorts.
Suddenly I was up near 1:50 for 100 SCM. Last night I shifted back to my normal Zoggs and Turbo Jammers and once again I am swimming just under 1:40 SCM.
Can big ugly full face goggles and baggy shorts really add 10 seconds or more to a 100 SCM? Anyone else notice this?
That’s why they sell drag shorts. Baggy shorts will serve some of the same purpose. Also underscores how much of an advantage the speedsuits Olympic swimmers were wearing gave them.
If some of us won’t train using race wheels, and then switch to an aero wheel on race day… why do we swim wearing speedos? Wouldn’t conventional wisdom suggest that we train with scuba goggles and board shorts? And then switch to aero for race day?
If you see me at masters tonight looking goofy, this is why.
If some of us won’t train using race wheels, and then switch to an aero wheel on race day… why do we swim wearing speedos? Wouldn’t conventional wisdom suggest that we train with scuba goggles and board shorts? And then switch to aero for race day?
If you see me at masters tonight looking goofy, this is why.
I agree completely. I’ve even noticed a difference between speed shorts and a tri-suit. The tri-suit is definitely faster. That may be due to my manly chest hair though.
If some of us won’t train using race wheels, and then switch to an aero wheel on race day… why do we swim wearing speedos? Wouldn’t conventional wisdom suggest that we train with scuba goggles and board shorts? And then switch to aero for race day?
If you see me at masters tonight looking goofy, this is why.
The technique for riding a bike with race wheels and without is pretty much the same.
In swimming, I notice that when I swim with a wetsuit in a pool, you are so much faster you need to adapt with a longer reach and streamline more. Even ten seconds difference requires different muscular emphasis. So if you train with drag shorts, I think you’re training with the wrong stroke.
My old competition wetsuit is worn now with a few holes, but is still usable out of competition, so I’m going to wear it in training about 1/3 of the time, 1/3 swim without implements, 1/3 pullbuoy flippers and/or paddles.
For long days (4000-6000) yds, I’ll probably wear the wetsuit. Also, I think it’s good to swim about a 300-500 at the end of a wetsuit practice without the wetsuit to feel the difference and see if the wetsuit-adapted stroke works for non-wetsuit.
A drag suit will most certainly slow you down. Go to a high school or college practice and you will likely see a handful of swimmers wearing something to purposely slow them down and make them work harder.
The goggles on the other hand, will not make a huge difference.
Normally I’d agree, but some of these triathletes wear a virtual diving bell to swim, with an mp3 player, lap counter, and a couple gels attached. If it can be purchased, it can be included!!
