What is the ideal body shape/type for a great swimmer?

How about boyancy? Wouldn't lean muscle mass make it harder for you to float? The person who taught me how to swim did two float tests on me. One where I was vertical in the pool with both arms my my side head above the water. No other momentum. I sink to the bottom of the pool right away. She said most people would only go under till the water is just over the top of their head. In the second test, she asked me to curl up into a ball and do nothing else. I float about 8-10 inches below the water, while she said most people would float with part of their body above water. She said that I am just not real boyant and it's going to be somethng I always have to work harder to compensate for. She is probably correct, as when I swim free or back, the ONLY way for me to keep my legs from sinking is to keep kicking. The moment I stop kicking, they drop drastically, even though my head is completely flat on the water. I have been wondering if I should put on more fat to make myself more boyant? Good idea? :) Can less boyant people become successful in swimming?

How about boyancy? Wouldn't lean muscle mass make it harder for you to float? The person who taught me how to swim did two float tests on me. One where I was vertical in the pool with both arms my my side head above the water. No other momentum. I sink to the bottom of the pool right away. She said most people would only go under till the water is just over the top of their head. In the second test, she asked me to curl up into a ball and do nothing else. I float about 8-10 inches below the water, while she said most people would float with part of their body above water. She said that I am just not real boyant and it's going to be somethng I always have to work harder to compensate for. She is probably correct, as when I swim free or back, the ONLY way for me to keep my legs from sinking is to keep kicking. The moment I stop kicking, they drop drastically, even though my head is completely flat on the water. I have been wondering if I should put on more fat to make myself more boyant? Good idea? :) Can less boyant people become successful in swimming?