Uploaded May 2017 | Updated September 2026, 17 minutes ago
In competitive swimming, every millisecond counts. Swimmers are consistently looking for any way to reduce their time from increased training, new swimming techniques, to even improved competition swimwear. The need for these improved swimsuits is taken so seriously that researchers at Speedo alone have spent fifty-five thousand man hours over four years to create a competition swimsuit. Experts in the areas of biomechanics, fluid dynamics, and even NASA researches were called in to help. From their research, they determined certain materials and specific designs optimize the swimmer’s performance. One of these materials is carbon fiber, a material popular in aerospace engineering, civil engineering, motorsports, and ultimately competitive sports. Bundling thousands of carbon fibers together creates a tow, which can be woven into a fabric. Within this fabric is strong and lightweight threads, there is a very minimal likelihood of tearing while swimming or getting into the swimsuit. These improved swimsuits, designed with a carbon fiber cage in the material, are meant to reduce drag by allowing compression of the body without restricting it, especially in the hips and shoulders. This results in an optimal strength-to-weight ratio for the swimmer so that their mobility is not limited, but their strength and power is maximized.
Our video will discuss the use of carbon fiber in improved competition swimsuits. We will discuss the history of carbon fiber and its uses. Additionally, we will discuss the advantages of using carbon fiber in swimsuits compared to average swimsuits. Finally, we will discuss the debate over the use of these swimsuits in competition.
Works Cited
"2015s Best Tennis Rackets." Men's Health.co.uk. Hearst UK, 03 July 2015. Web. 06 May 2017. menshealth.co.uk/fitness/2015-best-tennis-rackets.
AboutComposites. "Carbon Fiber Tensile Test." YouTube. YouTube, 06 Feb. 2015. Web. 06 May 2017. youtube.com/watch?v=aH9vcV7jzG0.
"Application Fields of Composite Materials." Sita Compositi.com. Sita Compositi. Web. 06 May 2017. sitacompositi.com/en/applicazioni/.
Arena Powerskin Carbon-Pro and Carbon Flex - Technical Video. Dir. Arena Water Instinct. Youtube.com. Youtube, 19 Mar. 2014. Web. 6 May 2017. youtube.com/watch?v=5cs0_z4VSe8.
Arena Powerskin Carbon-Pro and Carbon Flex - Technical Video. Dir. Arena Water Instinct. Youtube.com. Youtube. Web. 6 May 2017. youtube.com/watch?v=5cs0_z4VSe8.
DeMerchant, Christine. "Carbon Fiber Characteristics." Christinedemerchant.com. Web. 06 May 2017. christinedemerchant.com/carboncharacteristics.html.
Greenemeier, Larry. "Carbon-Fiber "Dreamliner" Set to Make First Commercial Flight September 27." Scientific American.com. Nature America, Inc., 06 Aug. 2013. Web. 06 May 2017. blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/carbon-fiber-dreamliner-set-to-make-first-commercial-flight-on-sept-27/.
"How Is It Made? - Zoltek Carbon Fiber." Zoltek.com. ZOLTEK™ Carbon Fiber. Web. 06 May 2017. zoltek.com/carbonfiber/how-is-it-made/.
How Its Made Carbon Fibre. Dir. How It's Made. Youtube.com. Youtube, 5 Mar. 2015. Web. 6 May 2017. youtube.com/watch?v=ki1aCdkMSeo&feature=youtu.be.
"Making Carbon Fiber." Pslc.ws. Polymer Science Learning Center. Web. 06 May 2017. pslc.ws/macrog/carfsyn.htm.
"Microstructure (MS)." Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC) Research Materials Science & Engineering (MSE) Microstructure (MS). Web. 06 May 2017. https://www.a-star.edu.sg/ihpc/Research/Materials-Science-Engineering-MSE/Microstructure-MS.aspx.
Most Phenomenal Michael Phelps Swim Ever! Dir. Jacklondon5111. Perf. Micheal Phelps. YouTube. YouTube, 09 Dec. 2012. Web. 06 May 2017. youtube.com/watch?v=0KLy-NnTD2o.
NEW Fastskin LZR Racer X + LZR Racer Elite 2 Colours. Dir. Speedo International. Youtube.com. Youtube, 5 Dec. 2016. Web. 6 May 2017. youtube.com/watch?v=xUpB8pkQS7A.
Seo. "Tech Swimsuits Gallery." Keywordteam.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 May 2017. keywordteam.net/gallery/615010.html.
Speedo Fastskin LZR Racer X - Feel the Water- Feel the Speed - Feel Fast. Dir. Speedo International. Youtube.com. Youtube, 5 Mar. 2015. Web. 6 May 2017. youtube.com/watch?v=S65lM7JIALo.
