June 3, 2025, 2:18 am | Read time: 4 minutes
What influence do our genes have on the sports we play? This question recently occurred to our FITBOOK author, Nina Ponath, while swimming.
Are there sports where we might be considered to have “natural talent”? Perhaps because our anatomy gives us an advantage? FITBOOK investigated ..,.
Overview
Good at Swimming Without Training–Is That Possible?
Recently at the pool, specifically in the rather chilly sports pool where people with mirrored swim goggles and caps swim their laps seriously as if they were at the Olympics, I rediscovered an old talent.
With my hand stretched back, I bumped into the shoulders of a swimmer in full gear and apologized hastily as she looked me over: Who is this person swimming backstroke so quickly?
That was me, but I had no explanation for why I could swim my laps so swiftly. This side of me was unfamiliar until that moment. To be honest, I hardly train. The last time I swam seriously was recently on vacation. But even there, it was more relaxed than performance-driven, and yet I find it easy to pick up speed now.
Spoiler: It’s Not the Training Plan, It’s My Anatomy.
Back home, wet and curious, I started researching. Is there such a thing as a “born swimmer”? And surprise: Yes, there is.
The results of my Google image search for “elite swimmers” look something like this: tall, broad shoulders, narrow hips, long arms and legs with large hands and feet. Such a body creates minimal resistance in the water while providing maximum propulsion, almost like a human torpedo. A few examples?
- Katie Ledecky (USA): 6 feet tall
- Sarah Sjöström (Sweden): 6 feet 1 inch tall
- Missy Franklin (USA): 6 feet 2 inches tall
No wonder I rush through the water at 5 feet 10 inches as if I’ve been secretly training.
Studies Confirm the Impact of Anatomy on Sports
But what does science say about this? Studies such as “How Anthropometrics of Young and Adolescent Swimmers Influence Stroking Parameters and Performance? A Systematic Review,” based on the physical characteristics of swimmers from 2022, show that swimmers with certain anatomical features indeed have an advantage.1
These features include:
- Height and arm span are crucial: the longer the lever, the more efficient the movement.
- Large feet = larger propulsion area.
- Low body density = better buoyancy. Women often have an advantage here due to their higher body fat percentage.
- Flexibility, especially in shoulder and ankle joints, improves movement economy in the water.
Our anatomy influences sports not only in the water but also on land. The authors of the 2011 study “Genetic Influences in Sport and Physical Performance” write about muscle development: “Muscle performance is strongly influenced by basal muscle mass and its dynamic response to training.” Genetic factors account for about 50 to 80 percent of the variation in muscle mass and affect both muscle mass and its growth response.2
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Back at the pool: When I got out of the water after 1,500 meters (which is a lot for me!) that afternoon, I was completely happy because I rediscovered the joy of doing something that just came naturally. Unlike running, where it took years to finally see a low five at the start of my pace, I don’t have to do much to swim well.
Does this mean you should only do sports that come naturally? Absolutely not! Or, in the words of Andreas Heumann, a personal trainer from Berlin: “I’m a big fan of not focusing on just one skill but trying everything possible.”
After all, training means you can improve in all sports. As for me, I certainly won’t give up all other sports. Simply going for a run is much more convenient for me than going to the pool for a workout. Still, I’m happy to be a “naturally” good swimmer.