Triathlon Swimming Q&A: Body Weight in Swimming

Q: How come most fast swimmers and triathletes look as thin as a rail? Doesn't fat float? Why is it not helpful to be a little on the heavy side when it comes to swimming?

A: It is true that flab floats, and the more flotation you have, the faster you get. It is in providing flotation that makes you swim faster in a wetsuit after all. The problem with having an always-legal wetsuit around your waistline is the mass and volume increases more than offset the flotation benefits you gain. It takes work to move mass and additional volume through the water, even if it floats a little better. So, athletes with extra weight tend to tire more quickly, even though they don’t have to work as hard to prop themselves up in the waterline. Of course, everyone is different, and sometimes a heavier person will out-swim a slimmer one because they have that much more power or are more efficient. But don’t count on that triple cheeseburger to create any miracles for your swim!

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