THE "MAGIC" SWIMSUIT MYTH: SWIM SMARTER, NOT MORE EXPENSIVE

Every few years, a revolutionary piece of swim gear is launched with promises of free speed and record-breaking performance. One of the most famous examples was Speedo's Fastskin3 "racing system."

While new technology is exciting, it often obscures a fundamental truth: for 99% of swimmers, the secret to getting faster isn't in your wallet. This post will break down the marketing hype and reveal the well-guarded secret of how you can get the benefits of this high-tech gear for free.

Dive Into: Debunking the High-Tech Hype

• The Hype: What Was the Fastskin3 System?
  • 🎥 Watch: The Original Marketing Video
• The "Free" Alternative to a High-Tech Cap
• The "Free" Alternative to High-Tech Goggles
• The "Free" Alternative to a High-Tech Suit
• The Verdict: Technique Trumps Technology
• Frequently Asked Questions

The Hype: What Was the Fastskin3 System?

The Fastskin3 was a supposedly revolutionary system composed of three products: a cap, goggles, and a suit, all designed to work together to streamline the body's contours.

I have nothing against Speedo or progress, but the marketing for these products often relies on confusing technical jargon to convince swimmers that they can buy speed.

🎥 Watch: The Original Marketing Video

If you watch and listen to the original Fastskin3 video, you can't help but wonder what they are talking about half the time.

Let's break down each component and see what we can learn for free.

The "Free" Alternative to a High-Tech Cap

• The Hype: The cap was designed with "3D global head scans" and an "IQ Fit Profile" to fill the curve in the back of your neck and make you more streamlined.
• The Reality: Unless a cap is custom-molded to your specific head, these benefits are minimal.
• The Free Alternative: No matter what slick cap you wear, you will not swim substantially faster unless you fix your head position. I've discussed the high head position problem many times. Mastering a neutral head position with a long, flat neck will give you more streamlining than any cap on the market. For an extra race-day edge, you can wear two caps (latex under silicone) to create a smoother surface.

The "Free" Alternative to High-Tech Goggles

• The Hype: The goggles advertised a "hydroscopic lens" with a "180-degree field of vision."
• The Reality: Humans don't have a 180-degree field of vision, and extra peripheral vision is rarely a concern in a marked pool lane.
• The Free Alternative: Instead of buying expensive goggles, focus on what really matters: your breathing technique. Keep your head low and practice a "one goggle in, one goggle out" breath. This skill, which keeps you low and streamlined, will make you infinitely faster than any goggle shape. Also, make sure your regular goggles are comfortable and that you wear the strap under your cap to keep them secure.

The "Free" Alternative to a High-Tech Suit

• The Hype: The suit offered a "graduated body compression system" for "greater stability in the water."
• The Reality: A suit can compress your body to reduce some minor drag, but it cannot give you stability. And we all remember what happened the last time companies went too far with full-body "super suits."
• The Free Alternative: How can you get real stability and compression for free? By improving your core body strength. A strong core is your body's natural compression system. It keeps your hips from wiggling, allows you to hold a better streamline, and is the true source of stability. Fixing a technical flaw like a scissor kick will trump any drag reduction from any suit.

The Verdict: Technique Trumps Technology

I don't doubt that Speedo's research showed small drag reduction benefits for elite swimmers like Ryan Lochte and Michael Phelps. The key phrase in their marketing was always "combined with the world's fastest swimmers."

Without the world's fastest swimmer inside it, a high-tech suit is just a suit.

Don't be fooled by marketing. The secret has always been the same: swim smarter, not more expensive. Focus on your technique, and you'll get all the speed you need for free.