Swim Suit Choice Revisited

I want to revisit a topic which I am finding more important than I ever could have imagined - swim suit choice.  It really is one of the most important factors you can make for any swimmer, beginner to expert.  I’ll start with my main premise.  You want a suit that is hydrodynamic (like an airplane is aerodynamic), meaning it flows through the water with little encumbrance.  If you must fight through the water to get anywhere, you are going to where yourself out - unless that’s your goal (for fitness purposes).  My aha moment came this morning during my workout.  Generally I can complete the first part of my workout in less than 30 minutes.  Today, it took a full minute more to go the same distance.  Now that doesn’t sound like a lot, but let me add - I was pulling harder than ever (my lane was parallel to the swim team lane and I was “trying” to keep up - they were future Olympians I imagine. Ha ha).  To add to that, my foot which I hurt about a week ago was finally healed, so I could kick well for the first time since the injury. If anything, I should have shaved time off this part of my workout. So what’s with the extra time?  A loose fitting, hip length drag suit was the culprit.  I didn’t buy it for its intended purpose - I was just trying to find something that didn’t make me look like a model for some skin magazine.  It held the water and prevented me from getting any results from my efforts to glide.  Perhaps the drag suit helps me build strength, but it did nothing for my pride.  My suggestions?  If you want speed and distance, go for the streamlined thigh huggers or the tight briefs (if your ego can stand it).  Dump them in the waste basket as soon as they start poofing out from age and get a new pair.  You’ll get better swimming results, I promise.