# Is "swimmer's body" the healthiest possible body? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [February 25, 2021, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-swimmers-body-the-healthiest-possible-body/933706 "2021-02-25T04:32:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2021, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-swimmers-body-the-healthiest-possible-body/933706/21 "2021-02-26T18:24:57Z")
> [@si\_blakely](#): > > rowers - they never seem to be significantly over-developed in any particular area, they also exercise their entire body, and have VO2max stats that are usually outstanding. If we’re going with VO2max as the criterion, it’s hard to beat cross-country skiers. A classic study by Saltin and Åstrand in 1967 measured maximal oxygen uptake in Olympic-caliber Swedish athletes competing in 19 male and 9 female events. Cross-country skiers came out on top for both sexes, ahead of runners, swimmers, speed skaters, cyclists, and rowers. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2021, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-swimmers-body-the-healthiest-possible-body/933706/22 "2021-02-26T18:50:22Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > any sport that combines several different events or skill sets will probably mean more overall athleticism - the more different the better. > [@bibliophage](#): > > If we’re going with VO2max as the criterion, it’s hard to beat cross-country skiers. So maybe for Olympic level athletes biathlon represents the top? VO2max and all over body of cross country skiing along with the fine steady control of distance rifle shooting. Very different skill sets combined. ---
**Author:** ![Dr\_Paprika](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dr_paprika/32/3042_2.png) [@Dr\_Paprika](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr_Paprika)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2021, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-swimmers-body-the-healthiest-possible-body/933706/23 "2021-02-26T19:01:28Z")
Possibly. It’s a simplification since even someone like a hockey or football player would also need several skill sets - strength, speed, endurance, technical skills… guns require very fine motor control, quite different from the endurance of cross-country skiing. It seems pretty difficult. Swimming is also tough but in fewer domains, possibly. Once at the elite level, winning is a matter of (milli)seconds in almost anything. Whether that makes the _healthiest_, I’ve no idea. My dog can run up and down the stairs at full speed for an hour. I wish I had his energy. ---
**Author:** ![DSeid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dseid/32/20194_2.png) [@DSeid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DSeid)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2021, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-swimmers-body-the-healthiest-possible-body/933706/24 "2021-02-26T19:18:26Z")
Well high vagal tone(being able to put the brakes on elevated heart rate quickly) is a strong positive health indicator and I’d WAG is needed to have in spades by biathletes. OTOH it is solitary sport. Tennis has benefits from the social aspect apparently as well. > **[People who play this sport live longest | MDLinx](https://www.mdlinx.com/article/people-who-play-this-sport-live-longest/lfc-3433)** > > People who play tennis have the greatest added life expectancy of all physical activities, one study found. > [@](#): > > Notably, activities that involve more social interaction were associated with the greatest longevity, the researchers found. > > Sports that require participants to play together and socially interact (tennis, badminton, and soccer, for example) were associated with the best improvements in longevity. On the other hand, activities that are typically more solitary (like jogging, swimming, and cycling) had less longevity benefit. ---
**Author:** ![kenobi\_65](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kenobi_65/32/13178_2.png) [@kenobi\_65](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kenobi_65)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2021, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-swimmers-body-the-healthiest-possible-body/933706/25 "2021-02-26T19:19:32Z")
> [@Dr\_Paprika](#): > > So, aesthetics aside, any sport that combines several different events or skill sets will probably mean more overall athleticism - the more different the better. I had much the same thought – a decathlete or heptathlete trains in a range of events, including sprinting, middle-distance running, jumping, and throwing. Though, the note about cross-country skiiers having the best VO2max is also an interesting take on it. ---
**Author:** ![Napier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ce73a5/32.png) [@Napier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Napier)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2021, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-swimmers-body-the-healthiest-possible-body/933706/26 "2021-02-26T19:28:15Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I thought it was more that humans are the superstars of the animal kingdom at jogging/long distance running, not just walking. Yes, that might be, too – I’ve read about this in a few places. But not sprinting. So I’m not sure whether hiking or marathoning or something in between is what we evolved most specially for. Thanks for pointing it out. ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2021, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-swimmers-body-the-healthiest-possible-body/933706/27 "2021-02-26T20:45:28Z")
> [@bump](#): > > I thought it was more that humans are the superstars of the animal kingdom at jogging/long distance running, not just walking. Antelope, ostriches, and camels would easily outpace humans over long distances, and dogs would be right there with us. But we’re near the top of the list. ---
**Author:** ![Deeg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/deeg/32/2955_2.png) [@Deeg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Deeg)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2021, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-swimmers-body-the-healthiest-possible-body/933706/28 "2021-02-26T20:48:18Z")
My understanding is that the ability to sweat is a major reason we can have prolonged activity like jogging. Being able to dissipate all that generated heat is important. ---
**Author:** ![jjakucyk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/3d9bf3/32.png) [@jjakucyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjakucyk)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2021, 10:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-swimmers-body-the-healthiest-possible-body/933706/29 "2021-02-26T22:20:06Z")
And we have essentially no fur. At least not enough to keep us from dissipating heat. ---
**Author:** ![digs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/digs/32/14889_2.png) [@digs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/digs)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-swimmers-body-the-healthiest-possible-body/933706/30 "2021-03-08T01:27:24Z")
I just had a cross-training comeuppance. I had to chase a neighbor’s dog that had escaped and he gave me quite a full-tilt run down the street, through back yards and a park. I’ve been biking a lot, but damn, running takes different muscles… and I was a LOT more winded than I expected by the time I got Li’l Stanley home. ---
**Author:** ![PoppaSan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/poppasan/32/189_2.png) [@PoppaSan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PoppaSan)\ **Post date:** [March 8, 2021, 3:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-swimmers-body-the-healthiest-possible-body/933706/31 "2021-03-08T03:25:43Z")
One of the more physically impressive people I’ve met was the dude that did the catching for the trapeze artists in the circus. I don’t know what his endurance was but he was built like Tarzan because he spent his days plucking “Jane” out of mid-air. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-swimmers-body-the-healthiest-possible-body/933706.md?page=1)