How did Blueseventy improve its iconic wetsuit? Backwards shorts!

TOGETHER WITH BLUESEVENTY

Good morning everyone,

I first started this newsletter in December 2022, since then I haven’t missed a Tuesday or Friday edition. Until this week.

After my wife’s final Olympic qualifying race last weekend, she got a message from USA Triathlon explaining that the athletes had 48 hours to submit documentation on why they believe they should be selected for the Olympic team.

Which is great. Having the opportunity to plead your case, especially in a very close qualifying situation provides the athletes with some measure of control over their destiny.

• But the short turnaround gave it a very - oh shit my term paper is due tomorrow! - vibes.

We put together a strong case backed by undeniable data. But I would be lying if I said we weren’t both feeling extremely stressed. It may not be until next week that we find out the result, so at least in the meantime training will be a great physical and mental outlet! 😅

In today’s edition:

• 🦈 How is your triathlon wetsuit designed? Blueseventy’s product designer takes us through the fascinating process!

• 💪 Why training “fatigue resistance” will help you kill it on race day.

• 🥑 And how to fuel your strength training sessions!

Thanks for being here.

-Matt Sharpe, newsletter editor

Have a triathlete in your life who can't stop swimming, biking, or running? Fire this off to them. Forwarded from a friend? Sign-up for free. 

INTERVIEW

What Does It Take to Improve Blueseventy’s Iconic Helix Wetsuit? Backwards Shorts!

Blueseventy’s product designer on how they made the iconic Helix wetsuit even faster.

• Are you looking to save on incredible wetsuits, swimskins, goggles and more? Head over to blueseventy.com and use “TEMPO20” at checkout!

What is the process like redesigning a best-selling product like the Helix?

I took over designing Blueseventy wetsuits in 2019 and with the Helix, the main thing I focused on was, “Not screwing it up.” When you have an ultra-high-performing suit like the Helix, whatever you do, you don’t experiment with something that might detract from the wetsuit’s performance.

For the 2021 Helix, I kept the changes minimal and focused on areas for improvement based on customer feedback. For example, I shortened the wrist cuff from 4cm to 3cm to make it faster to get off. We had sampled the suit with 2cm length cuffs, but it let water in at the wrists. The 3cm cuffs sealed the same as 4cm but came off quicker.

There were a few other minor changes. Before coming to Blueseventy, I sold running shoes at the retail level, and it was always disheartening to customers when companies would change their favorite shoes in a way that decreased the comfort and performance of the shoe. That experience has greatly influenced my decisions as a product designer for Blueseventy.

Is it harder than bringing a new product to life due to expectations of performance?

In many ways, it’s easier due to so much about the suit already being a home run. One of the biggest innovations to the Helix was changing how the 5mm sits underneath the hips. I had this idea that if the 5mm neoprene was not directly under the ASIS (front hip bone) it might let the hips naturally rotate more.

Swimming in a sample with this change confirmed my idea, and I was impressed by how much of a difference there was in not having 5mm directly underneath the ASIS improved hip rotation. Some people can feel this change instantly and others need to swim in the two versions back to back to really feel this difference.

Once it’s felt, a swimmer will never want to swim in a suit again which places more buoyancy directly under the hip and prevents rotation.

How long did it take the team to build the new Helix?

We typically begin working on the next model not long after the current model is released. We released a Helix in early 2021. Reaction and Sprint wetsuits were in the works for 2022, so work on the next Helix began once those were released. All in all, from start to finish it was about two years. 

What was the biggest hurdle in the redesign?

The biggest hurdle in design is,

• The vast amount of time it takes to receive a sample,

• Swim in the suit for testing,

• Having others swim in the suit for testing/feedback,

• Getting a revised sample made based on feedback, etc.

The process takes many months and is quite expensive.

Another hurdle is how to improve a suit that is already so highly regarded. How do you make great even better? For example, when aiming to improve performance, I focus on two primary aspects of swimming fundamentals: increasing Distance per Stroke (DPS) and enabling a higher Stroke Rate (SR). After all, swimming speed is merely DPS multiplied by the SR.

There is also of course, the issue of overcoming drag, which will lend to a longer DPS. We know that there is less drag if your body sits higher in the water, basically a more buoyant suit. We had seen good improvement in this with the addition of the LIFT panels to the 2018 Helix, and my thought was that if they were positioned on the front of the leg instead, they may add even more lift.

To test this, I took a pair of our LIFT Shorts, which use the same LIFT panels as the Helix, and wore them backward for a few swims. While they were not comfortable to wear backward, the results were undeniable. I swam faster. So, I knew moving those panels to the front of the Helix would be a success in the new Helix. Not coincidentally, the new LIFT Shorts also feature those same LIFT panels, now on the front of the leg to provide greater buoyancy.

Read the rest of the interview and learn,

• The unexpected design surprises,

• How they picked the final version,

• And what innovations are next for the Blueseventy team!

FAVORITES

💪 Fatigue resistance: VO2 max may be the hot endurance trend of the moment. But developing your “fatigue resistance” will actually help you perform better on race day. This article explains the emerging knowledge behind the “fourth dimension” of endurance performance. [Outside]

🥑 Fuel your strength training: Strength training is critically important to performing your best and staying healthy. If you’re wondering how best to fuel your strength training sessions, start here. The article also has great snack reccomendations! [TrainingPeaks]

🤰 Pregnancy performance: Did that woman who is eight months pregnant really do that workout? Probably not! If you’re expecting and trying to maintain a training program, this advice from pro triathlete Lara Gruden may be what you need to hear. [Feisty Triathlon]

🌍 Zwift additions: Great news if you’re a Zwifter! It looks like new routes are coming to the popular online cycling and running app - which shows that at least they’ve done something with the new price increases! [Zwift Insider]

REEL TIME

Seriously NOT ok! 🤣

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RACE WEEKEND

IRONMAN Hamburg - European Championships

A women’s-only pro field has some big names including recent IRONMAN Texas winner, Kat Matthews (GBR). Fenella Langridge (GBR) could move into the IRONMAN Pro Series lead if she has a solid race!

Start list

Other pro races

• IRONMAN 70.3 Switzerland

• Challenge Gallipoli

• Challenge Roth

QUICK NEWS

World Triathlon Finals: The 2025 World Triathlon Championship Finals will be held in Wollongong, Australia from October 15-19. [World Triathlon]

Study participants: Are you a female triathlete? Or a coach of a female triathlete? This survey hopes to understand what you know about REDs to help develop future education initiatives. [University of Canberra]

New Supertri model: Supertri has unveiled its first team under its new franchise model - Podium Racing. The team will feature Olympian and IRONMAN Champion Tim Don as their manager. [Supertri]

Artistic athlete: A Victoria B.C. artist designed the medal for his hometown event - and then raced it. [Sooke News Mirror]

TEMPO EXCLUSIVE ARCHIVE

• Why this performance psychologist wants you to celebrate the small wins.

• With recent deaths during races, how safe are triathlons?

• Looking for an edge? Here are (legal) performance enhancers!

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