What Does ‘Swimmer’s Body’ Mean?

Many sports have a specific body type that they tend to favor.

For sumo wrestlers, being big, bulky, and strong with plenty of fast-twitch muscle fibers in their lower body is ideal to help with surprising opponents in the first rush to engage. In marathoning, long, slim legs and a thin body means you don’t have to haul so much weight along the 26.2-mile course. Gymnasts tend to be compact and heavily muscled in order to fly through the air with ease, and basketball players tend to be super tall and lanky to reach the rim and block shots. In short, each sport selects for people with physical characteristics that are advantageous to the aims of that sport. 

Swimming also has a preferred body type that’s related to the physics of boosting power while reducing drag through water, or hydrodynamics. Literally any body can be a “swimmer’s body” (and should!) but when talking about high performance or elite-level swimmers, the term “swimmer’s body” takes on a specific meaning. 

The ideal swimmer’s body usually has a few key characteristics or adaptations that are advantageous for swimming fast, such as:

• A long torso and arms relative to leg length. Look at a photo of Michael Phelps when he was at the height of his career and you’ll notice that not only is he very tall (6-foot-4) but he also has a remarkably long torso, exceedingly long arms, and relatively short legs. That’s important in swimming because a long torso puts the body’s center of mass closer to the lungs, which helps with buoyancy and balance at the surface. Meanwhile, short legs can kick faster to help propel the swimmer forward, and long arms mean the swimmer can reach farther with each stroke and pull more water, all of which means the swimmer can move through the water faster.
• Broad shoulders and slim hips. The classic swimmer’s body is characterized by broad, strong shoulders that taper into a narrow V shape at the pelvis. For many swimmers, particularly those who specialize in longer distance events, the shoulders provide most of the propulsive power of the stroke. The repetitive nature of the movements means the muscles in the shoulders and upper arms hypertrophy (grow bigger over time). This leads to more bulk and width across the upper body, particularly in the trapezius, deltoid, triceps brachii, and latissimus dorsi muscles. The lats are key to the V shape because they taper sharply toward the hips and thighs, which are kept slim from high calorie burn and constant pushing off the wall and kicking.
• Lean, sleek muscles. Most elite swimmers are very muscular, but they display this differently than a top bodybuilder would. The bigger the size of the muscle, the more likely it will create drag in the water. But long, strong, sleek, tapered muscles are much more hydrodynamic and can generate all the power the swimmer needs with much less drag than a bodybuilder would experience when trying to sprint down the pool.
• Floppy ankles and other joints. Swimmers are notorious for having floppy ankles that are often easily sprained on land. This is because kicking and pointing their toes to keep their streamlined position loosens the muscles that keep their ankles in place. Although it’s great for swimming, it can present challenges when the swimmer tries to engage in sports on dry land that require sudden starts and stops or running on uneven ground. Many swimmers also have extended range of motion in their shoulders, elbows, and knees—all adaptations that may help them grab more water or find less resistance against it. 

Build Your Own Swimmer’s Body 

Although some swimmers are lucky enough to be born with a body that’s built to perform at an elite level, not all elite athletes are genetic lottery winners. Some have worked hard and trained for years to sculpt and chisel the body they have into a championship-level racing machine. This kind of dedication pays off regardless of your body type. 

And no matter what body you’re swimming in now or in the future, swimming is good for it. The beauty of Masters swimming is that any body can do it, and many people who don’t sport the “classic” swimmer’s body are happily kicking butt and winning medals all over the place.