The TRUTH About The 'Swimmer Body'

Why do so many swimmers develop this unique body shape, and what does it really take to look super shredded?

The swimmer body is characterized by broad shoulders and a cut, v shaped torso, strong lats and back muscles and toned arms and legs too, because swimming uses every single muscle to work against the water’s resistance and propel the body forward.

Then there’s the six-pack, washboard abs. Swimmers use their cores to maintain a perfect, streamlined body position for hours at a time. It’s not easy, and over time they build rock solid abs. But is it really necessary to be a swimmer?



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[elmarko]

Only swimmers call gym workouts 'dryland' workouts.

[robohippy]

Interesting comment about the swimmers from 50 years ago. Back then, lifting weights was thought to 'slow' the athletes down. Tom Osborn, a coach at Nebraska shredded that idea. He was pretty much the one who changed that school of thought. He started his football players on lifting weights, and they started moving all the other teams around. This was also back in an era when they didn't hydrate during games and work outs, again, thinking that it harmed/slowed the athletes down. My, how times have changed, and for the better. Yup, you have to cross train!

[roxy]

I am 16, swam competitively from 6-13 and during that time probably had 12 hours/week in the pool + drylands. It’s definitely easier to get a swimmer bod with childhood training and genetic disposition. I quit so not muscular anymore but my shoulders are permanently wide, I can barely ever find any clothes that hug my body but aren’t too small on the shoulders :(

[joe-hpnk]

I'm 74 and swim 10, 000 meters a week. How long can I keep it up, we'll see. So far so good.

[BarbaraSzentmarjay]

At age 20 I decided that I want to learn to swim properly and I got a private trainer. I got obsessed with swimming and went twice a day (before and after work) for almost 2 years. My body changed dramatically and I got almost the perfect swimmer's body (didn't do any weight training but I'm 1, 77 tall and having a long torso)
Now I'm 48 after many decades of break I decided to start 3-4 times a week and see what it does to my body at this age. I want to learn the flip turn perfectly, so I can speed up my kilometers.

[thi]

This is actually true. I unexpectedly joined squad training and initially wasn't too worried because I had a decent physique and looked much stronger than the others. But, oh boy, was I humbled.. The other members who you would think are either overweight or obese were FLYING in the butterfly, members as senior as 80 years were backflipping and freestyling like freaking Olympians! And the whole time, I was just trying not to die lmao. So yeah, your physique doesn't really matter. You can go just as hard and strong in whatever body shape you are.

[darnyiagnes]

As for body form: I've been always thinking about how those sweet tubby penguins can swim so well that even a shark have to manoeuvre perfectly to catch them. They're more like rounded, not as flexible as seals, not capable of dolphin or fish style of move, they're practically make fly moves in the water. However, they're fast as lightning and able to change direction in a flash. 😊💙

[daniela.fagundes]

I believe this is the most beatiful and motivating post you guys have ever done! Seriously, I personally feel relived for not getting to the "perfect" body just cuz I swim for a decade now. I thank you guys so much for that! From now on, every time i get into the pool I'll remember these words, Fares.

[syecemo]

Very motivational, but also very grounding video. Thank you Fares 😊

[Jenesis]

Thank you for this reminder. I lost weight from swimming daily. Now my aim is to just do it because I enjoy it. I try not to push when I feel tired or push when I feel good. I just did my first time in a 25m pool with lane line :). I was amazed how I wasn’t tired swimming a longer distance. I actually spent 2 hours doing laps because I just loved it.

As for swimmer’s body, it doesn’t matter to me. I will push myself to do weights for lessening muscle loss in old age.

[justincoleman]

So I'm not gonna beat around the bush; I absolutely love EVERYTHING about this video! This guy definitely did his homework in every single ASPECT of swimming. People have to understand that these athletes put themselves through rigorous amounts of training, but also making sure that they eat correctly in order to take in the good, necessary fuel to be able to push themselves as far as they can as long as they're able to go. Imo there needs to be more videos about athletes in other sports. Thank you for making this video so that others can fully understand AND appreciate what these athletes go through on a very regular basis!

[JubeeBijou]

Wow 🤩 so much respect for the pros!
I’m 54 and only 6 years in to USMS. I practice 4 days a week but I’m no speedster. I just enjoy it and rarely miss practice. If I do, I really regret it! I feel best when I practice consistently and regularly. My doctor whole heartedly approves. ❤

[alonaranjo]

I´m 5, 2, im 40 years old but i learned to swim when i was 5, i did it for like 4 years, i quit after i became an adolescent but in my late 30´s i try it again it didn´t take long for me to remember, i never forgot how to do it but my technique was a fiasco, i´m going to keep swimming regularly to stay healthy and also i enjoy it a lot.

[heinrizliyaputra]

This the video we need, fairly give realistic expectation through swimming

[rainwaterd]

My swim routine is every other day. ....because I work on an urban farm doing landscape and field work, it is too much to swim everyday. I have been swimming regularly for more than a year now, and i work on my form from videos like these. I swim 1500 meters in 32/33 minutes, my goal is to swim 1500 meters in 30 minutes-when i started i swam this distance in about 40 minutes or more. which I think 30 minutes is about 1/2 the speed of the world class swimmers. I'm 72 years old. I think I will be able to do a decent spin turn one day.

[noola]

I absolutely love what you’re doing with your entire channel. You’ve made such meaningful and inviting videos to everyone who wants to swim. Your mindset towards swimming being something that feels good and is good is just infectious, and is exactly where I started with my swimming journey. Thank you so much!

[BWT]

I swam competitively most of my youth and raced triathlons throughout my 20s. I ain't that tall, 5 foot 9 but I have the long torso and muscle mass explained in the beginning of the video. Even when I became ill and gained a ton of weight, my musclature underneath remained and came back upon rehabilitation. Key to looking like a swimmer is to just swim a lot. 10 x 100 m are a great way for some HIITs.

[luqmanshahjehan]

Absolutely perfect explain in best possible ways.
So no one feels negative about themselves.
Impressed 👍
Thanks coach fares kesabati

[MrPaulOfield]

Amazingly well scripted video, nice and smooth change of subject, well adressed positive message. You earn another sub

[horikatanifuji]

So the question therefore is... Are they fit because they are swimmers? Or are they swimmers because they are fit?