Swimmers often sport short haircuts for several reasons. The most common is to reduce drag in the water. Long hair can create resistance which slows a swimmer down. Shorter hairstyles allow swimmers to move through the water more efficiently and quickly.
Do all competitive swimmers cut their hair short?
While most competitive swimmers opt for short hairstyles, it’s not an absolute requirement. Some swimmers are able to wear caps or tie their hair back to keep it out of the way while swimming. However, short hair is considered ideal for competitive swimming.
What are the main benefits of short hair for swimmers?
There are a few key benefits to having short hair as a swimmer:
- Reduced drag – As mentioned earlier, short hair creates less resistance or drag in the water compared to long flowing hair. This allows swimmers to move faster through the water.
- Less maintenance – Short hair is quicker and easier to wash, dry and maintain on a daily basis. Long hair takes more time and effort to manage.
- Stays out of the face – Short hair is less likely to come loose or get in a swimmer’s face compared to a long ponytail or braid coming undone.
- Faster starts – During starts, short hair won’t get in the way or slow swimmers down.
- Comfort – Inside a tight swimming cap, long hair can feel uncomfortable and even get pulled. Short hair avoids this problem.
Do certain swimming strokes favor short hair more than others?
Yes, certain strokes tend to benefit more from short hair compared to others:
- Freestyle – The faster the swimmer goes, the more drag long hair creates. Short hair is extremely beneficial for front crawl or freestyle racing.
- Butterfly – Long hair could potentially get in the swimmer’s face and eyes during the above water recovery of butterfly. Short hair stays out of the way.
- Backstroke – Long hair could get pulled backwards and tangled by backstroke motions. Short hair avoids this.
- Breaststroke – The wide arm recovery of breaststroke may catch long hair. Short hair eliminates this risk.
For strokes like sidestroke or leisurely backstroke, long hair isn’t as much of a detriment. But for all competitive strokes, short hair is highly advantageous.
Do men and women swimmers cut their hair short for the same reasons?
Yes, short hair benefits both male and female competitive swimmers for the same key reasons. Reduced drag, less maintenance, increased speed, and fewer distractions are vital for all swimmers racing in the pool.
Of course, personal style and preference will factor into individual hairstyle choices as well. Some swimmers may opt to keep their hair slightly longer if they prefer that look, but still aim to have manageable length hair in the water.
How short is ideal hair length for competitive swimmers?
There are no absolute rules on exact hair length for swimmers. But most competitive male swimmers will wear very short buzzcut styles. Think 1 inch or shorter all around.
For female swimmers, hair is generally kept to shoulder length or shorter. Common short hairstyles include chin length bobs, pixie cuts, or longer layers worn pulled back.
The key considerations are keeping hair manageable, smooth, and short enough not to impede speed through the water.
Do swimmers shave their heads completely bald?
It’s rare to see swimmers opt for a completely clean shaven bald head. However, some swimmers may choose a close buzzcut or very short crew cut, leaving just a bit of hair rather than going bald.
Reasons swimmers avoid complete baldness include avoiding goggle slippage on a bare scalp, and disliking the feel and maintenance of shaving a bald head daily.
Extremely short buzzcut styles provide much of the same benefit as a fully shaved head, with slightly more coverage and hair to work with.
Do swimmers shave other body hair?
Besides their head hair, competitive swimmers may also shave or wax other body hair including:
- Leg hair
- Arm pit hair
- Facial hair
- Chest hair
- Arm hair
The purpose is again to reduce drag for faster times in the water. Any long body hair adds minuscule resistance that can be eliminated by removing it. Less body hair means swimming more smoothly.
When do swimmers cut their hair before a big competition?
For major swim meets, swimmers will time their final hair cuts 1-2 weeks prior to the event. This ensures short hair for optimal performance without going so short their hair gets itchy or irritable right before competing.
Many swimmers maintain relatively short hair year-round. A fresh cut before a big meet fine tunes their hair length right before racing.
Do swimmers cut their own hair or see a stylist?
Swimmers commonly have a few options for managing their short competitive hairdos:
- See a barber or stylist – Some swimmers without haircutting skills prefer professional barber shop hair cuts. This ensures an expertly done, high performance hairdo.
- Self haircuts – Other swimmers are comfortable using clippers to buzz and trim their own hair at home to the ideal length.
- Team or friend cuts hair – Swim teams may have a designated player, coach, or friend cut all the swimmers’ hair to the same short standard before big meets.
The do-it-yourself haircut method is popular for cost and convenience reasons. But visiting a barber shop ensures quality haircuts, especially before championship events.
Do swimmers ever damage their hair from chlorine?
It’s a common myth that chlorinated pool water damages swimmers’ hair. In reality, any drying or damage is minimal and mainly due to the effects of sun rather than chlorine exposure.
Swimmers counteract dryness by regularly conditioning their hair. Overall, the effects of chlorine on hair health are quite minor for competitive swimmers.
How often do swimmers get their hair cut?
