Welcome - PhysioMed Womens Triathlon Series

What to look for when buying a wetsuit:

Brand: When buying a triathlon wetsuit it is recommended to purchase a reputable brand. Triathlon wetsuits are designed very differently from other types of wetsuits. Specialized manufacturing and design experience of triathlon wetsuits is essential for a good suit.

Fit: When trying the suit on, make sure it is not too tight around the upper body or collar. It is equally important that the collar is not too loose as this will result in water entry. Triathlon wetsuits with adjustable collars offer the greatest benefits. When trying on the wetsuit, be sure that there are no air pockets (water pockets) in the suit. Try to pull the front of the suit away from your body. It should react like a suction cup.

The suit should be comfortably firm throughout the body (but not restrictive) and should conform to your body shape. It is worth trying on 2 or more sizes to ensure the best possible fit. It is always recommended to try one size smaller. If the smaller size is not restrictive, then this will provide the greatest benefits.

How do I know if I have a good fit?

The suit should fit like a second skin. Comfortable, but form-fitting. The neck should feel snug when trying on a dry suit. This will become supple when you are in the water and your head is in a swim position. Stand straight and pull the rubber at the abdomen away from your mid-section. You should feel the suction.

Sleeve fitting test: In the case of a full-sleeve suit, hold your arms out sideways, at 90 degrees from your body and touch the underarm panel. If there is an air pocket in the armpit, then pull the sleeves higher onto the shoulder until the underarm panel sits flush with your skin.

Too large? If the suit is too large, folds of rubber will be evident in the mid section, rear end and/or crotch area. Lots of air pockets. The suit will not have that snug, form fitting feel.

Too small? The suit should fit snugly, yet comfortably. If you need a larger size, it will be most evident in the vertical fit of the torso-from the shoulders to the crotch. There will be uncomfortable tightness pulling down on the shoulders and up in the crotch area.

Putting on your wetsuit:

1.	Leave your socks on. This will help you easily slide your feet through the legs of the suit.
2.	Take your time when putting the wetsuit on. A slow and proper fitting will ensure you get the maximum performance from your wetsuit.
3.	If you have long fingernails, do not apply too much pressure to the slick smooth skin when pulling it up as your nails may puncture the surface.

Always follow these simple steps:

1.	Turn the upper body inside out so you can step into the suit like a pair of trousers.
2.	Put your legs into the suit. Let the rest of the suit hang inside out down to your knees.
3.	Pull the legs up starting at the ankles by pulling up a section at a time. Do this by gripping a section or fold of rubber and pulling it up. (Where possible, grip/hold on to the inside fabric surface instead of the smooth outer surface). Grab and pull from the bottom of the legs one section at a time every few inches upward until the legs are on.
4.	NOTE: The legs are only on properly when the crotch is as high up as it will possibly go. If the crotch is not sitting high, or if there is an air pocket between your legs, then repeat the process by pulling up small consecutive sections from the ankles up until the fit is high in the crotch.
5.	It does not matter where the ankles of the suit finish. Even if they are some inches above your ankles it is no problem. Having the legs pulled as high as possible is the first and most important key to a proper fit.
6.	Continue this same "section by section" upward process through the body by riding the suit up through the backside, hips, stomach, and chest. Place your arms in to the sleeves once the body has been pulled as high as possible.
7.	In the case of full-sleeve suits, repeat the same process by pulling the sleeves up high, starting at the wrist up to the shoulder, until the sleeves bunch slightly on the top of the shoulders.
8.	Fasten the collar before pulling the zipper up or down. This will allow the zipper to move easily without excessive force. There is a thin panel of material that is positioned underneath the zipper running the length of the back. Be sure this is flat and flush against your skin and beneath the zipper. This is an important element to minimize water entry.
9.	Wherever possible, always have someone else zip you up. If you must do it yourself then stand tall with your shoulders back and hold one hand firmly on the bottom of the zipper. If it jams, then repeat the process. Do not pull the zipper with excessive force.
10.	Once the zipper is up, make sure the collar is not folded over in any place, and that it is fastened as tight as comfortable. The collar can tighten or loosen by adjusting the position of the rear tab. A comfortably firm fit is a good fit. A loose collar will cause chaffing and water entry. You may wish to further adjust the collar once in the water as your body position will change in a buoyant environment.

