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We are not here to write about how good our suits are or anything like that, we want to give you an informed explanation on how to chose the right triathlon suit or shorts and singlet for you.

There area few things you should look for when choosing a triathlon suit.

Sleeved or vested

There has been an increase in availability of sleeved suits of recent, with long-course athletes in particular adopting them for their drag-reducing benefits. Sleeved suits have now caught on over all race distances, backed further by the ITU allowing them to be used in competition in 2016.

A vested suit has slightly less fabric and with bare arms it will keep you cooler if you really struggle with overheating. You’ll also get more freedom of movement, particularly useful for pool triathlons where you don’t have a wetsuit over the top. A sleeved suit will have drag reducing features and will be better for longer distance, where skin protection from sun is an important factor.

There is no right or wrong with choosing between the two style of suits, it is primarily down to preference and which you will be more comfortable racing in.

Suit or Shorts and Singlet

Most elite racers chose to wear a suit over triathlon shorts and a singlet and this is mainly down to the fact that it allows a more streamlined approach and means the top does not ride up during the race. If you do race in warmer conditions where you do not need a wetsuit you can swim in the triathlon shorts and then at the first transition put the triathlon singlet on for the cycle and the run. Again this is entirely down to preference but most people chose to opt for a suit as it saves time having to put on a top at the first transition.

Level of Padding

Some suits have thicker padding than others and dependant on the race distance and the length of the bike portion the thickness of padding should be taken into account. If you are competing in a long distance race where there is a long bike portion, a thicker chamois pad is perhaps better even though it may not be as streamline in the water and as comfortable on the run. The bike segments can take its toll on your derriere. If you want an all round suit for both long and short distance races then finding a suit with medium thickness for the pads can be a wise idea.

Pockets

Some suits do have pockets and some don’t. The benefits of no pockets is that it limits drag in the water and potentially on the bike. However if you are racing with a wetsuit this should not be a problem and the pockets are usually tight enough on the bike segment to reduce any drag. Having pockets for a long distance race can be a great place to keep any energy gels, repair kits or food for the race. Most suits have small tight rear pockets and we are a fan of them but again it is down to preference.

The Right Fit

In regards to fit it is essential that you get a suit that is the right size for you. If it is too big then this can cause drag and also friction or irritation. If the suit is too small it can prove to be difficult for flexibility on the swim and getting in an aero position on the bike. Finding a suit that is the right size is essential so check the measurements first. 

These are our top tips for choosing a triathlon suit and if you are looking for a new suit, then please take a look at our latest award winning Agility pro triathlon suit.

CrossFit has been around since the early 2000's and is now a widely participated sport worldwide with CrossFit boxes in almost every country, but is it worth taking on this sport to improve your swimming. 

So Let’s take a look at the pros and cons of CrossFit as supplementary training for a swimmer.

To provide further context, CrossFit training involves various exercises, from bodyweight, olympic lifts to endurance based activities. All these exercises are usually combined into circuits creating high-intensity training sessions called WODs (workout of the day) - lasting anywhere from roughly 10-45 minutes. 

CrossFit uses a variety of muscle groups at the same time with a strong focus around core strength. The workouts are all high intensity that are timed and they are all performance related. Sounds slightly similar to swimming right?

The points listed above are some of the PROs of CrossFit in relation to swimming. There are definite similarities and so it could be said to be a really functional kind of training for a swimmer - we are not suggesting a swimmer replaces actual swim training for CrossFit but looks to supplement it in to a training plan.

So are there any CON's to including CrossFit into your swimming training plan.... 

The exercises are not always very easy to perform. The movements to be performed can often be fairly complex and technique is extremely important. Without good technique the risk of injury can be extremely high. Moreover, bearing in mind that fatigue kicks in at a certain point in the WOD, the risk of hurting yourself is even higher.

