Swimming is one of the most effective complete body exercises that help you get healthier and stay in shape. Even if you’re not an Olympic swimmer, swimming can benefit you by helping you relax and achieve a sculpted body.
Unlike professional athletes, when most individuals swim, they don’t pay much heed to the kind of swimsuit they wear. All they look for in a swimsuit is a waterproof material, comfort, and longevity. Although necessary, these factors aren’t enough to provide you with a sublime experience in the water.
You must’ve seen regular and professional swimmers wear shaping swimwear either on the television or in tournaments. However, do you wonder why? Continue reading to know more.
Why Do Swimmers Wear Shaping Swimwear?
Swimsuits are specifically built to not only protect your dignity but also to aid you in swimming efficiently.
The primary issue swimmers face while navigating through the pool is named drag. Typically, you undergo drag throughout your existence, but the drag caused by air is easily overcome. As a result, you don’t feel it. You can judge the strength of air drag by researching how a free-falling space object catches fire upon entering the atmosphere!
Drag is a primary part of the dynamic study of fluids. Engineers and hardware designers work thoroughly to curate vehicles, spaceships, and ships to reduce drag’s influence.
It’s much more potent in denser mediums such as water, so it’s daunting to swim through it. Hence, swimmers get pushed back by the water when they try to move through it. Additionally, a miniature wave named bow wave is formed in front of the swimmer to amplify drag.
Wearing a tight swimsuit helps control the shape of the swimmer’s body to make it more streamlined and hydrodynamic. Top-quality swimwear is manufactured from water-repelling material to help the suit decrease drag.
If you’re a swimmer, you can try shaping swimwear and notice the difference in lap time yourself!
Factors Affecting a Swimmer’s Performance
The aforementioned swimsuit characteristic that helps a swimmer perform better is its tightness. Apart from that, the following factors can help reduce drag in water:
Swimming Caps
Caps are an essential component of any technically practical swimsuit. These waterproof rubber coatings help your body’s shape become more streamlined by tucking your ears in. Besides, they also prevent water from entering your ear canals.
Material
Swimsuits made of high-quality fabrics provide minor but significant benefits over low-quality swimwear.
It will help if you go for spandex or nylon swimsuits as they tightly stick to your body. Furthermore, the hydrophobic nature of these synthetic materials makes them water-resistant, which decreases the drag effectively by 8%.
Seam
The seams of a swimming costume are also engineered to minimise drag. Consequently, how the fabric is stitched together serves a crucial purpose. According to research, bonded seams can decrease the impact of drag by 6% more than sewn seams.
The process of minimising drag by designing efficient swimsuits is ongoing. Although technology has helped engineers make giant leaps, optimum elimination of drag hasn’t been achieved. Besides, a few manufacturers are beginning to design swimwear with the dermal denticles of a shark to improve drag resistance.
Summary
If drag is your enemy in the water, tight swimsuits made of synthetic materials are your allies. Contrary to popular belief, professional swimmers don’t just wear shaping swimwear to win medals but also to enhance their experience.
So, what’s stopping you from improving your performance and enjoying a soothing experience in the water?