Sleeveless wetsuit for poor swimmers?

Triathlon Forum
1

Are sleeveless wetsuits better for poorer swimmers?

I was thinking the benefit is less fatigue in the arms/shoulders due reduced restriction, plus it should help with body position as its reducing the buoyancy in your arms and hence helping bring your feet/rear up?

Thoughts?

2

A well fit wetsuit won’t be overly tight in the shoulder area, plus it’s faster than sleeveless. As far as bouyancy, a lot depends on which type of wetsuit you have

3

Why is a sleeved wetsuit faster than sleeveless? No matter how well the fit there is still resistance? I can’t imagine buoyancy in the arms would be necessarily desirable?

4

Well fitting sleeved suit will be better than sleeveless which is faster than no suit. However if you are in inexpensive suit, it likely will be more restricted in the shoulders and that can mean an sleeveless would be better.

But if your saying all things equal, full suit all the way most of the time

5

Thanks, but why? I’m just struggling to understand the mechanics of it? I can think of a number ofnegatives, but I can’t think of any positives that would explain sleeves being faster?

6

Why is a sleeved wetsuit faster than sleeveless? No matter how well the fit there is still resistance? I can’t imagine buoyancy in the arms would be necessarily desirable?

The difference is more less negligible. Brenton Ford compared sleeved/sleeveless wetsuits and I think the sleeved was 45s quicker for a 1900m swim. But that’s an elite swimmer with great technique. And it’s kind of a moot point as most people are going to be drafting anyway. I swim in a sleeveless and if it’s slower than my sleeved, I can’t feel it. Plus it feels more comfortable and I find I have a slightly higher stroke rate.

7

Thanks, but why?

A couple of reasons off the top of my head:
-Skin is not very hydrodynamic (think aerodynamics for the water). The coating on the neoprene slides through the water with less resistance.
-Sleeves increase the diameter of your forearm, thus engaging a larger/ thicker pulling surface for your stroke
-Sleeveless also have an extra water intake/ drag in the armpit area that sleeves don’t have
-As a bonus, you can wear a sleeved jersey underneath a full sleeved suit, which (if chosen wisely) will also be faster on the bike

8

Thanks, but why?

A couple of reasons off the top of my head:
-Skin is not very hydrodynamic (think aerodynamics for the water). The coating on the neoprene slides through the water with less resistance.
-Sleeves increase the diameter of your forearm, thus engaging a larger/ thicker pulling surface for your stroke
-Sleeveless also have an extra water intake/ drag in the armpit area that sleeves don’t have
-As a bonus, you can wear a sleeved jersey underneath a full sleeved suit, which (if chosen wisely) will also be faster on the bike

That doesn’t make sense, you are using your arms to pull through the water so you would want them to have more resistance? The easier your arms slip through the water the less catch and the slower you would go?

The second and third points could have some merit though.

9

That doesn’t make sense, you are using your arms to pull through the water so you would want them to have more resistance?

My bad for not completing the thought… They put the fancy slick coating on the tops of the sleeves. So your arms slide through more easily as you enter the water and reach. The undercoating is a different texture (at least on mine). Some have grooves/ dimples on the forearm but I’m pretty sure that tested as placebo at best.