With summertime fast approaching, temperatures are rising and the refreshing waters of the pool beckons you. You want to go swimming, but you also want to retain some privacy and modesty, so the plan is to cover your skin and swim without getting waterlogged. Is that asking for too much?
While it’s not the norm, there’s nothing wrong with covering up your body in the pool. After all, burkinis were created for Muslim women, but there are also non-religious equivalents. For instance, there’s nothing wrong with wearing swim leggings, and in fact, it may even be preferable to exposing your legs which could lead to unwanted attention. As for tops, you can wear a rash guard or a swimsuit.
There are many reasons why wearing leggings in a swimming pool is preferable. You may not want to draw attention to yourself or get ogled, you want some extra warmth, you want to hide any imperfections on your legs, or you just want to look more modest.
At the end of the day, whether leggings are allowed in your specific pool or not depends on the people running it. Most pools should allow it, but there are some instances where leggings may be prohibited if it is worn over other swimwear for example. If your pool does not allow you to wear leggings, then you will have to take it up with the swimming pool staff.
In this article, we will discuss why wearing leggings in a swimming pool is not such a weird idea after all.
Why you should wear leggings in a swimming pool
Privacy and modesty
Your choice of clothing can reflect how confident you feel, and that is true for both inside the pool and outside of it. Thus, your swimwear can greatly affect your mood and confidence.
If you are not satisfied with your swimsuit – perhaps it is too revealing or prone to slipping, or you don’t like how your legs look, or your legs look too good and you keep getting ogled – then this constant source of stress will take the fun right out of swimming.
That’s why it’s important that your swimwear is able to help you maintain your privacy and modesty. For Muslim women, the answer is simple: burkinis. For other women, even a swimsuit can feel too revealing, as your legs will be completely exposed. You could wear a swimsuit with a skirt, but if even that is not modest enough, then you could just wear leggings.
Having one of those days where you want to go swimming but you also want to be covered up? Try wearing a rash guard with a pair of tights for swimming.
It may be required for competitions
If you are competing at an event where all competitors must wear leggings, then in such a case, you need to already own a good pair for swimming tights.
We are not going to delve into the reasons why an organizer is enforcing a rule that competitors should wear leggings, just that there is a possibility of it happening, so you should be prepared.
The good news is that swimming leggings are readily available in stores that sell swimwear, so it shouldn’t throw you for a loop if you suddenly need to buy a pair.
Extra warmth
Depending on what material your leggings are made of, you can get some extra insulation underwater. Spandex and neoprene leggings are the best for keeping you warm. Other leggings will just keep your legs covered, but you’ll still get wet and cold.
Keep in mind that leggings, and by extension wetsuits, are not designed to keep you dry (that’s what drysuits are for). They are able to keep you warm while you’re wet. So do not worry if water can enter your leggings; it will still keep you warm by clinging tightly to your skin and trapping warmth on the skin.
Burn more calories
Swimming is a fantastic way to shed the pounds and stay in shape thanks to how many calories you burn in the water. Even something “simple” like treading water can burn nearly as many calories as doing a swim stroke.
Some people try to capitalize on this by making their training session even harder by adding weights or restricting the use of legs or arms. However, leggings can potentially make things harder by increasing drag and restricting your movements somewhat.
If you can simultaneously cover yourself up and give yourself a better workout, that might be just the motivation you need to shed those pounds by swimming for weight loss.
Cover up any imperfections
You might want to cover up your legs because you don’t want to draw attention to yourself. For instance, you might have a scar, a birth defect, varicose veins, or some other personal reason for not wanting to reveal your legs.
It might be that you have recently lost a lot of weight, leaving your stomach, thighs, hips, and calves with stretch marks. In that case, consider wearing high-waisted swim leggings for even more coverage. They will cover up those marks and you don’t have to feel self-conscious when you should be having fun swimming.
Back up swimwear if you cannot find your swimsuit
If you don’t have a spare bathing suit lying around, you can use leggings as a substitute. Keep in mind that the leggings we’re talking about are specifically designed for swimming, not the kind you normally wear. Swimming tights are made with spandex, neoprene, nylon, and other quick-drying materials.
Extra protection against abrasions and UV rays
If you are prone to itching, rashes, and other irritations due to pool water, then rash guard leggings can give you some extra protection. Furthermore, swim leggings typically have a UPF-50 rating which means that it can block 98% of the harmful UV rays, preventing sunburn and skin cancer. This is exceptionally useful for outdoor pools where you don’t have to apply as much sunscreen.
Parting words
Can you wear leggings in a swimming pool? Even though it’s not the norm, there are several reasons why it’s a great idea to do so anyways. Perhaps if more women knew about the benefits that swimming tights provide, it would be the new standard instead.
To recap, swim leggings can cover up your skin and help you look modest, hide any imperfections that can make you feel self-conscious, keep you warm, provide abrasion and UV protection, and can be used as backup swimwear in case you forget your bathing suit or a competition requires you to wear leggings.
The great thing is swim leggings are so readily available that there are plenty of options available and you can easily pick one up at any swimwear store. Remember to specifically buy swim leggings; your average pair of leggings are NOT designed for the pool.
Lastly, though we primarily focused on women’s leggings, there are men’s leggings as well. Men can wear leggings to the pool for all of the same reasons as women; there’s nothing wrong with that. Swim leggings are for everyone that wants to wear them.
