I’m doing boise 70.3 in a few weeks and have just recently got out in the local lake with my full suit and although I have been putting in about 3-4 miles/week in the pool, I had significant shoulder fatigue within 500y. I’m swimming in a helix I bought last year and I think it may be a little too small. But, I was wondering if there is anything other than getting in the lake (its in the low 40’s) that I can do to help adjust to swimming in the full suit. thanks
Make sure you are putting it on right - not saying that you are not - but its common. Bikesport has a good link on how to do it as does DeSoto. Best.
A few things:
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Your suit may have dried out over the winter. Soak it in the tub for an hour, then hang it ip to dry. It will be dry to the touch but a micro amount of water will have gone back inside the neoprene. This micro amount of water will allow the suit to be a bit more flexible.
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Make sure you have the suit fitted to you properly prior to swimming. Key things: Hiked up at the waist like you are giving yourself a wedgie!! Make sure that the arms pulled up over the shoulder so that at the top of the shoulder you can grab a small amount of neoprene in a fist. This is way more important than people think. I have done this with people who have told me their wetsuit fits terribly and then they have told me it fits really well - like in a brand new suit!!
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Sometimes you need to swim in the suit a few times to get used to it. Wetsuits change your stroke and body position in the water, swimming in the suit regularly in open water is a good routine to get into.
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Perhaps it’s the suit iteslf. The Helix is a good suit and Blue Seventy a good brand, but every wetsuit brand fits a bit differently. What process did you go through to settle on that suit?
Hope this helps.
good tips- the “grab a fist” over the shoulder helped me. Never heard of the re-soaking- I’ll have to try that when my suit comes out of the closet in another year or so.
I sometimes feel the same thing. With me it’s a form issue, I sometimes don’t roll as much in a wetsuit causing sore delts. It could be fit but don’t discount the posibility that you’re not rolling as much, focus on it next time you swim.
With me it’s a form issue, I sometimes don’t roll as much in a wetsuit causing sore delts. It could be fit but don’t discount the posibility that you’re not rolling as much, focus on it next time you swim.
Bingo!
The problem is that most wetsuits flatten you out and negate much of the roll - even when you try and exagerate it. Why? The 5mm neoprene on the side of the body acts like a cork - you roll in, it forces/floats you back up. That’s why on the Nineteen Frequency model, almost the entire side of the torso is only 1.5mm neoprene. This is our Wingspan system from the back wrapping around the side of the body. We have given this suit to some top swim coachs and they have told us that of all the wetsuits they have used, the Frequency has the least impact on their stroke! It preserves and promotes the natural side-to-side body roll that’s important for best stroke mechanics and power transfer.
Steve, great response it ALMOST didn’t sound like marketing…I kid I kid.
Steve, great response it ALMOST didn’t sound like marketing…I kid I kid.
MG,
Well he asked about body roll, and we have a solution for that, so I was just trying to help out! 
that was good- bravo!
Now, what do you have for people whose stroke sucks?
Now, what do you have for people whose stroke sucks?
I truly wish that I could help you with that. I would suggest hooking up with the best Master’s swim coach in your area and taking the time to let them help you.
LOL- that was the plan, but now all I can do use a pull bouy until the ankle heals. Time invested was the key for running, and it should work for swimming too.
Thanks for the info. I’ll try the soaking in the tub. In regards to how I went about ordering it, was that I just went online. I had seen that helix was the name out there so I pursued it (I’m fairly new to the sport and had just used a instinct long john before that but knew I needed a longsleeve as I do a couple cold water swims a year). I used the sizing chart blueseventy provided. I’m about a touch under 5’10", and weigh generally in the 158-160 range. I ordered a size SMT. The suit felt a little tight and hard to get into when I recieved it, but I looked online and saw that it should be tight and would expand in water. I feel that I may have put on a little more muscle this year and the suit felt even tighter. Especially, at the wrist (I can feel the decreased circulation in my hands) and at the neck (similar feeling as the hands). If I had the choice I would always wear my sleeveless, because I feel very restricted in the fullsuit at the shoulders. Do you think I got the wrong size? Thanks again.
FWIW, I bought a SMT last year, and raced at 154#; I’m 5’7". It was pretty tight- you may need the next size up.
Do you think I got the wrong size?
Hard to know. I am not familier with the Blue-Seventy size chart and it would be inappropriate for me to say anything other than what I said before about each wetsuit company having a slightly different fit. Although, I know that Blue-Seventy and Nineteen fits are fairly close. It could be the extra musculature that you have added - 5 to 10 pounds is often enough to tip the balance.
A full suit is always the better option. They are faster, warmer and if you get in the right one, remarkably comfortable.
Size charts are exactly that…a guide, they are not always right. I would really make sure you put the suit on properly as steve has said. I am 6 foot 2 160 lbs and where the smt helix. Rutger Beke is even bigger than this and he wore a smt helix in arizona. I really make sure the legs are up pretty high on my leg so it is pulled right up to my crotch and the same with the arms.
Try more of a windmill recovery with your arms.