FastSkin, Sydney Olympics and Moments When History was Being Made

The 2000 Sydney Olympics moments when history was being made when swimmers in FastSkin suits won 13 out of 15 World Records and 83 percent of medals.

How It All Start

FastSkin is a revolutionary breed of performance suit that hit the swimming pool, big time, back at the 2000 Olympics in Sydney Australia. These swimsuits appear to be like ‘long johns’ and cover up most of the swimmer’s body (both men and women). There’re a couple of variations on this theme. The tiniest covers only the thighs on men without covering on the torso (that is, same as bicycle shorts). The ladies’ version covers the torso much like a standard professional swimsuit, however, covers the thighs as well. Some other variations include covering the arms to the wrist or elbows and/or covering the whole lower body all the way to the ankles.

These innovative bigger swimsuits seem to be improving athletic performance. A huge number of world records have fallen since FINA (la Federation Internacionale de Natation Amateur or the International Swimming Federation) approved their use back in Nov 1999 than in any equal time period in previous years. Were the brand new suits partially or solely responsible for those? In case they were, just how do they work?

Advantages of the FastSkin Swimsuit

Professional athletes used to believe that the less fabric covering the skin the better the performance (naturally, all else being equal). Traditional wisdom was that swimmer’s skin (without any body hair) was much more slippery when compared to suit fabric. This all changed with the launching of the innovative competitive swimsuits. They’re available from several producers. Australian manufacturer Speedo calls their line of performance swimsuits the FastSkin. Here I will analyze some of the producers’ claims and discuss the experiences of some of the professional athletes who have tried out these revolutionary swimsuits. Can these suits enhance performance and if they can, just how do they do that?

Less drag: These swimsuits are believed to lessen drag resulting from friction between the water and the swimmer’s skin. Speedo has constructed a material which has a lower coefficient of friction (inside the pool) when compared to the athlete’s skin, shaved or not. As a matter of fact, the full-body swimsuits (wrists to ankles) make hair removal unnecessary since nearly all the body is covered. This manufacturer constructed its material to simulate sharkskin with V-shaped ridges. In case these claims are true, it’s not surprising at all that the swimmers are busy covering-up the bare bodies they have spent many years showing off.

Better swimmer’s position in the lane and pool (and therefore much better streamlining): Right before International Swimming Federation approved FastSkin swimsuits, they checked them to ensure they were neutrally buoyant. Or better still, they bunched up the swimsuits and held them under water. Once they let them go, these swimsuits did not float to the water surface. More precisely, the material has basically the same density as water. On the other hand, the human body doesn’t. Legs generally have a higher density when compared to the water. Therefore, covering the legs with a neutrally buoyant material decreases the density of the legs, and so reducing leg’s tendency to sink. A lot of professional athletes have reported that they feel these swimsuits make them ‘ride higher in the water’ and it’s not surprising at all. However, I am quite positive that International Swimming Federation considered this issue thoroughly prior to approving these swimsuits. Anything that helps ‘hold the feet up’ in competition will make the athlete much more streamlined and lessen ‘form drag’ by reducing the skin exposed to the water.



Muscles compression: This innovative swimsuit is made to be quite tight and typically takes around fifteen min to put on. This is to compress the muscles as well as to create a much sleeker aerodynamic athlete. This is a good idea. However, in longer lanes will it slow blood flow to the arms and legs?

Gripper: A lot of athletes have complained about losing their ‘feel for the water’ while wearing a swimsuit with long sleeves. In response to this Speedo constructed the Gripper, which is basically a small piece of material placed in the forearm area. This fabric is believed to increase friction and enable athletes to increase their feel for the water.

Speedo Aquablade Swimsuit - An Economical Alternative to Fastskin

Before there was Fastskin line of competitive swimsuits, there was Aquablade. This competitive suit was first introduced back in mid 1990s. The launch of this suit meant the start of the top-quality swimsuit innovations. The “big idea” (that sells) behind this piece of swimwear is that the fabric is water-repellent and alternates different textures of fabric in order to cause a water-channeling, drag-reducing effect. It’s an economical alternative to Fastskin suits. What’s more, it is the preferred swimsuit for many high school athletes, i.e. future professionals.

One of a kind Aquablade fabric offers lower drag coefficient. Furthermore, it is much slicker when compared to human skin. Stripes are responsible for the channeling effect in order to streamline water away from the swimmer’s body. Because the water slid off of one stripe faster than the one next to it, vortices were formed and this basically reduced overall drag. In other words, its fabric speeds up the water flow keeping it close to the athlete’s body for longer. So, as a result the athlete glides through the poll as if on rails.

Here are some interesting facts:

• Longer legs for compression fit as well as added coverage
• Reinforced seams
• Draw-cord waist
• Fully front lined
• Better, chlorine–resistant fabric, made with 20 percent Lycra spandex and 80 percent polyester
• Manufactured in the United States
• Fabric is being imported

This swimsuit is responsible for several world records back in the late 1990s. Although this suit is “old technology,” it still works. It is a good value for around $50, for men’s kneeskin and around $55 for the women’s recordbreaker. This competitive swimsuit tends to fit similarly to the standard meet swimsuit, therefore stay true to size. The women’s swimsuits are a bit tighter across the chest and the men’s jammers run longer when compared to what swimmers are used to.

