Dressing up for the podium
Do you know how long it takes the likes of Michael Phelps and Ryan Lochte to get into a competition swimsuit?
Well, maybe not Phelps, as he was one of the main guys to get out of a full body suit and back into swimming briefs. But getting into a swimsuit costing a couple of hundred dollars is a tricky and delicate operation. Let me take you through it. Make sure you have time, if you are a novice putting on a full suit can take up to an hour. The half suits worn today take about 40 min. And you have to be calm. Literally. If you sweat, double the time.
These suits are coated with special materials and some mimic fish skin to improve aerodynamics in the water. They are pressured suits to condense your body and smooth out muscle, but still give you movement. The fabric stretches so thin that it basically becomes a second skin. Hook it with a jagged fingernail and you are done. US$400 the bin. You need to turn hems up and slowly ease in one leg at a time.
Palms need to face a certain way – and you because the skins are so tight, you want to wear a speedo under it. Trust me. See what happened to Ricky Behrens in Rome when he ripped a suit on the blocks without something under the skin….and if you don’t have perfectly shaped gluteus maximus muscles please don’t try this at home. For my sake.
If you are competing in international races you are lucky to get 5 races. If you are cautious, you get 3. Times that by around US$400 a pop. Have a look at an Adidas video. And then spare a thought for the swimmers in the next race you take for granted.
Video
SportsPodium is not associated with Adidas and this video is used without claiming any rights to it.
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my SKINS compression fitting tops are a pain to get off and on . I feel your pain
ha. glad someone here knows the horror for real ;)
awesome,,
cool,,
awesome article, they go through a lot.
Wow. This one is so informative. I never thought about that before. Great blog by the way. Have a good day.
thank you!
I love the expression/ sigh of utter relief the guy gives having put on his $400 'trunks' at the end of video. He clearly feels likes he's really achieved something!
On a more critical note, with these figures in mind, it's interesting to put into broader perspective the 'economics of these funky trunks' into perspective...
If one swimmer requires 3 pairs of 'trunks' @ $400 a pop, that's an effective $1200 entry fee just to be able to compete internationally, which is greater than the annual GDP per capita of half the countries in Sub-Saharan Africa! (E.G. Liberia = $900 per capita).
Helps to understand why international finals are so skewed towards rich-world competitors!
Which is why SportsPodium is here to level the playing field. Spread the word and become part of the biggest disruptor in the sports industry. There is so much unfairness in sport as a whole, you make an excellent point. Now add to that flights and accommodation to international races....
I will do, it's a worthwhile mission you've embarked on!
Never knew that. Why did I always think that they wore normal suits like the rest of us.
nope....
Wow!! Really didn't know that :O
Thanks for the info ;)
Upvote for a good post!
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