I often come across the statement among people, that they consider start doing some kind of exercise, because they want to look like the athletes from that sport. They have seen some of the top athletes in TV and makes the, perhaps natural, assumption, that if I do what he does, then I will become like him. Probably the most referred sport of all in this context is swimming.

I have started swimming because I want the wide muscular frame of a swimmer.

 Not to take anything away from swimming. But you should be carefull with the assumption, that because an elite athlete looks the way he does, you will be able to look the same, if you train as he does. If you attend a swimmeet, you will most likely see all sorts of bodycompositions among the lower ranked swimmers, as the day progresses and the competition sharpens, the body types will start to align. If you look at the starting grid of elite swimmers, you will see almost identical body types, which of course can lead to the assumption: “swimming will make me look like that”. And to a point this may be true, but the looks are far more an expression of what the ideal body type and genetics is, for competitive swimming. 

 I am not saying that you will not improve your physique, or that you will not develop wide back and shoulders by swimming, because you of course use those muscles quite a lot. But do not make your choice of exercise, based on the physique of the elite performers of that specific sport. They look like that because of 10.000’s of hours of training and they are at the top of the pack because their genetic expression is favorable to that sport, and then of course because they are highly motivated to be the best. 

 Do not train to look like someone else, train to be the best YOU! Train to be the best genetic expression of you! Whether that involves bodybuilding, swimming, Crossfit, Football or whatever is totally up to you.