During peak training and competition season, swimmers may get their hair clipped every 2-4 weeks to maintain the optimal short length.
In the off season, hair can be allowed to grow out slightly longer between cuts. But most swimmers will keep their hair trimmed relatively short year-round.
For junior and age group swimmers, parents may give them frequent haircuts as young as weekly or bi-weekly to achieve the perfect fast hairdo.
Do swimmers ever wear caps outside the pool?
It’s common to see swimmers wear their latex or silicone caps outside the pool. Reasons include:
- Keeping hair contained after swimming
- Reducing wet hair mess post-swim
- Showcasing team cap or cap design
- Convenience leaving practice/meets
- Habit and comfort wearing cap
Caps have become part of the swimmer identity. Wearing them temporarily out of the water is an easy way to keep wet hair under control.
Do swimmers have to wear caps during competitions?
The rules require all swimmers must wear caps during competitive meets for the following reasons:
- Keep hair contained
- Allow coaches and officials to identify swimmers by assigned cap colors
- Present uniform look
- Reduce risk of hair getting caught in lane dividers or grates
- Maintain fair playing field with caps mandatory for all
Not wearing a swim cap would be a disqualification. Caps are mandatory and ubiquitous at all swim competitions.
Do swimmers wear their hair differently outside the pool?
Many swimmers maintain their utilitarian, functional short hairstyles even outside swim practice and meets. It’s simply easier to avoid frequent haircut changes and keep their competitive cut at all times.
However, some swimmers do opt to grow their hair out slightly longer between swim seasons or keep hair at different lengths when not specifically training.
It’s not unusual to see swimmers sport slightly longer hair away from the pool. But short hair remains standard due to convenience and swimmer habit.
Do swimmers use any special hair products?
Most swimmers use mainstream shampoos and conditioners suited for normal hair types and air drying. A few products swimmers may utilize include:
- Conditioner – To counteract drying effects of chlorine and sun exposure
- Hair gel – Keep short spikes and styles in place when out of the pool
- Leave-in conditioner – For extra moisture protection
- Anti-chlorine shampoo – Removing chemical buildup from pool water
- Nourishing oil – Replenish hair between washes
- Styling clay – Shape and sculpt short hairdos
But most swimmers stick to basic inexpensive drugstore shampoos and conditioners. Specialized hair products are not required for healthy swimmer hair.
Do swimmers worry about dandruff?
Dandruff is somewhat more common among frequent swimmers due to exposure to chlorinated water and dry air. To control dandruff, swimmers can:
- Use anti-dandruff shampoo 2-3 times per week
- Massage conditioner into scalp after shampooing
- Use oils like coconut or argan oil
- Exfoliate scalp with a massage brush
- Stay hydrated
- Avoid over-brushing hair
With proper hair care, swimmers can keep annoying and embarrassing dandruff under control despite frequently wet hair in dry environments.
Do swim caps prevent hair washing?
Swimmers still need to regularly wash their hair, even when wearing caps during meets and practice. Caps do not block dirt, sweat, and oils from accumulating on hair and scalp.
Chlorine residue also still reaches hair strands despite latex and silicone caps. Frequent shampooing is a must for swimmers, along with conditioning to replenish moisture.
When are swimmers allowed to remove their caps?
Swimmers must keep their caps tightly secured on their heads at all times during swim meets right up until they exit the pool. Reasons include:
- Preventing a lost cap from potentially clogging pool filters
- Maintaining uniformity among swimmers
- Allowing officials to identify swimmers
- Avoiding disqualification or interference penalty
Swimmers can only remove their caps once safely out of the pool after their race without risking penalties or issues.
Do long-haired swimmers ever compete?
It’s very rare to see competitive swimmers race with long hair these days. However, a few examples exist:
- Some long-haired female swimmers in the 1960s-1970s before caps were mandatory
- Swimmers growing out hair in off season may compete with longer styles
- Younger age group swimmers with hair not yet cut short
- Masters swimmers competing more for fun
- Swimmers from smaller teams with relaxed rules
While clearly an outlier, it’s not completely unheard of for competitive swimmers to have longer hair during meets. But short hair remains the overwhelming standard.
Do swimmers cut their hair after retirement?
Many swimmers choose to grow out their hair to a longer, non-competitive style after retiring from the sport. Reasons include:
- No longer needing a performance haircut
- Wanting a new look outside the pool
- Not needing frequent haircut maintenance
- Desire to express individual style
Both male and female swimmers often sport longer locks after retirement. But some choose to keep their short swimming hairstyle for convenience.
Conclusion
In summary, most competitive swimmers favor very short hairstyles for key reasons: reducing drag, decreasing maintenance, preventing distractions, and maximizing speed in the water.
Exact hair length and style choices vary by individual preference and gender norms. But keeping hair shorn as short as functionally possible provides a winning edge in the pool.
Beyond performance benefits, short hair in chlorinated water minimizes damage, dryness, and hassle. The near ubiquitous buzzcuts and pixie cuts of elite swimmers represent both utility and identity for these aquatic athletes.