I'm sure many of you are already aware of this article on about.com It reviews a couple of studies that try to explain why swimmers tend to have more body fat than other athletes.
Thought if you weren't aware of the article you might find it interesting.
swimming.about.com/.../offsite.htm
Lainey
Originally posted by knelson
I've noticed the same thing and it seems much more common in female swimmers than males. It MAY just be a perception thing. Our mental picture of the ideal male physique may be closer to what a typical male swimmer looks like than what our idea of an ideal femal physique is to a typical female swimmer.
It may be perception another way, too. I was on the subway the other day, looking at this cute guy (yeah, it's a hobby), when I realized the great line as to when someone starts to look fat is pounds and pounds different between men and women. This guy was solidly built, maybe a bit of pudge, but no one would call him fat. However, if you suddenly made him a girl, everyone would say, "Yeah, she should lose fifteen pounds." That is, guys have way more leeway before we think they're fat.
Anyway, I am definitely a data point that people who tend to be bigger prefer swimming. Even when I'm skinny, I'm big (ie, at 5'9" and 134, I still wore a 12), and I hate running. It just feels wrong.
Originally posted by knelson
I've noticed the same thing and it seems much more common in female swimmers than males. It MAY just be a perception thing. Our mental picture of the ideal male physique may be closer to what a typical male swimmer looks like than what our idea of an ideal femal physique is to a typical female swimmer.
It may be perception another way, too. I was on the subway the other day, looking at this cute guy (yeah, it's a hobby), when I realized the great line as to when someone starts to look fat is pounds and pounds different between men and women. This guy was solidly built, maybe a bit of pudge, but no one would call him fat. However, if you suddenly made him a girl, everyone would say, "Yeah, she should lose fifteen pounds." That is, guys have way more leeway before we think they're fat.
Anyway, I am definitely a data point that people who tend to be bigger prefer swimming. Even when I'm skinny, I'm big (ie, at 5'9" and 134, I still wore a 12), and I hate running. It just feels wrong.
