Women swimming in indoor pook

Four Tests. Thirty Seconds Each. Zero Guesswork.

Written by: Madeleine Wallien

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Published on

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Time to read 2 min

How to know if a swimsuit actually fits — before you get in the water.

Forget the mirror. A suit can look perfect standing still and fail completely the moment you start moving.


These four tests take thirty seconds each and tell you more about fit than any size chart ever will. Do them at home at your own comfort. 

1. The Overhead Reach

Stand with arms at your sides. Sweep both arms up like you are catching at the top of a freestyle stroke. Hold it.


Watch for: Neckline dropping, back riding up, leg openings shifting.


If anything moves, you have a torso-length mismatch. Every stroke puts that same load on the suit. A small pull on rep one becomes a real problem by rep five hundred.

2. The Squat and Stand

Drop into a full squat. Stand back up.


Watch for: Riding up between your legs, pulling at the waist, bunching at the hips.


If anything shifted, a different cut might suit your body mechanics better. Our Boyleg styles, for example, offer more thigh coverage and tend to stay put for swimmers who find standard cuts ride up.

3. The Twist and Reach

Feet shoulder-width apart. Rotate your torso to one side while reaching the opposite arm across. Then the other side.


Watch for: Pulling across the chest, tightness through the midsection.


The suit should twist with you, not fight you. Lap swimmers often prefer a closer fit — the movement is mostly linear. Surfers and open water swimmers usually need more give through the torso.

4. The Entry and Exit

Put the suit on. Take it off. Time it.


Watch for: How much effort it takes.


This matters more than you think — especially when you are standing in a car park in February with cold fingers and wet skin. Thicker neoprene like our springsuits trades easy entry for thermal performance. Our Yemaya swimsuits have an extended zipper specifically to make this easier.

The Rule

If a suit passes all four tests, you have found your fit. If something feels off, exchange it for a different size or style — no stress, no cost. The right suit is out there, and these tests help you find it faster.

Four Fit Tests — WALLIEN
Fit Guide

FOUR TESTS.
ZERO GUESSWORK.

How to know if a swimsuit actually fits — before you get in the water.

Forget the mirror. A suit can look perfect standing still and feel completely different the moment you start moving. Do these tests at home when your order arrives.

01

The Overhead Reach

Sweep both arms up like catching at the top of a freestyle stroke. Hold it.

Watch For

Neckline dropping, back riding up, leg openings shifting

02

The Squat and Stand

Drop into a full squat. Stand back up. Check the bottoms.

Watch For

Riding up, pulling at waist, bunching at hips

03

The Twist and Reach

Rotate your torso to one side while reaching the opposite arm across. Both sides.

Watch For

Pulling across chest, tightness through midsection

04

The Entry and Exit

Put the suit on. Take it off. Time it.

Watch For

How much effort it takes — especially with cold, wet skin

The Rule

If a suit passes all four tests, you have found your fit. If something feels off, exchange it for a different size or style — no stress, no cost.

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