Fitness Volt
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Strongman
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Exercise Guides
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
  • Nutrition
    • Supplements
    • Diet
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Food Facts
  • Reviews
  • More
    • CrossFit
    • News
      • Mr. Olympia
      • Arnold Classic
      • Results
      • 2022 WSM
    • Fitness Calculator
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Strongman
  • Workouts
    • Training
    • Exercise Guides
    • Workout Plans
    • Celebrity Workouts
    • Training Programs
  • Nutrition
    • Supplements
    • Diet
    • Diet Plans
    • Nutrition Tips
    • Food Facts
  • Reviews
  • More
    • CrossFit
    • News
      • Mr. Olympia
      • Arnold Classic
      • Results
      • 2022 WSM
    • Fitness Calculator
    • Profiles
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • MMA
No Result
View All Result
Fitness Volt
No Result
View All Result
Bodybuilding
Evidence Based
Evidence Based Research
This article was written by one of our qualified writers, and fact-checked by our experts. The numbers in parentheses (e.g. 1, 2, 3, etc.) throughout the article, are reference links to peer-reviewed studies.
Our team of experts include a board-certified physician, nutritionists, dietitians, certified personal trainers, strength training experts, and exercise specialists.
Read Our Editorial Process

Ottermode Body — What It Is and How To Achieve It

Your one-stop guide to looking like a world-class swimmer. 

Vidur Saini

Written by Vidur Saini

Last Updated onSeptember 7, 2022

Ottermode Body

Ottermode Body

In This Article
  • Ottermode Body Composition
  • Benefits
  • How To
  • Wrapping Up

Do not let the otter in the ottermode fool you. Building an ottermode body does not involve growing fur and gaining a belly. An ottermode body is characterized by a low body fat percentage, broad shoulders, toned muscles, and a shredded midriff. 

Don’t get us wrong—we are all for body positivity, even for Mustelidae carnivores like otters. However, it is still a mystery why in-shape swimmers are referred to as having ottermode bodies while its namesake animal is the plus-sized member of the weasel family. 

Michael Phelps and his 28 Olympic medals are the cover models for the ottermode body. In his prime, The Flying Fish had broad shoulders, a tiny waist, a low body fat percentage, a shredded midsection, and toned muscles. 

If you think about it, swimmers, with their V-tapers, have the perfect foundation for building a chiseled and muscular physique, which gets us to the most pressing question—If swimmers have such a solid base for packing on size, why wouldn’t they want to beef up? Are they into CrossFit?

First, competitive swimmers remain lean to reduce drag, which is the resistance that water exerts on your body as you move through it. Also, now that we’re talking about it, there might be an underground exclusive swimming CrossFit club that we don’t know about yet. 

Building an ottermode body goes beyond aesthetics and involves training for better functionality, agility, strength, and endurance. In this article, we’ll go over every aspect of building an ottermode body, including body composition, benefits, diet, and training.

Ottermode Body Composition

World-class swimmers are shredded to the bone. You might not see their obliques or glute and hamstring separation like you could on a pro bodybuilder because they lack muscle development. However, if these guys were to train and eat like a bodybuilder, they could walk into a bodybuilding contest in their speedos. 

If you want to build an ottermode body, you should strive towards:

1. Low Body Fat Percentage

An ottermode athlete should be more muscular than a runner but not as jacked as an NFL player. 

While there are no official numbers to qualify for an ottermode body, pro swimmers usually have a low body fat percentage, which puts their toned muscles on display at their full glory.

Body Fat Percentage
Body Fat Percentage

If you want solid abs, you need to lower your body fat percentage. There are no two ways about it. Here is the relationship between body fat and ab visibility:

  • 20%+: With such a high body fat percentage, you will be soft around your midsection, and your abs will not be visible. 
  • 15-19%: It can be considered healthy, but it is unlikely that you will see any ab definition.
  • 10-14%: This range is considered lean, meaning your abs will be visible.
  • 5-9%: You will be peeled AF. 

Pro swimmers with ottermode physiques usually have less than 12 percent body fat, which should be your goal when you start your transformation program.

2. Normal BMI

Body Mass Index, or BMI, compares your weight to your height to determine if you are over, under, or the right weight for your height.

For an ottermode body, you should target the normal BMI range. Here are what the BMI readings indicate:

  • Underweight = 18.5 or less
  • Normal weight = 18.5 – 24.9
  • Overweight = 25 – 29.9
  • Obese = 30 or more

Michael Phelps BMI:

  • Height: 6′4″
  • Weight: 198 pounds
  • BMI: 24.1 (normal)

A normal or better BMI combined with a 12 percent or lower body fat percentage are the metrics you should be working towards. 

Check out our convenient online BMI calculator to learn if your weight is healthy. 

3. Broad Shoulders

The best pro swimmers have broad shoulders, which has also become one of the main characteristics of an ottermode body. Broad shoulders can help improve your performance in the pool, and swimming can help build broader shoulders—it’s a virtuous cycle.

