How Does Swimming Change Your Build?

Swimming can be effective in the treatment and management of heart disease, arthritis, depression and many other chronic health conditions, reports The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. It's especially advantageous for older adults in decreasing disability and improving quality of life. In addition to its health-related benefits, swimming can also produce changes in body build. People who swim on a regular basis are likely to notice drops in body fat percentage, along with increases in the muscularity of their shoulders and arms.

  1. Lower Body Fat Percentage

    • Swimming is generally classified as a form of aerobic exercise, working the cardiovascular system as you perform repetitive movements for an extended period of time. As with other forms of aerobic exercise, swimming can be effective when it comes to calorie burn, reports the American Council on Exercise. Though the body can burn muscle or fat as calories during swimming, moderate-intensity activity is especially beneficial when it comes to reduction in body fat. It should come as no surprise that individuals who swim at a moderate pace on a regular basis will see a drop in their body fat.

    Increases in Shoulder Muscularity

    • Though swimming is aerobic in nature, muscle fiber activation does occur. In fact, the American College of Sports Medicine describes swimming as an effective form of resistance training for men and women who are interested in increasing muscle mass in their shoulders. As opposed to air, water provides significant amounts of resistance to working muscle groups -- especially the shoulders -- as they cut through the water. In general, the faster you swim, the more resistance is placed on the working shoulders, increasing their size.

    Increases in Arm Muscularity

    • In addition to enlarging muscle in the shoulders, swimming can increase strength and muscle mass in the biceps and triceps. As with the shoulders, the biceps and triceps experience the greatest amount of stress as swimming speed and water resistance increase. As with traditional forms of resistance training, the increases in arm muscularity are most evident in men, who have higher rates of testosterone.

    Effects on Core

    • The "core" is traditionally defined as the group of muscles that form the center of the body -- including the abdominals, obliques and those of the lower back. Regular swimmers are likely to notice changes in their core muscles. These changes probably occur as they move to maintain balance and center of gravity in the water. Flipping and rotating at the end of a turn can also strengthen the core, leading to increased muscle mass.