Heather Fell: To wear a wetsuit or to
not wear a wetsuit? Mark Threlfall: Well,
that a question that's normally answered by the water temperature or race officials. Really,
what is the difference when wearing a wetsuit? Heather: Well, that's what we're going to be
addressing today, comparing a wetsuit to a tri-suit. We're going to be looking at the
difference in the feel, but more importantly, trying to find out just how much faster
neoprene can make you. Mark: Race you to the end.
[music] Let's start by addressing
the most obvious difference between wearing a wetsuit versus not wearing a wetsuit. That is
buoyancy. The most blatant benefit of wearing a wetsuit is the added buoyancy. That is due
to the neoprene and the gas is trapped in that neoprene being less dense than
the water itself and therefore allowing you to float more easily when wearing a wetsuit
versus not wearing one. It can be so noticeable. In fact, it can actually
change the look and the feel of your stroke. In some people, it can raise their hips and their
legs in the water. It can just generally raise your body position in the water, which in turn
is going to reduce your surface area in the water and the resistance traveling through the water,
which in theory should mean that you're faster in a wetsuit than without, or at least,
mean that you're able to swim at the same speed for less effort.
[music] Heather:
You can't be swimming with your shoulders entirely free. However, only men wearing speedos or jammer
are going to get that experience because even wearing a swimsuit as a woman you still
notice a little bit of restriction although it is pretty minimal. Put on a wetsuit and you do
certainly notice it. Now, if you've only ever been a pool swimmer or for some reason you've
swum but never worn a wetsuit, the first time you put one on it will feel different. It will feel
like it's ever so slightly restricting your shoulders. Depending on the fit, some more
than others and as a result, you might naturally adapt your stroke, especially the recovery phase.
There have been so many advances though in the technology for the neoprene in swimming wetsuits.
It's worth getting a swimming-specific wetsuit. They're now pretty mobile around your shoulders.
However, when it comes to, say, swimming in really cold water, maybe you're wearing a thicker
wetsuit, I certainly notice that my shoulders get a little bit more tired when I'm wearing my winter
wetsuit compared to my summer one. [music]
As the distances in triathlon become longer, the significance of T1 and T2 become smaller. It
becomes fairly irrelevant with wearing a wetsuit because the majority of people will do it if
you're allowed. If the water gets close to that cut-off temperature, you might see one or two
opting to go without but they're not going to have that much of a benefit because most people
who swim without a wetsuit these days tend to wear a swim skin at the top and you've still
going to take that off, which is going to make you minimally quicker than taking off a wetsuit.
Mark: The primary purpose really of a wetsuit is to keep you warm when the water temperatures
are cold. That extra layer also serves as great protection from fellow swimmers that might perhaps
accidentally give you a knock during the swim, at least, you hope it's accidental. In addition
to that, also they allow you just to wear clothing underneath ready for the triathlon ahead. Perhaps
a pair of calf sleeves or a pair of shorts then whack on a jersey in T1. The options are endless.
[music] Then finally, we need to think
about fit. This is something that needs careful consideration of a wetsuit. Obviously, you don't
want something that's going to balloon up and drag you down underwater. Then at the same time,
you don't want something that's going to be really restrictive in your shoulders.
Then equally, you could argue the same for a tri-suit as well because then there you've got
to wear that for the bike and run too. Heather: Cool. We're all wrapped up,
that just leaves us with our little experiment. You're wet already. You've got your wetsuit on,
I left mine at home. I'm sorry. Mark: That's very convenient.
Heather: You've only got to do two 200s max out. One in
your wetsuit, one in your tri-suit, easy. Mark: Hang on. I haven't swum for a year.
[music]
Heather: Mark, big thank you. Massive respect for you for taking that gauntlet for me and for GTN.
Mark: Probably stitch me up, Heather. Heather: Well, yes, that's done now. Let's
move on with the numbers. I'm dying to know what the differences were between the two.
Mark: I went 2:13 without the wetsuit, which I'm really pleased with after a
year out of swimming. Then 2:10 with the wetsuit. Heather: I would be super chuffed with those after
a whole lot of training. Well done on that. That's obviously interesting. A three-second difference,
or three seconds faster in a wetsuit. It's not just about those numbers, is it? I want to know
about the feel, obviously. I watched it but how did your body position feel in the water and did
that affect your stroke at all between the two? Mark: As we had suggested before I did these
little tests, I was higher in the water, or I at least felt a lot higher in the water when I
was wearing the wetsuit. You're reducing that surface area in the water, less resistance,
just generally felt faster through the water. My arm rate, my stroke rate is definitely faster when
I'm wearing a wetsuit, or at least it feels like it. It is partly because I'm perhaps going faster.
One thing I will say is that I do think there is a little bit of learning that needs to come with
wearing a wetsuit because you are changing your body position in the water. Some people do find it
quite a sudden shock and potentially don't swim as well with a wetsuit initially.
Heather: That leads me onto asking how it felt effort level, did one feel easier than the other,
and also did you change your leg kick at all? Mark: It definitely felt easier with the wetsuit.
Ultimately, I was working as hard as I could in both but instantly as I push off the wall
in a wetsuit, it just felt easier. I felt like I was slipping through the water. I
would say I feel like I don't kick as much with the wetsuit because I"m so much higher.
I feel like I'm able to just spin the arms over and get that propulsion that way. It'd
be interesting to watch the footage actually. Heather: Yes, that makes sense. We haven't even
touched on the differences between varying wetsuits. Most brands will actually have a
selection of the type of wetsuits they make, which will have different levels or different
thicknesses of neoprene. Some will be the same thickness all over, others will have thicker
neoprene around the hips to help with your body position. Obviously, floating is good and you
want to be more buoyant in the water, but if you're already a natural swimmer like Mark,
for example, then you're not going to want to actually mess around with that body position.
A wetsuit for a beginner swimmer will be very different to a wetsuit for an advanced swimmer.
Mark: That's a really good point actually. You may actually find for someone that
does drag their feet along the bottom of the swimming pool, they're actually wearing this
wetsuit find they have a significant improvement more than just my three seconds over 200. They
can be really really beneficial for a lot of people out there. I don't think we saw
anything really surprising today. I think we did expect to see the wetsuit coming in quicker,
but we hope you guys have learned a little bit from today's video. Please do give this video
a like, give it a thumbs up, don't forget to give us a follow on social media, and
subscribe just down below. [00:08:04] [END OF AUDIO]