Broad Shoulders

4. Small Waist

It is no secret that competitive swimming is a high-intensity sport and is an incredibly effective way of burning calories. A tight waist with broad shoulders gives you the enviable V-taper.

Must Read: Slim Waist Workout Routine

5. Toned Muscles

If you want to build a chiseled physique, you’ll have to put in the hard work in the gym. Notably, since pro swimmers have a low body fat percentage, they can experience noticeable muscle development within the first couple of months of starting training. An individual with an ottermode physique won’t have protruding muscles, but they’ll be drawing eyeballs as soon as they take their shirt off. 

6. Functionality 

An ottermode body represents speed, agility, mobility, and functionality. Don’t expect to look like The Rock on an ottermode physique program. Why is that, you ask? Because heavy rocks sink. 

In a swimmer’s training program, you’ll be performing exercises that promote functional strength and mobility, which will help improve your performance in day-to-day tasks. 

Addressing the elephant in the room

If you look at pro swimmers, you’ll notice most of them have toned—but not bulky—legs. A swimmer’s legs and arms are toned and defined but don’t have a lot of meat on them as it can interfere with their performance in the pool. 

However, you cannot use this as an excuse to skip leg day. A swimmer needs powerful legs to push them to the gold. 

Benefits of Building an Ottermode Body

These are the benefits of working towards an ottermode physique:

1. Fires Up Metabolism

If you have a low body fat percentage and work to keep it that way, your metabolism will work round the clock, helping you burn calories even when you’re physically inactive.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Michael Phelps (@m_phelps00)

2. Reduces Risk of Cardiovascular Diseases

Achieving and maintaining a low body fat percentage requires a lot of cardio, which will help reduce your risk of developing cardiovascular diseases. Furthermore, aerobic exercise is recommended by the American Heart Association for people with (or at risk of) heart disease. 

3. Improves Balance

On an ottermode body transformation program, you’ll be performing a ton of abdominal exercises, which can help improve your posture and stability and your ability to bear weight. 

Check Out: How Many Abs Can You Have? 4-Pack vs 6-Pack vs 8-Pack

4. Boost Endurance and Stamina

Cardio and HIIT training are indispensable parts of an ottermode body program. These aerobic exercises strengthen your heart and lungs and improve your circulation, which can help you build stamina and endurance.

5. Enhances Flexibility

Flexibility is one of the most overlooked aspects of a swimmer’s physique. It plays a crucial role in a swimmer’s performance and appearance. Swimming like an otter requires agility and mobility, and you’ll be working on it in the ottermode body training program. 

How To Build an Ottermode Body

Here is how to carve an ottermode physique:

1. Watch Your Mouth

Like in every other transformation program, diet plays a critical role in building an ottermode body. You need to set a daily caloric goal for yourself and stick to it. Your calorie target will depend on your current and goal weight. 

If you are overweight, you need to follow a calorie deficit diet to shed the extra kilos. On the other hand, you will need to bump up your calorie intake if you fall in the underweight BMI category. 

2. Resistance Training

If you cut out calories from your diet and go overboard without adding a resistance training routine to your regimen, you might end up looking like Christian Bale in The Machinist (2004).

You need to lift weights to build muscle mass and carve a physique Greek gods would be proud of. Plus, resistance training will help improve your performance in the pool by improving your body structure and boosting your strength. 

3. Cardio

Cardio will be a constant in your life on the ottermode body program. If you want to shed body weight, you should perform two cardio sessions in a day. 

Man Using Air Bike For Cardio

The first will be a LISS (low-intensity steady state) session that you’ll do first thing in the morning for about 20-30 minutes every day. The other session will be a 10-minute HIIT (high-intensity interval training) workout done at the end of your weight training routine. 

Check Out: HIIT vs. LISS Cardio: Which One Is Best for Fitness and Fat Loss?

Here is a prospective Ottermoed training regimen:

  • Monday: Back and Arms
  • Tuesday: Cardio
  • Wednesday: Chest and Shoulders
  • Thursday: Cardio
  • Friday: Legs
  • Saturday: Cardio
  • Sunday: Active Rest

4. Swimming

It is a no-brainer, right? The best way to look like a pro swimmer is to become one. Training in water will help you adapt and work the muscles that will make you better at the craft. On the ottermode body program, spend at least 30 minutes swimming every day.

Wrapping Up

The ottermode Body workout will make you look like you train but not really. Don’t be surprised if you suddenly start getting a lot of the infamous “do you lift?” thrown at you. 

Building a lean, diced, athletic physique won’t be easy, but it is far from unachievable. Now that you know everything there is to know about building an ottermode physique, get behind it, tiger otter!

Add Fitness Volt to your Google News feed. Follow us on Google News
For the latest news and updates please follow us on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter.
Facebook Twitter Reddit Flipboard LinkedIn
Categories: Body Mechanics Bodybuilding Training
Previous Post

The Rock Crushes Intense Late Night Leg Workout Session to Decompress

Next Post

How to Train Around Injuries Safely

Vidur Saini

Vidur Saini

Vidur is a writer and editor at FitnessVolt.com. He is passionate about all things strength sports and dedicated to sharing his hard-earned knowledge. An expert at giving unsolicited advice, his writings benefit the readers and infuriate the bros.

