ATOT swimmers GTFIH!

[kyrax12]

Are ectomorphs the best body type for swimmers?

As an Asian I pretty have a skinny ectomorph frame, but I been lifting weights recently and I found out I grown much stronger than before.

Becoming stronger and not gaining much mass are what ectomorphs excel at right? Which would make them more preferable at swimming?

 

[conorvansmack]

Good technique makes more of a difference than a body type. I see too many guys on here worried about being Asian or genetically "nonathletic."

 

[ringtail]

Other than the slim muscled frame that naturally results from swimming , some of the best competitive swimmers don't have much going for them in the great-physique department. They win by superhuman mental and attitudinal discipline.

I'm 6'4" was ripped and as a competitive swimmer it was actually a disadvantage because all that muscle gets tight. One of my teammates, a good friend, was and still is one of the top competitive swimmers in the world (Olympics then, age group now) and was a skinny slight little wisp of a physique. He just seemed to never get tired.

Point: attitude, mental discipline >>> physical body type. As in the example I gave, in his case (world champion, some of his records still stand) body type meant virtually nothing.

Swimming is grueling difficult, probably the hardest sport. XC runners burn a tad more calories, but they're in man's natural element. Not swimmers. Get a great coach and work the coach's program.

 

[adlep]

Ur lucky to be an Asian:
http://youtu.be/rJpFVvho0o4

TI is the answer...

Edit: To clarify, humans are only about 3% efficient in the water. Rather than worrying about muscles and body type, improve your technique FIRST.