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Posts Tagged ‘Swimsuit’

There are many different types of swimwear that are available to women on the market today. But when it comes to swimming for fitness or competition versus swimming for recreational fun, there is a big difference on what type of swim suit that should be worn.

Many styles are available to choose from in the area of swimwear for fitness with many neat patterns and colors, but there are some elements about them that are similar. First of all, the swim suits usually have a high neck so that the water resistance doesn’t drag you down. Also, the straps on the suit are crossed in the back for more stability and so that they don’t fall down when moving your arms during swimming.

Additionally, the swim suits used for fitness or competition are usually one-piece rather than two-piece. It is pretty impractical to wear a bikini or a tankini type of swimming suit when really actively swimming because they aren’t made to resist the water very well and won’t stay where you want them to when pushing off a wall or doing a turn. However, there are some two-piece swimming suits made specifically for fitness swimming that can be used that are made with a higher waist and sports-bra like top, but they do tend to be more expensive than the one-piece ones. And the one-piece swimming suits are still considered the standard and are what is worn during swimming competitions.

Some common variations occur in the different types of swimming suits. The thickness of the straps varies from style to style and really is based on personal preference. Depending if you are outside in the sun and how often you are swimming tan lines might play a role on the strap you prefer. Also, the type of material used to make the suit can differ from being polyester or nylon/lycra. Most of the swimming suits are made from nylon/lycra, but they tend to become stretched out and wear out quickly. A polyester suit might be harder to find, but they don’t wear out as fast and are great for practice.

Today Annette Kellerman gets only a brief mention in write-ups of 20th century swimming, but in her day she was a worldwide sensation as an athlete, performer and spokesperson for women’s fitness. She deserves a larger place in our history books for the many “firsts” she earned during her remarkable life.

Because of childhood illness, young Annette wore iron braces on her legs. When she was seven a doctor suggested she remove her braces and take up swimming. At age 15 Annette set a world record in the mile. In 1904 she drew crowds when she swam across London’s Thames River—a feat no one, man or woman, had ever accomplished. She was one of the first women to attempt to swim across the English Channel; she tried three times but didn’t finish. Still, she continued to outrace male swimmers in exhibitions throughout Europe.

In major U.S. cities she performed a “water ballet” act in a glass tank, and became the best-paid vaudeville star in the country. Kellerman is now credited with using moves that introduced the sport of synchronized swimming. In Boston she was arrested for “indecent exposure” when she wore a tight-fitting, one-piece swimsuit on the beach—a departure from accepted ladies’ swimwear: a cumbersome ensemble including a dress, bloomers and tights.

Her fame led to a career in the movies, notably as the star of A Daughter of the Gods (1916), the first million-dollar production. The film is also notable for Kellerman’s nude scenes, marking her as the first star to appear nude in a high-budget movie.

She became an advocate for health and exercise, particularly for women, and she wrote the first-ever diet and fitness book, Physical Beauty: How to Keep It. She designed and marketed a popular swimsuit known as the “Annette Kellerman,” now seen as the first modern swimsuit for women.

Kellerman and her husband retired in her native Australia, where she kept fit by swimming daily. In November 1975, she died at age 89, and her ashes were scattered over the Great Barrier Reef, in keeping with her wish to be reunited with the sea.

We’re all familiar with the range of swimwear we’d see on a trip to the pool or the beach—anything from boardshorts for teenage guys to one-piece Speedos for serious female swimmers. But swimwear wasn’t always so varied as it is today, or so revealing. Here are some interesting facts about fashion trends in swim attire in the 20th century and earlier.

Mid-1800s: Women wear “swimming gowns” made of wool or flannel (fabrics that don’t become see-through when wet). Weights are sewn into the hems so the dress won’t rise in the water. Men’s suits are also wool, with long sleeves and full-length legs.

Turn of the 20th century: Early swim trunks for men are introduced. More modern in appearance, this attire is still cumbersome: when wet, the trunks weigh as much as nine pounds.

1907: Swimmer and water-ballet performer Annette Kellerman is arrested on a Boston beach for indecent exposure. Her form-fitting, one-piece swimsuit revealed her arms and legs, scandalizing other bathers.

1920s: Although still made mostly of wool, swimwear for men and women now features colorful patterns, leaving behind the drab shades of gray and black that had been the only acceptable colors for swimwear.

1930s: Swimsuits made of cotton are finally becoming widely worn. In the early 1930s, a chest-revealing swimsuit, called the “Topper,” is introduced for men. The detachable top could be zipped away from the trunks. Still a daring concept even for men, the topless suit elicits disapproving stares at the beach—and sometimes arrest for indecent exposure.

1947: The first “bikini” is introduced after World War II. Modest compared to current versions, the early bikini is essentially shorts and a crop top that exposes a small section of midriff. The suits were named for Bikini Atoll, islands in the Pacific Ocean and the site of nuclear weapons testing. It is theorized that the swimsuit creators believed the bikini swimsuit would produce an explosive cultural shock that was equivalent to that of the atomic bomb.

Compared to other sports, swimming can be an inexpensive fitness choice. Recreational swimmers don’t need a lot of gear and equipment, but it’s important make the right choices for fit, comfort and reliability.

Swimsuit
Do wear a suit that is snug but not overly tight. Suits that are too tight can stress muscles, causing soreness. Taut fabrics can also chafe the skin. To test the swimsuit’s comfort and flexibility, rotate your arms and shoulders and do a few squats in the dressing room.

Don’t wear a string bikini or long, baggy swim trunks to swim laps. You want to move comfortably in the water without worrying that your suit might come loose or get tangled.

Goggles
Do try on goggles until you find a proper fit. The eye cups should sit on the bones of the eye sockets. Press the cups to your eye sockets. When you let go, the goggles should stay in place with suction.

Don’t use goggles that are too tight. They should not pinch. After prolonged wear, goggles should not leave very red marks or painful depressions around the eyes.

Swim Cap
Do choose a latex or silicone cap to keep your hair dry. Latex and silicone caps also help prevent body heat from escaping through your head. Allergies to latex, though, are common, and latex is the most fragile swim cap material. Latex caps, though, are the least expensive type.

Do get a silicone cap if you want the insulation of latex but greater durability (or you’re allergic to latex). These caps pull on and off the head more easily than latex.

Do go with a Lycra cap if you some chlorine protection but you don’t mind getting your hair wet. These porous, cloth-like caps are gentle to the scalp and hair, and they stretch to fit all head sizes.

Don’t use a latex or silicone cap if you have a tender scalp and you want to avoid pulling your hair. A new option is a cap with Lycra on the inside and latex on the outside, offering advantages of both types of caps.