New High-Performance Swimsuit Causes Swimmers to Swim 2.4 Percent Faster

A newly designed swimsuit may actually cause you to swim faster. Scientists have succeeded in developing a new high-performance swimsuit that has a "kick assist" system that improves the power of the dolphin kick by 2.4 percent.

High-speed swimsuits first made their appearance at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing. They were one of the responsible factors behind new world records. However, the International Swimming Federation changed the rules significantly in 2010 due to a concern that swimming races were not being won by superior swimming techniques, but instead by superior swimsuits. These new restrictions drastically narrowed the scope of swimsuit development.

Undaunted, researchers went back to the drawing board with the new conditions in mind. They looked at the most characteristic motions of the most competitive elite swimmers, and what kind of performance a swimsuit needs to have for it to facilitate non-elite swimmers trying to achievet hat motion.

The scientists actually used a state-of-the-art underwater motion analysis system and underwater myoelectric analysis system. The scientists then decided to narrow the focus of the swimming motion to the dolphin kick used by nearly all swimmers at the start of a race and after turns. Once the researchers had analyzed the characteristics of the dolphin kick of the most elite competitive swimmers, they began looking into material development, shapes and designs.

The result was a swimsuit that actually improves the power of the dolphin kick. In fact, the researchers found that it can up a person's speed using the dolphin kick by 2.4 percent.

The new swimsuit is due to be released as Aquaforce Lightning, under the Arena brand.

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