US Olympic Swimmers Wearing Speedo LZR Racer

The US Olympic Swim team is wearing Speedo LZR Racer suits using the FASTSKIN3 Racing System, a combination of a suit, cap and goggles. The suit was originally under some controversy, but Speedo was able to get approval for its LZR Racer Elite line. Here’s a closer look at the suits that are giving US Olympic swimmers advantages in the water this week. Continue reading US Olympic Swimmers Wearing Speedo LZR Racer

Fastskin Swimsuit Comes from the Aqualab

Designing a completely new suit for swimmers isn’t so much about going back to the drawing board as it is about going back to the desktop, and the Aqualab. That isn’t some “Bat Cave” secret base for lackluster super hero Aquaman, but it could help competitive swimmers see gold in London in a few weeks. This was also the center of a simulation that helped the designers of the revolutionary Speedo Fastskin Racing System, which utilized the engineering simulation software ANSYS.

When worn together as a complete system, a Fastskin suit, cap and goggle can reduce full-body passive drag by up to 16.6 percent, improve oxygen economy by up to 11 percent (enabling the athlete to swim stronger for longer), and reduce active body drag by up to 5.2 percent. And to help make this possible Speedo looked to ANSYS. Continue reading Fastskin Swimsuit Comes from the Aqualab

Dive in With Michael Phelps: Push the Limit

Even if the pool is closed for the season you can still dive in for a swim, at least in the living room. Michael Phelps: Push the Limit, which was developed by developed by Blitz Games and published by 505 Games, has arrived this week for Kinect on the Xbox 360. The game makes a big splash as it offers players the chance to compete against each other as well as against one of the most decorated athletes of all time, Michael Phelps. Fans play in quick matches in single player or local/online multiplayer against friends or immerse themselves in the challenging and fun Career Mode where they swim their way to the podium through some of the most breathtaking locations across the world, finally facing Michael himself in the final. Continue reading Dive in With Michael Phelps: Push the Limit

Speedo Counts Laps With AquaCoach

Cyclists rely on cycling computers to track speed, distance and even cadence, while heart rate monitors can track calories and workout intensity. Now Speedo and Pool-Mate swimming computer Swimovate are partnering to develop the AquaCoarch watch, which can provide swimmers automatically detect not only laps, but also the strokes used, along with distance, speed and number of strokes, as well as calories burned during a workout.

This watch is water-resistant (but of course) to 100 meters or 328 feet, and can work in any pool over 15 meters (49 feet) long. It can remember up to 50 swim sessions too, so users can compare their latest workouts. The key to this device is that it features an accelerometer along with custom algorithms that can count individual strokes while keeping track of laps by detecting the pauses that occur when swims do the flip thing to change direction.

(Video after the jump) Continue reading Speedo Counts Laps With AquaCoach