I have been competing for over 5 yrs. I am pretty good. I have heard the good, the bad, and the ugly arguements about shaving for a race, or shaving period.
My question is simple. I have never shaved anything besides my face, which I use an electric razor. i have tried to use a regular razor and ending up cutting myself. I want to try one race with a shaven body, to see if I swim faster. How do I go about doing it so i dont cut myself, and I dont leave stubble? should i shave under my swimsuit? and how??
I dont want all the arguements for or against it, I just want to know how, so i can seee for myself. i may do it constantly, or for just meets, or may never do it again.
TRIM FIRST! That is the key. After that, go very slow with the razor. Use a good razor, like a Mach 3. Don't use a cheap Bic blade, you will regret it. Also, use some shaving gel, like Edge. Take extra care at and around the knees.
As for shaving underneath the swimsuit, that isn't necessary. If your swimsuit is a brief, you might want to shave so that no hair is visable. If you wear a jammer, you won't have this problem, nor will you have to shave the upper legs, which generally are more difficult, as the hair is thicker.
There's also the option of using a depilatory cream like Nair (they even make a 'Nair for Men', I think, with a less flowery scent). It's easier than shaving, with just a small chance of skin irritation if you're sensitive to it or if you leave it on too long. Just follow the directions on the bottle, and most importantly, KEEP IT AWAY FROM YOUR 'PRIVATE PARTS'.
If you go this route, it's still not a bad idea to trim the hair short first, depending on how much hair you have.