Related

Michal Krizo Workout Plan

Michal Krizo Workout and Diet Program

Michal Križánek, also known as Michal Križo, is a professional bodybuilder from Slovakia. Krizo started lifting weights at 15. He...

Lou Ferrigno Workout Plan

Lou Ferrigno Workout and Diet Program

Lou Ferrigno is a bodybuilding legend. He catapulted into the mainstream after being depicted as Arnold Schwarzenegger’s primary challenger in...

Charles Atlas Workout Program

Charles Atlas Workout and Diet Program

Charles Atlas, born Angelo Siciliano, was an Italian-born American bodybuilder. He was arguably the most popular bodybuilder of his era....

Tia Clair Toomey Trains

Tia-Clair Toomey Crushes a CrossFit Workout While Pregnant

Tia-Clair Toomey, a six-time CrossFit Games champion, announced that she is pregnant a few months back, which means that she...

Old Man Strength

Old Man Strength — Everything You Need To Know

Bodybuilding, CrossFit, Strongman, Powerlifting, and Olympic Weightlifting all use different techniques and have different objectives but share one thing —...

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Latest

Lee Priest Weighs in On Leo Longevity Dying in Tony Huge’s Thrashed Home: “It Doesn’t Look Good”

Bodybuilder Lee Banks Passes Away At 51

Jay Cutler Shares His Favorite Exercises for Back, Traps & Calves

Larry Wheels Crushes a 200-lb (90.7-kg) Dumbbell Bench Press For Three Reps

Michal Krizo Workout and Diet Program

Anabolic Fasting: Learn About Building Muscle and Losing Fat Simultaneously

Reviews

Best Bone Broth Supplements

10 Best Bone Broth Supplements of 2023 (Reviewed & Ranked)

Body Fortress Whey Protein Review

Body Fortress Super Advanced Whey Protein Review

Best Coffee Creamer

10 Best Coffee Creamer For Intermittent Fasting of 2023 (Review & Ranked)

Fitness Volt

At FitnessVolt.com Our mission is to help our readers to achieve their fitness goals, regardless of where you’re at on your journey, we are on a mission to educate You with the latest from strength and fitness space. Read more.

Email: sm(at)fitnessvolt.com

Disclosure: FitnessVolt.com has an affiliate relationship with different brands and is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program. However, our reviews are based on well research backed analysis.

Follow Us

Trending Topics

  • Mr. Olympia
  • Bodybuilding
  • Strongman
  • Powerlifting
  • CrossFit
  • At Home Workouts
  • Bodyweight Exercises
  • Best Pre-workout
  • Best Fat Burners
  • Bodybuilding Diet
  • Bicep Workouts
  • Triceps Workouts
  • Chest Exercises
  • Back Workouts
  • Leg Workouts
  • Front Squat Guide
  • Calf Workouts & Exercises
  • Forgotten Exercises
  • Jefferson Deadlift

Calculators

  • Calorie Burning Calculators
  • IF Calculator
  • TDEE Calculator
  • Calorie Calculator
  • Keto Calculator
  • RMR Calculator
  • Macronutrient Calculator
  • Creatine Calculator
  • Wilks Calculator
  • EER Calculator
  • FFMI Calculator
  • IBW Calculator
  • LBM Calculator
  • Fat Intake Calculator
  • Calories Burned Swimming
  • Calories Per Meal Calculator

  • Food Nutrition Analysis
  • Carb Cycling Calculator
  • Weight Gain Calculator
  • Weight Loss Calculator
  • Calories Burned Calculator
  • Strength Standards
  • One Rep Max Calculator
  • Body Fat Calculator
  • EER Calculator
  • Weight Loss Percentage
  • Treadmill Calorie Calculator
  • Body Surface Area Calculator
  • Running Pace Calculator
  • Bench Press Calculator
  • Protein Calculator
  • Water Intake Calculator
  • Body Type Quiz
  • Steps to Miles Calculator
  • Calorie Deficit Calculator
  • Home
  • About
  • Jobs
  • Accessibility
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • Syndication
  • Sitemap
  • DMCA
  • Copyrights
  • Terms
  • Privacy

© Copyright 2010 - 2022 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.

No Result
View All Result
  • Bodybuilding
  • Powerlifting
  • Strongman
  • CrossFit
  • Workouts
  • Exercise Guides
    • Arms
    • Back
    • Chest
    • Core
    • Legs and Glutes
    • Shoulders
  • Training
  • Nutrition
  • Reviews
  • More
    • News
    • Mr. Olympia
    • 2022 WSM
    • Diet
    • Arnold Classic
    • Motivation
    • Videos
    • Food Facts
    • Fitness Calculator

© Copyright 2010 - 2022 Fitness Volt IBC. All Rights Reserved.