Can a swim cap help you get through the water faster? The simple one word answer to this question is yes. Swimmers can gain numerous advantages by wearing a cap. The most significant benefit is less drag. Swimming involves many laws of physics. Resistance, lift and drag are all important when you propel yourself through water.
Three different types of resistance
The three types of resistance in water include frontal resistance, skin friction and eddy resistance. Frontal resistance occurs when more surface area is presented in the direction of the movement, requiring more force to overcome that resistance. Swimmers who ride too low in the water or lift their head too high in the water cause frontal resistance. Swimmers can reduce this type of resistance by keeping their heads down and rolling from side to side. Skin friction is the kinetic friction of the swimmer's skin and suit with the water. Swimmers try to reduce this friction by shaving off their body hair; some cover their bodies with lotion as well. However, the effectiveness of this method is still under debate. In the last 10 years, wearing body suits has also become a popular way to reduce surface friction. The last type of resistance, eddy resistance, is caused by poor stroke technique.
Drag Forces
Water is much denser than air. When a swimmer tries to move through water, water pushes back, creating drag. Drag is very important in swimming and most swimmers will try to reduce drag in any way they can. Too much drag will cause a swimmer to lose forward motion. Swim caps help reduce the drag caused by the surface of the head. Covering long hair with a cap also helps to keep your hair from adding to the drag.
Benefits of Wearing a Swim Cap
Besides allowing you to move faster and more efficiently, caps give you some protection against the harsh chlorine and other chemicals often found in pools. Swimmers with long hair find that swim caps keep their hair from tangling and getting caught in their goggle strap. Many swimmers find a cap uncomfortable at first, but generally can get use to the feeling. If you find a silicone cap too tight or constricting, cloth caps are also an option. However, cloth caps are not the best choice since water can seep through them and they do not protect the hair as well. Cloth caps also tend to produce more drag than silicone and latex caps.
Conclusion
If you can get used to the feeling of wearing a cap, it will protect your hair and keep your hair out of your face and your goggles in place. It will also reduce drag and, in theory, you will be a faster swimmer
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