Performance Tips

When using a wetsuit, you will notice an immediate and very significant enhancement to your swimming performance. Maximizing on this performance is subject to finding the swim technique that is best for you. The following tips may assist you to get the most out of your swim.

Leg buoyancy: Although kicking does aid propulsion, it's primary benefit is preventing your legs from dropping in the water. This creates drag and slows you down. When using an wetsuit, your legs will be buoyant and will sit much higher in the water. As a result, you can choose to kick less and conserve this energy. This will aid your overall strength and endurance both during and after the swim. To maintain balance and body roll, a gentle 2 beat kick (i.e. 1 kick per stroke) is ideal for wetsuit swimming. In non-wetsuit conditions a stronger 4 beat kick is normally recommended.

Breathing & head rotation: When swimming without a wetsuit, lifting your head for breathing and to sight direction will drop the hips further into the water. This increases drag and greatly decreases your hydrodynamic optimum. When using an wetsuit, your head and body are higher in the water and you will not need to lift the head as far as normal. The enhanced buoyancy of the wetsuit will also greatly reduce any sinking of the hips and lower body. The ideal technique is to lift your head to check direction immediately as your stroke enters the water. The downward force of the stroke will assist you to lift your head. The head should then be turned to the side, and the breath taken, immediately as you reach the bottom of the stroke. The head should then be flat in the water to complete and release the stroke.

How does a Triathlon Wetsuit make you swim faster?

The primary function of a triathlon wetsuit is the provision of additional buoyancy. This additional buoyancy results in less drag as the body is positioned higher out of the water. The result is a faster swimming speed.

The type of material is fundamental. All wetsuits are made of "neoprene rubber". Neoprene is naturally buoyant. Different types of neoprene have different rates of buoyancy. For Triathlon Wetsuits, the neoprene that is used is one that has the most amount of air cells. This is like a honey comb effect. The rubber is made with microscopic air bubbles. This means that it is lighter, more flexible and more buoyant.
In the case of normal surfing and diving type wetsuits, neoprene is laminated on each side with nylon fabric. This helps to protect the rubber against abrasion. However, in the case of Triathlon Wetsuits, one side (being the external surface) is left as raw rubber, and is then coated with a special low friction coating called "composite skin". This special coating has a very low rate of friction and it therefore glides much more easily through the water. Unlike normal nylon coated rubber which has a far higher rate of friction.

Therefore,

There are two properties provided by the material that improve swimming speed:

1.	Buoyancy: Higher out of the water = Less surface area.
2.	Reduced friction: Reduction of drag = Improvement of glide. These properties are called "Hydrodynamics".

The hydrodynamics of the material are only half of the story. Applying this material to fit the human body requires a fine balance of function and form. In theory, the most buoyant (and therefore fastest) wetsuit would be one made of the thickest possible material. ie, the thicker the material the more buoyant it is. (Note: The maximum neoprene thickness allowable under International Triathlon Union regulations is 5mm). However, although a wetsuit made entirely of 5mm rubber would be more buoyant than one that is not, this would result in a slower swim time. Swimming in such a wetsuit would require a far greater amount of muscular force to rotate the arms and freely move the body. Consequently, Triathlon wetsuits are made with a variety of rubber thicknesses. 5mm rubber is used in the main front body area to maximize buoyancy. 3mm is used in that back to aid freedom of movement, and 2mm rubber is used in the sleeves to allow total freedom for the swimming stroke.

Other factors such as "fit" are equally crucial. If a triathlon wetsuit is too loose then freedom of movement is enhanced, but the buoyancy is reduced because water will fill up inside the wetsuit. On the flip side, if it is too tight then the buoyancy is good but freedom of movement is compromised.

