AU2003204470A1 - Flow resistant swimsuit - Google Patents

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION STANDARD PATENT FLOW RESISTANT SWIMSUIT The following statement is a full description of this invention, including best method of performing it known to me: HYDRO-FLOW-RESISTANT SWIMSUIT This invention relates to improvements in equipment available for enhancing the performance of competitive swimmers.

For many top competitive swimmers finding ways of improving their strength, power and stamina in order to advance their performance(s) is very difficult. Resistance training is a well recognised way of enhancing an athletes competitive performance and ability.

However for swimmers this presents some difficulties because the techniques available are predominantly land-based involving manual anid/or mechanical weight resistances which present a different type of resistance and feel to that of water. These land based resistance training methods and techniques also lack the full functional and ergonomic positioning that a swimmer need in order to obtain maximum benefit from their training and performance. Some training methods involve swimmers in the water creatin varying degrees of resistance to themselves by using only part of their propulsive abilities, for example by using only their arms to provide power and dragging their legs or vice versa, these methods are effective but do not allow the swimmer to move with full functional form thereby losing varying degrees of postural benefit Nor do they enable the swimmer to gauge or calculate just how much extra resistance was being provided by the technique.

These problems can be overcome by the present invention which provides a body hugging swimsuit of low-elastic and tensile fabric in the first instance covering but not.

limited to the torso and the thighs of the swimmers which has a resistance to the flow of water over its surface. This resistance would preferably be provided by but not limited to a number of water flow-resisting plates attached to the suit surface the size, number and position of which vary depending upon the swimmers body position in the water and degree of water flow resistance required: Thus allowing the swimmers to perform their normal swim stroke and hold body swim-movements completely unimpeded ergonomically whilst still benefiting from the increased force and power needed to be provided to overcome the overall drag and resistance to flow through the water provided by the Flow Resistant Swimsuit.

The plates are shaped in such a way as to provide obstruction and therefore resistance to water flow over and past them, thereby in turn providing resistance to the movement of the swimsuit wearer through the water.

In one form the water resisting plates would be attached to the suit of a freestyle swimmer by being sewn on to the anterior of the chest, abdomen and thighs. the number and/or size of plates attached would vary and could be accurately calculated dependant upon the degree of overall resistance to movement through the water required by the swimsuit wearer.

The swimsuit is made of nylon or polyester type material which has a low degree of stretch. The plates are made of any hard substance such as metal or plastic which is not water permeable and may be sewn or glued or riveted onto the suit or woven into the fabric of the suit in a varying range of numbers patterns and sizes as preferred by the wearer.

To assist with understanding the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawings which show on example of the invention: FIG 1 shows one example of a Hydrofolw-Resistant Swimsuit according to this invention FIG 2 shows the lateral view of one possible form of the hydroflow-resistant plate Referring to FIG 1 it can be seen that the hydroflow-resistant swimsuit according to this invention comprises of a resilient swimsuit 1 with a number of plates 2 attached by stitches and/or rivets via holes 3 in the body of the plates.

Referring to FIG 2 it can be seen that the plate 2 is attached to the swimsuit in such a way as to be positioned with he recess 5 facing and opposing the intended flow of water 4.

By wearing the hydroflow resistant swimsuit whilst in water and swimming forward it can be seen by referring to FIG 1 that the swimmer will experience a resistance to movement 6 created by the attached plates disrupting and impeding the flow of the water 4 over and past them.

Claims (4)

1. A hydroflow resisting swimsuit comprising a material which is itself resistant to water flow and/or to which are attached plates which impede the flow of water over and past them.

2. The hydroflow resistant swimsuit of claim 1 wherein each of the plates is attached to the suit by being stitched or riveted or woven into the suit material facing in the direction of intended movement of the swimsuit wearer.

3. The hydroflow resistant swimsuit of claim 1 wherein the plate is shaped in such a way as to provide maximum hydroflow resistance for its size.

4. The hydroflow resistant swimsuit of claim 1 wherein the swimsuit when worn does not impede of affect any of the biomechanical and ergonomic functions and movements of the swimmer other than its desired effect of causing resistance to forward propulsion of the wearer through the water. A hydroflow resistant swimsuit substantially as herein described with reference tot he accompanying drawings. JONATHAN ELABOR 21 APRIL. 2003