why do swimmers do this?

The bodysuits were more about reducing movement of skin and muscle than being smooth. The idea was to squeeze your legs and arms tight to avoid it causing tiny turbulence.

As said, they have been banned, although I think the shorts are still allowed? But for years the general idea has been to wear as small a trunks as possible, and also as tight fitting (don't want them flapping around). You don't want them to restrict movement of your hips or legs. Competitive swimwear is also incredibly thin and lightweight.
 
Skeeter said:
The bodysuits were more about reducing movement of skin and muscle than being smooth. The idea was to squeeze your legs and arms tight to avoid it causing tiny turbulence.

As said, they have been banned, although I think the shorts are still allowed? But for years the general idea has been to wear as small a trunks as possible, and also as tight fitting (don't want them flapping around). You don't want them to restrict movement of your hips or legs. Competitive swimwear is also incredibly thin and lightweight.
Click to expand...

I believe part of the argument as well, against the bodysuits, was that the tightness they caused, actually helped to support your muscles. So actively aided the swimmer's strength. I believe anything is allowed that makes you more streamlined, it's the fact that it helped to effectively strengthen you that made it the case.

Have to admit that Tom Daley's are a bit ridiculous...

As someone who did a large amount of competitive swimming, that is OTT. Ideally, during the olympics, you'll probably see the guys wearing these:
http://store.speedo.co.uk/c/men/fastskin

None of them will actually swim in 'speedo's' in the olympics (I refer to speedo's the tiny trunks, rather than speedo's the brand).

So that second picture is probably more for the photoshoot than anything else.

As for the diving, having not done any diving, I can't really talk for them, but I know the water polo teams tend to go with smaller trunks as it minimises what other players can grab onto (yes really)

kd
 
Skeeter said:
The bodysuits were more about reducing movement of skin and muscle than being smooth. The idea was to squeeze your legs and arms tight to avoid it causing tiny turbulence.

As said, they have been banned
Click to expand...

They've been banned and yet Oscar Pistorius can run in the Olympics with springy bionic legs designed to emulate a cat.......

How does that work?
 
I used to wear the Half body suit when i was competing in the national's... The ones that are above the knee and are like a vest aswell.. I had no idea the full body suites were banned though since i stopped swimming at 14...
managed 58.98sec for 100m Fly though :D

I would have gone places :(
 
King Damager said:
I believe part of the argument as well, against the bodysuits, was that the tightness they caused, actually helped to support your muscles. So actively aided the swimmer's strength. I believe anything is allowed that makes you more streamlined, it's the fact that it helped to effectively strengthen you that made it the case.
Click to expand...

The streamlined properties were one of the main reasons without a doubt for the performance increase, most would argue the main reason. Jaked suits became hugely popular and were one of the first to be banned because of their full polyurethane construction. So many swimmers were using them because of the advantage they gave.

Bodysuits technically haven't been completely banned, Fina has just changed the guidelines now so that the manufacturers all have to adhere to them.

Suits can now only be made of natural textiles, with rubberised material such as polyurethane or neoprene completely banned.

Men are only allowed a suit which is jammer length and women can't have a suit that extends up to the neck.
 
Diagro said:
there is me :)

an age ago

http://www.swimmingresults.org/indi...t=A&AgeGroup=15&level=N&TargetNationality=All
Click to expand...

Nice.

I'd have to get my mum to dig out my PBs from when I swam, but I was nowhere near that. I competed at club level and county championships and once swam for Wiltshire, but that was as far as I got before I discovered girls, computer games and cars.

People now think I'm lying when I tell them I used to swim when they look at my 'build' (read big ol' fat belly) :D

An incredibly good way to keep fit too.

EDIT: HOLY ****! I'm on that Website!
 
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