In competitive swimming, every millisecond counts. Swimmers are consistently looking for any way to reduce their time from increased training, new swimming techniques, to even improved competition swimwear. The need for these improved swimsuits is taken so seriously that researchers at Speedo alone have spent fifty-five thousand man hours over four years to create a competition swimsuit. Experts in the areas of biomechanics, fluid dynamics, and even NASA researches were called in to help. From their research, they determined certain materials and specific designs optimize the swimmer’s performance. One of these materials is carbon fiber, a material popular in aerospace engineering, civil engineering, motorsports, and ultimately competitive sports. Bundling thousands of carbon fibers together creates a tow, which can be woven into a fabric. Within this fabric is strong and lightweight threads, there is a very minimal likelihood of tearing while swimming or getting into the swimsuit. These improved swimsuits, designed with a carbon fiber cage in the material, are meant to reduce drag by allowing compression of the body without restricting it, especially in the hips and shoulders. This results in an optimal strength-to-weight ratio for the swimmer so that their mobility is not limited, but their strength and power is maximized.
Our video will discuss the use of carbon fiber in improved competition swimsuits. We will discuss the history of carbon fiber and its uses. Additionally, we will discuss the advantages of using carbon fiber in swimsuits compared to average swimsuits. Finally, we will discuss the debate over the use of these swimsuits in competition.
Works Cited
"2015s Best Tennis Rackets." Men's Health.co.uk. Hearst UK, 03 July 2015. Web. 06 May 2017. menshealth.co.uk/fitness/2015-best-tennis-rackets.
AboutComposites. "Carbon Fiber Tensile Test." YouTube. YouTube, 06 Feb. 2015. Web. 06 May 2017. youtube.com/watch?v=aH9vcV7jzG0.
"Application Fields of Composite Materials." Sita Compositi.com. Sita Compositi. Web. 06 May 2017. sitacompositi.com/en/applicazioni/.
Arena Powerskin Carbon-Pro and Carbon Flex - Technical Video. Dir. Arena Water Instinct. Youtube.com. Youtube, 19 Mar. 2014. Web. 6 May 2017. youtube.com/watch?v=5cs0_z4VSe8.
Arena Powerskin Carbon-Pro and Carbon Flex - Technical Video. Dir. Arena Water Instinct. Youtube.com. Youtube. Web. 6 May 2017. youtube.com/watch?v=5cs0_z4VSe8.
DeMerchant, Christine. "Carbon Fiber Characteristics." Christinedemerchant.com. Web. 06 May 2017. christinedemerchant.com/carboncharacteristics.html.
Greenemeier, Larry. "Carbon-Fiber "Dreamliner" Set to Make First Commercial Flight September 27." Scientific American.com. Nature America, Inc., 06 Aug. 2013. Web. 06 May 2017. blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/carbon-fiber-dreamliner-set-to-make-first-commercial-flight-on-sept-27/.
"How Is It Made? - Zoltek Carbon Fiber." Zoltek.com. ZOLTEK™ Carbon Fiber. Web. 06 May 2017. zoltek.com/carbonfiber/how-is-it-made/.
How Its Made Carbon Fibre. Dir. How It's Made. Youtube.com. Youtube, 5 Mar. 2015. Web. 6 May 2017. youtube.com/watch?v=ki1aCdkMSeo&feature=youtu.be.
"Making Carbon Fiber." Pslc.ws. Polymer Science Learning Center. Web. 06 May 2017. pslc.ws/macrog/carfsyn.htm.
"Microstructure (MS)." Institute of High Performance Computing (IHPC) Research Materials Science & Engineering (MSE) Microstructure (MS). Web. 06 May 2017. https://www.a-star.edu.sg/ihpc/Research/Materials-Science-Engineering-MSE/Microstructure-MS.aspx.
Most Phenomenal Michael Phelps Swim Ever! Dir. Jacklondon5111. Perf. Micheal Phelps. YouTube. YouTube, 09 Dec. 2012. Web. 06 May 2017. youtube.com/watch?v=0KLy-NnTD2o.
NEW Fastskin LZR Racer X + LZR Racer Elite 2 Colours. Dir. Speedo International. Youtube.com. Youtube, 5 Dec. 2016. Web. 6 May 2017. youtube.com/watch?v=xUpB8pkQS7A.
Seo. "Tech Swimsuits Gallery." Keywordteam.net. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 May 2017. keywordteam.net/gallery/615010.html.
Speedo Fastskin LZR Racer X - Feel the Water- Feel the Speed - Feel Fast. Dir. Speedo International. Youtube.com. Youtube, 5 Mar. 2015. Web. 6 May 2017. youtube.com/watch?v=S65lM7JIALo.
