How to Reduce Drag for Competitive Swimming

Reducing the amount of frictional drag for competitive swimmers is a must if they want to stay competitive. Professional athletes know the importance of performance details such as drag reduction, and they know it can mean the difference between winning and losing. Drag reduction can be accomplished simply and easily with the right instruction, and can also be approached from a more technologically-savvy direction if desired.

Things You'll Need

  • Shaver
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Instructions

    • 1

      Shave the hair from your body the night before the swim event. Get help with the back and elbow areas as these are hard-to-reach areas. Shaving body hair will reduce drag significantly. You don't need to shave the areas of your body that will be covered by your swimsuit.

    • 2

      Wear a "sharkskin" speed suit or similar high-tech swim suit. Note that these suits' drag reduction has been shown to reduce drag by only two percent versus the 7.5 percent claimed by some manufacturers, according to a study in published in Sports Biomechanics. As technology in these suits improves, however, the drag reduction will likely improve.

    • 3

      Wear a swim cap or shave your head to reduce the frictional drag created by your hair.