In conclusion it is the balance of 3 major factors that determine the speed enhancement of a wetsuit:

Hydrodynamics
Form
Fit

How does it work? Triathlon wetsuits provide greatly enhanced buoyancy for the swimmer. This buoyancy brings the body higher out the water providing better water displacement, resulting in lower surface resistance/friction, which provides enhanced speed. This is the fundamental of all triathlon wetsuits. However, varying designs and materials provide varying levels of performance enhancement. The additional performance enhancing factors are:

a) Surface friction: Most (but not all) triathlon wetsuits are now manufactured with hydrophobic rubber. This rubber has a silicon type surface treatment, which has much the same effect as Teflon in a pan. This slippery surface improves the glide benefit of the wetsuit by reducing surface resistance.

b) Design: Design is vitally important. A poor design will incur water entry. Water entry is the most detrimental factor to enhance speed. Water entry causes a parachute effect as well as increasing the internal weight of the wetsuit and therefore lowering buoyancy. A well designed collar and overall fit will further improve swimming speed.

c) Flexibility: Flexibility, freedom of movement, and stroke rotation are crucial factors. This is extremely important when choosing a Fullsuit (full sleeve). Fullsuits designed with freedom panels (for free stroke movement) provide the greatest gains.

d) Breathing: Sustained performance will be compromised if the wetsuit is too restrictive around the torso or throat. This reduces the breathing capacity of the lungs which reduces the level of O2 in the bloodstream and the resulting power output of the muscles. Wetsuits that do not restrict these areas will provide greater performance enhancements. However, it is important that the suit is not too loose as this will incur water entry and water pockets. Always go for a firm but comfortable fit.

Are fullsuits faster than sleeveless suits? Fullsuits are faster providing the stroke efficiency is not compromised. Traditionally, fullsuits were only used for extreme cold as they were renowned for reducing stroke efficiency and causing muscle fatigue in the arms. The invention of freedom panels, and the introduction of new materials, has now overcome this deficiency. These features are essential when choosing a fullsuit. Fullsuits provide greater buoyancy than sleeveless suits and also have less water entry and surface resistance as a result of the extra neoprene coverage. These features can transfer to time savings of up to 2 or 3 minutes improvement (depending on design) versus sleeveless suits over 1500 meters.

Can I use my triathlon wetsuit for other water sports?

Triathlon wetsuits are ideal for a range of "non-contact" water sports. Because triathlon wetsuits are a smoothskin rubber, they are prone to surface abrasion more than nylon laminated wetsuits. Therefore, it is not recommended that they be used in contact with other equipment such as surfboards or boats. However, for recreational swimming, snorkelling, body surfing, water skiing, (and other non-contact activities) triathlon wetsuits will perform these tasks well.

Care & Maintenance

Travelling / Packing: To fold your wetsuit for placement in a bag, follow the instructions shown on the diagram at right. This will provide the best folding technique to avoid creasing your wetsuit.

Taking off your wetsuit (Transition):

Your wetsuit will slide easily off your body. If you find any area that does not come off easily then this can be remedied by using a lubricant on that area when racing. (See lubricants). The first step to removing your wetsuit is to undo the zipper before opening the collar. When peeling off your suit, DO NOT GRAB OR PULL THE COLLAR. This is not a handle. With the suit unzipped, grab onto the shoulder or upper back area to pull the suit off the upper body. Then remove the body and lower body inside out as you would a pair of trousers.

Lubricants: If required in any area (such as wrists or ankles) a lubricant will aid getting the suit off quickly. A lubricant will also benefit any chaffing area. Do not use petroleum based products like Vaseline. OK to use are products such as: Baby Oil, Body Glide, Vegetable oil, silicone gel.

General Care: Rinse out in cold or warm fresh water after each use. Allow to dry inside out, away from direct sunlight. Avoid or limit chlorine pool use. Store on a wide suit-jacket type hanger to avoid creasing. Do not leave in direct sunlight or hot vehicles or trunks for any extended length of time.