Without the Tech Suits, Who's Going Faster?

The “tech” suits changed the sport of swimming.  We all know that.  But they’re gone.  What’s next?  A lot of swimmers swam times with the “tech” suits they probably only dreamed of achieving.  Now that the suits are gone, who’s going to go faster?

Since the “tech” suits were banned, I, as well as many other HS, collegiate, and professional swimmers have been thinking, “Will I, or better yet, can I, go faster without my LZR, Jaked, X Glide, Blue 70, etc.?” 

I spoke with a college coach of a Division I team who believes his swimmers will go faster.  He thinks it boils down to having the right mindset, and the belief that you can swim faster.  Besides the mental aspect, he added that he’s learned a few things from the “tech” suits: specifically, how they affect body position and core stability.  It affords coaches the opportunity to really think hard about ways to help swimmers go faster.  He thinks that when most athletes are faced with a challenge, they try to rise to the occasion.  And now that the “tech” suits are banned, the challenge that lies ahead is precisely: Who can duplicate those times without the suits?

This aforementioned college coach and I are longtime friends; our most passionate discussions are always about swimming.  Most of these conversations focus on how to help kids to swim faster.  One thing we’ve discussed numerous times is what has to happen for kids to swim faster without the “tech” suits.  Here’s what I’ve come up with. 

First, we have to look at why the “tech” suits caused us to swim so much faster.  Then, figure out how to get those same effects, but without wearing the “tech” suits.   One thing the “tech” suits did was provide enhanced core stability.  I compare the suits to weight lifting belts.  Anyone that has lifted knows that a lifting belt really helps strengthen one’s core—and, as a result, enables a person to lift a greater amount of weight.  For example, I used to be able to squat an extra 30-40 lbs with a belt, which was just under 10% of my max.  Therefore, if core stability is so important to enhancing performance, and we no longer have these suits to provide this stability, how do we get it?  I think there are a couple different ways to accomplish this.

#1. Increase the amount of dryland/weight lifting training you do.  But it’s worthless if it’s not specific to swimming.  Too often I observe athletes doing sit ups, crunches, and v ups as dryland exercises to strengthen their core (when I say core, I mean both your abs and back—many people just think abs, but you must have both).  If you do a lot of crunches, sit ups, and v ups, you’ll get really good at doing crunches, sit ups, and v ups; but this may not have the necessary impact on your core strength in the water.  Don’t get me wrong; these are good exercises, but we’ve gotten a lot smarter over the years, and there are much better ways to strengthen your core that are specific to how we swim.  When we swim, how often are we in a position similar to a crunch, sit up, or v up?  Not often.  Instead, our bodies are elongated most of the time—meaning, both our arms and legs are stretched out.  If we swim in an elongated position, then why wouldn’t we do core exercises where our bodies are elongated? 

#2. Increase the amount of core work you do in the water.  I think you can get creative here.  We need to feel like we’re swimming with the “tech” suits even though we’re not.  So, you better do some things in the water to specifically target your core.  Out of the water core exercises are great, but we swim in the water—so in the water core exercises are much more important than out of the water exercises.                              
A). Dolphin kicking on your back is a great way to strengthen both your abs and lower back.  You’ll find out in a hurry how strong your core is by doing this.                                                                                          
B). Swimming and/or kicking with flexed abs is another way to specifically strengthen your core in the water.  I’m not saying you want to do this all the time, but if you can train yourself to swim or kick with your abs flexed, imagine how strong your abs will get.                                                                                      
C). Kicking on your back with your arms 3-6 inches out of the water in a catch position forces you to keep your core tight.  If you don’t, you’ll sink.                                                                                                      
D). Kicking with or without a snorkel in the superman position.  You’re in an elongated position, and it forces you to keep your core tight whether you want to or not.  There are many other ways to strengthen your core in the water; I’ve just mentioned a few. 

After witnessing the “tech” suit phenomenon over the past two years, if you haven’t learned anything from them, then you haven’t been paying attention.  We are constantly learning and trying out new training methods, exercises, and techniques that help the athletes swim faster.  I don’t believe you can train exactly as you did last year, and expect to go faster.  If you do the same things, you’ll get the same results.  In my mind, something has to change.  It could be more core work; it could be getting more sleep, eating better, something. 

A captive audience will be waiting and watching to see who swims faster this year --without the “tech” suits --than last year with them.  I predict that less than 20% of the swimmers that wore the “tech” suits last year can go faster this year without them.  Why? …. because they won’t do anything differently—except of course, not wearing the “tech” suit.

ArtVanDeLegh10