The Ideal Body of a Swimmer

All competitive swimmers have something that's commonly known as a swimmers body. But what makes some of the best swimmers so great. Is it their physique or  are they just amazing swimmers without having the perfect body type?  In this blog entry I am going to explore the ideal body type to have as a swimmer. Countries like America and Germany with the most swimming titles. America with 520 titles and Germany with 145 titles. Obviously produce the most swimmers with amazing ability. But is that because all these qualities are included in their ethnically genetics?

Arm Length

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In swimming having a long wingspan is very beneficial and how beneficial it is depends on the stroke. It is most helpful in the two alternating strokes, backstroke and freestyle. A long wingspan is so useful because when swimming most of your propulsion comes from your arms and not from the kick. People with longer arms have a better reach than people with shorter arms. Our arms work like oars in the water and the longer your arms the more water you push and therefore you get further faster. Take the example of Micheal Phelps the best swimmer the world has seen, he has a wingspan of 201cm and he is 6'4/193cm tall. He may be tall but his wingspan is abnormally long.

Broad Shoulders

All competitive swimmers (that I've seen anyways) have broad shoulders and all Olympic swimmers definitely do. Their upper body is often the shape of a triangle. This is ideal because it means that the centre of your mass is in the upper torso which is close to the lungs the centre of floatation in the body. Therefore having broader shoulders and being shaped like a Doritos chip makes it easier "for the body to float horizontally with little to no effort on the part of the athlete."

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Long Torso, Being Tall and Flat Abs

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The average height of a male swimmer with a world record in 100m freestyle is 6'4. In theory the taller you are the longer your limbs and torso and the bigger your feet. A strange one but having big feet is a great asset in swimming.  The long narrow surface of a long torso and flat abs don't cut the water with as much resistance as the alternative. Therefore less energy is needed to propel forward as swimmers are horizontal in the water giving them and immediate edge. All of the greatest swimmers have an amazing set of flat abs, long torsos and are usually in the 6 foot range. Fun fact: swimming can actually make you taller as it stretches yours spine.

Thin Waist and Powerful yet Slender Legs

Having strong powerful and strong legs are a significant aid when swimming because they aid in propulsion and are used to help with rotation and balance. Although strong legs are helpful having big chunky legs isn't the best idea because having bulk in the lower body counteracts horizontal balance created in having a triangular shaped upper body. So having slender legs and small hips are   most efficient.

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