Sometimes the internal training load of a specific exercise is not sufficiently precise or given due consideration. To explain what an internal training load is, imagine you have two people in front of you, one conditioned and the other fairly unconditioned. They are both asked to lift a 50 kg weight. 50 kg is the external (objective) training load; somebody who is trained will have a lower internal (subjective) training load, because it will be easier for them to lift this weight. Some WODs do not take this into account, because they have standard external training loads, differing only for men and women. They sometimes do offer a scaled option and we would recommend if you are unfamiliar to weightlifting and CrossFit to start with the scaled option. 

Overall we would suggest there are some solid benefits to incorporating CrossFit into your Swimming training and if there is a Box near you it would be worth giving a go. 

Conor McGregor has been the topic of a lot of controversy in the last week or so BUT we are not here to discuss that. What we are here to understand is, why Conor McGregor ditched the running shoes in place of the spandex bibshorts for his training. 

Conor has been working with former Irish road cycling champion Julian Dalby whom is now part of the medical staff. Whilst in McGregor’s corner with his medical skills and strength and conditioning techniques, Dalby has also helped the Dublin fighter introduce cycling into his training regime. McGregor says he was determined to examine his training to see how it could improve, and Dalby getting him on the bike has been part of that process.

“I’ve been doing a lot of endurance work on the rowing machine, sprints on the treadmill; I’m doing everything cardio-related,” he said of his work in ensuring he stays strong over the full length of a UFC fight. 

“I’ve been supplementing my rounds on rounds with cardio work. And this is one of them,” he added as he headed out on the bike with Dalby on a highway through the Nevada desert near his Las Vegas base.

“We do a specific heart rate at a specific wattage. For endurance it’s good because you’re not pounding the roads,” McGregor, who has had knee injuries in the past, said of cycling.

“If I was to run; you’re pounding the roads and it’s not good for the body."

“So I do the sprints on the treadmill and on the rowing machine. And then I do my endurance on the bike.”

“you flush out the legs and get a bit of endurance work."

“And it’s not bad on the body; it doesn’t damage the body at all."

Even though running burns more calories per minute than cycling in general, cycling is a non impact sport which is more forgiving on the knees and other joints. It is a great way of training to maximum capacity whilst lowering the impact on your joints. 

When you see a pro triathlete on the run, its hard to imagine that they have completed a swim or cycle already. 

So what is it that makes a pro triathlete look so smooth and effortless?

Work on your ground contact time.

The ground contact time is the time that your foot spends in contact with the ground between each stride. It is your ability to apply force quickly and efficiently. There are a couple of things that can help improve your efficiencies in ground contact time; 

- Incorporate plyometric training into your training programme. (Plyometric training is quick, powerful movement that starts with an eccentric action followed by a concentric action.)

- Add some fast intervals / sprints at the end of your training session. 

Focus on Posture

Running after the bike can tighten the hips and effect posture when running. You should focus on aligning the head, shoulders, hips and legs to keep you tall and balanced.

Focus on Where Your Foot Lands

If you look to shorten your stride with your feet landing beneath your hips this can help you run in a more efficient and streamlined position. Obviously if you are shortening your stride slightly you will need to increase your cadence to keep the pacing up.

Run with a slight forward lean 

You need to focus on a slight lean from the ankles and not the hips - this can be developed with core strength exercises. If you are not sure how to strengthen the core take a look at our Core workout here. You do not want to be slouching the shoulder forward but a slight lean forward will help you propel forward. 

If you are running with tension in your shoulders it can restrict your breathing and prove to be uncomfortable causing too much of a lean forward . Relax your fingers, drop your shoulders and try not to tense up and this will help your posture. 

If you have any other tips then let us know. 

Also Check Out our NEW running Range available NOW.

Mens Running Wear

There are a number of factors that will help you improve your swim time. The most notable and obvious is spending more hours in the pool. However if you find that your times have plateaued, now might be the time to incorporate some more strength based exercises into your routine. 

Working on developing strength in the chest, core and shoulders will all pay dividends in increasing the power in the water thus improving your swimming time. 

We have showcased the top 5 exercises you should be incorporating into your shoulder workout as a swimmer or triathlete. 

 - Shoulder Press

- Upright Row

- Front Raise

- Side Raise

- Arnie Press