For future athletes i.e. for kid and teen athletes this suit is both of a great quality and reasonably priced. The suit is perfectly suited for trainings and day-to-day use.

Here are some recommendations:

• 10 year old boys and girls (and younger) are to stick with the standard beach swimsuit. Competitive swimsuits are not at all meant for these body types.
• 11-12 year old boys and girls have the option of wearing the standard beach swimsuit, or the Aquablade, but not other professional swimsuits from the Fastskin line. What’s more, these suits aren’t even meant for this body type.
• 13-14 year old boys and girls are can wear the standard beach suit or Aquablade at the competitions. 13-14 year old boys and girls who compete at Senior Level championships (SR Sectionals or SR. State) can wear some of the Faststkin suits.

Overall, the lining grips at the knee and waistline - this further reduces drag. The composition of the material really hugs the legs, however, not too tight. This gives athletes an awareness of their muscles contracting and flexing. This feedback helps swimmers control their leg movement, providing stability for their lower body and, in turn, their entire line. Unquestionably, it’s perfect for the enthusiast swimmers as well. Its fabric will allow the athlete to improve times over standard suit fabrics. Finally, the Aquablade swimsuit will give the athlete inner confidence and endurance to achieve personal goals.

FastSkin FS Pro - Offering Record Breaking Features

Back in 2007 the Speedo launched the FastSkin FS Pro performance suit, one of the most powerful and fastest super-light suits ever designed. This innovative addition to the line of high-quality fast suits is an ultra-light swimsuit. It is an improved version of its predecessor, the FSII swimsuit. This competitive suit was worn by professional athletes who won a total of forty seven medals at the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

The Speedo always listens to its professional swimmers and the final result is that they feel much more confident wearing these suits as they step up to the swimming blocks. The combination of the super light material and the speed it gives them makes the FS PRO feel like a second skin.

Designed in the Speedo Aqualab, the Speedo’s R&D team, the FS Pro was developed in response to recommendations from swimmers and other experts who were looking for a swimsuit that had all the compression as well as speed of the FSII however in an ultra-light fabric. Comprehensive research has shown the Fastskin FS-Pro to have the lowest passive drag results of any light woven swimsuit on the marketplace, enabling swimmers glide slightly faster through the pool.

• Main characteristics of the FS Pro are:
• Water repellent as well as fast drying material
• Ultra-light and powerful stretch fabric
• Lower overall passive drag than other lightweight swimsuits
• Much better compression than some other woven lightweight swimsuits
• Lower surface friction drag at a fabric level than other woven fabrics
• Enhanced core stability than other woven lightweight swimsuits
• Enhanced fit through computer simulation and optimization

Let us analyze these features…

This suit is made out of innovative water-repellent fabric. The ultra-light fabric is woven from chlorine resistant elastane fibers and super fine nylon yarn. During experimental phase, the PS Pro proved to have the lowest water absorption rate of woven fabrics. This results in a lighter ‘feel’ as well as faster speed in the pool. As one of the fastest drying woven competitive swimsuit on the marketplace today, it has better comfort in and out of the water alike.

• A high density microfiber fabric made of super fine nylon thread and chlorine resistant elastane fibers
• A fifteen percent more powerful compression when compared to any other light performance swimsuit (except LZR Racer) on the marketplace today
• Much improved shape and stretch retention
• Water repellent coating limits water absorption – as a final result you get a durable long lasting suit
• One of a kind water repellent coating bonded to the LZR Pulse fabric through sophisticated plasma process
• Bonding process creates long lasting durable water repellent finish
• Limited water absorption causes a very light feel in the pool
• Fast drying fabric improves performance over several same day trainings

This fast suit provides the swimmer with lessen energy loss during reduced muscle oscillation as well as enhanced back stability throughout the stroke. The FS Pro provides much better compression by area as well. Basically, this means that it exerts much more power in a single square of fabric when compared to other fabrics when put to the test.

• Much greater fabric compression as well as power when compared to any other performance swimsuit on the marketplace
• This fabric compression improves back stability as well as firmness throughout the race without that heavy and restricted feel
• Enhances muscle effectiveness via reduction of excess muscle vibration

This suit was developed using information gained from the body scans of dozens of best professional athletes. The comprehensive research included a very complex process – the CFD. CFD stands for Computational Fluid Dynamics. It’s one of the branches of fluid mechanics that uses algorithms as well as numerical methods in order to analyze and solve issues that involve fluid flows. This process enabled them to analyze the flow of water around athletes as well as drag and, as a final result, make a cyber athlete inside a computer program.

• Seams vertically oriented to lessen drag based on the CFD process
• Fit engineered from body scan information of dozens of professional swimmers resulting in a great bio-mechanic fit
• Seams reinforced using sophisticated sewing process

Cooperating with some of the best swimmers, like Australia’s Grant Hackett as well as America’s Michael Phelps, Speedo’s R&D team developed the Fastskin FS Pro performance suit.