Michael Phelps has one of the best fitness routines and is loved by millions of fans across the world. And that is not only for the 28 medals (or more) that he has won for America in various forms of swimming but also for his fitness routines that have resulted in the jaw-dropping chiseled muscles of his.
It goes without saying that there are many guys out there who want to have a body like him, and read some sort of fitness blog albeit without following any fitness routines that Michael Phelps had to, to find a place in the history book, the way he has!
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And if you are one of those blokes who doesn’t want to sweat it in the pool for those long hours but still want to have that raw physique, your eyes are precisely on the right page to get the right fitness plans!
Push-ups
Push-ups is not only one of the most basic workout, but the most effective one too to work on the muscles that benefit all four strokes in swimming; especially the pull phase.
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It is best suited for breaststroke swimmers because it mimics the underwater pull performed during the start and turns and each wall.
To do this, lean with your chest forward as you lower your body at a steady pace. Take a pause when your upper arms feel a stretch in the front part of the shoulders and then move back to the opening position slowly. Start with 20 reps in a set of five, but increase the count as and when your strength increases.
Aerobics
The first thing that you need to include in your workout regime is to incorporate aerobic activity for a minimum of 180 minutes/week.
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The best form for that is to go for easy paced running that can help you immensely in improving your cardiovascular fitness, which also burns calories and helps build muscles.
Your next best friend to get a swimmer’s body without swimming is going hard on Pilates for building long-lean muscles that mimic a swimmer’s build. One of the most common, yet effective, Pilate exercise includes- the hundred!
To do this, lay on your back with knees bent into your chest, and as you exhale, concentrate on pushing your chest and stomach towards the floor.
Tips on: Post-workout hydration
Rowing machine
The rowing machine works directly on your core muscles; upper and lower abdominals, obliques, and lower back muscles. Including this in with your aerobic activity is a very good mix. You can also take it as a warm-up to your regular aerobic activity to keep it as a stress-free regime.
Lat pulls
Give special attention to lat pulls to have better results on the upper back and arm muscles.
To do this, sit at a machine that has a bar suspended by a cord and is attached to weights with a chair positioned right under the bar. Keep your arms shoulder-width apart, lean back slightly as you pull the bar right in front of your face, and lowering the bar toward your ribs.
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Start with 12-15 reps in a set of four and increase the reps once you gain strength and stamina.
Planks
Planks have a lot of variation and they do a tremendous job of stabilizing your core.
Read: Workout for lean body muscle
There are different variations of planks, and they all do a great job of stabilizing your core.
Check out the video below for 25 types of planks that you can do to make your core stronger and muscular.
Crunch Press
Here’s a video that will help you learn crunch press to work on those abs.
Nutrition
We don’t need to emphasize enough that you can not have a swimmer’s body without proper nutrition. All swimmers burn an extraordinary amount of calories, but that doesn’t mean they can eat whatever they feel like.
Creating a diet that strikes the right balance of macronutrients is of utmost importance to give a swimmer the proper amount of nutrition they need.
- Carbohydrates – Carbs make up approximately half of a swimmer’s diet. Whole-grain toast, oatmeal, or bananas are some of the best options.
- Proteins – Protein is necessary for proper recovery as well as building strong bones and muscles.
- Fats – Nut butter, olive oil, and avocados are great choices for rounding out a swimmer’s diet with healthy fats.
