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Taking strides in swimwear design
Not only is swimming a great form of general exercise, it can also be therapeutic for particular conditions and injuries. Just swimming a few lengths can involve most of the major muscle groups and by swimming at your own pace, you become master of your own keep-fit destiny too! The other big advantage of swimming is that water supports your weight and takes the stress off your joints, so you can put your body through a good workout without your knees, hips or spine paying the price.
According to BBC Health, research shows that exercising in waist-deep water reduces pressure on joints by 50%, while exercising in chest-deep water reduces it by as much as 75%.
Swimming is also a fairly inexpensive sport, because all you really need to get started is a pair of swimming trunks or a swimsuit.Men's swimming costumes have evolved hugely over the last 20 years or so - in the 1970's you would only ever see elite swimmers wearing trunks. Nowadays, professional swimmers realise that wearing the right suit is vital to the outcome of a competition.
The two main areas of change are materials and size.Materials have gone from heavy wool to man-made material, which glide smoothly through the water. Some swimmers now wear a full body suit, which covers everything from your shoulders to your ankles. They believe it allows them to hold a better core body position in the water and helps to travel further after the turns.
Women's swimsuits have changed in a similar way to the men’s over the years. The materials have switched from wool to man-made fabrics and costumes for professional swimmers now cover a larger area of the body.
Individuality a must-have item
Swimwear represents a move into another direction for women's fitness and active lifestyle brand USA PRO. The new range takes its inspiration from individuality. Styling includes aqua gym styles, sculptured one-piece suits and complementary fashion separates in a variety of textures, plain shades and floral prints.
Technologies incorporated into the collection include Sensitive Fabric, a soft fabric that offers optimum comfort and support, whilst remaining lightweight and retraining its shape. The collection is designed to suit the style demands of women, including wide feminine necklines,wide under bust elastic for support, high powered fabric for optimum bust and body control and longer length legs to prevent riding and maintain modesty during aerobics.
Highlights of the range include the asymmetrically strapped Statement one-piece, Support Bikini Top and accompanying medium leg pant, and the Aquagym Legsuit, one-piece and Boyleg for water aerobics
Improved performance
Aqua Sphere is also expanding its product portfolio by launching Performance Swimwear. The durable and comfortable range of women's swimsuits, mens briefs and shorts is available to buy now, boasting chlorine resistance and shape retention in addition to high UV protection, performance muscle control, quick drying and perfect fit.
Thanks to breakthrough Xtra Life Lycra fabric, the Mexico suit from the Aqua X Power collection is said to offer better chlorine resistance, wearability and shape retention over time. In addition, its noticeable elastic properties make it suitable for competition swimming where compression as well as muscle oscillation control is important. Other garments in Aqua Sphere's new performance swimwear range include Oceanus mens shorts, the Roxane Ladies two piece and Apollo mens briefs.
From the AquaFit collection, the Fidi swimsuit for women is a great choice for daily swimming. It offers chlorine resistance, UV protection, optimum breathability; a fully shaped bra, quick drying and a super soft feel against the skin.
Aquasphere is keen to ensure that all levels of swimwear - from elite triathletes to recreational swimmers and kids - can benefit from the wide angled vision available from its curved lens goggles and masks, which deliver 180° vision. Its Eagle goggle won 'Best Designed Sport Kit 2006'. The Eagle is said to be the the first goggle to be packaged with interchangeable curved lenses, in clear and tinted for simple pop-out-and-swap, plus a varied choice of curved prescription lenses, which can be purchased separately to allow swimmers to customise their goggles without having to visit an optician.
The company also offers a range of fins, caps, buoys, kick boards, bags, triathlon wetsuits and accessories.
Go Retro
The Zoggs Summer 2007 range moves forward with new styles and striking graphics, which highlight the importance of embellishment. Strong colour combinations distinguish the different ranges, as vintage looks inspired by a 'one off ' fashion culture continue to inspire the masses.
In the Performance CR25 range, focus is on the recognition of individual body shapes, tastes and lifestyle requirements.Manufactured using the Zoggs CR25 fabric which is said to offer 25 times more the resistance to chlorine than conventional nylon Elastane, the 2007 range looks back to the 70's for inspiration.Key influences are ocean inspired blues and greens, and trend led 60's and 70's patterns and styles. Bondi and Mission styles feature high-energy contract paneling, making for a dynamic sports look, and overlaid abstract slicing creates a deliberate layered effect with contemporary interactions of colour.
Fluid and Curvy linear shapes are the flavour of the Active Fitness range,with curved paneling enhancing the colours of the body, complemented by use of curved print lines. The use of Lycra within its Elastomax material, which offers the swimmer increased comfort and durability, is to hug and hold the body with new subtle colour variations which highlight softness and femininity. The colour palette emphasises mellow colour mixes. Tonal combinations graduating with delicate shades of green cast ocean colours layered with teal blue run through the Henley style, emphasising the colour of the ocean.
Taking influences from warm carefree holiday destinations, the Leisure range has been designed to provide a feeling of well-being. 70's retro shapes remain the dominant trend influence running through the Sandy Bay, Glenelg and Noosa styles new to Spring/Summer 2007, creating a beach inspired leisure look.New ultra feminine styles Umina and Pacific Palms enhance rather than hide curves, to celebrate a more womanly figure. Soft lipstick pinks mixed with peach and lemon, and cool fresh mint mixed with aqua and lime are inspired directly from the uplifting spirit of the Ibiza sun, balanced with the cooler azure sea tones.
Learning to swim
Continuing with the holiday theme, whilst on holiday in the Far East, the now director of Jakabel, Josu Shepherd saw the "Swimsafe Floatsuit", which incorporates buoyancy aids and sun protection: "I'd never seen anything like it before. I have two young children, one of whom was very nervous around water, and it seemed an ideal and safe way to help her overcome her fears and give us both confidence when she was playing in and around swimming pools," she said.When her daughter discarded the 'float suit' after just one holiday and swam safely and freely when she returned home, Josu knew she was on to something.And so Jakabel was born - the company name being a fusion of the names of Josu's two children.
The Swimsafe Floatsuit is a flotation aid giving confidence to children when learning to swim. It has a patented neck float that enables the child's head to stay upright, and is guaranteed not to tip face forward.
It has built-in buoyancy panels, moulded from pieces of foam and placed in the suit along with ridging, leaving arms and legs free to move and thus swim in a natural way.
The special crotch design keeps the suit from slipping off the child and a back zipper prevents the child from removing the suit.
The sun protective clothing is made from high quality Lycra with an SPF 50+ protection rating.
It has undergone the most stringent testing in Australia, the United States and Japan where it is fully endorsed by their governing bodies and has so far a CE certification for the UK and is endorsed by the Royal Life Saving Society.
