May 2023 Swimming Archive

When browsing the May 2023 Swimming Archive, a collection of UK Swim Sport Alumni posts from May 2023. Also known as May ’23 swim posts, it showcases the latest thoughts and tips from our community. One standout piece asks a common question: can regular laps give you a bigger butt, a stronger, more rounded gluteal shape?

Swimming, a low‑impact, full‑body cardio activity does engage the glute muscles, especially during kicks and pull‑outs. The movement works the hips, thighs, and the posterior chain, which means you’ll feel a burn in the butt after a solid set. However, the stimulus isn’t as focused as a squat or lunge, so the muscle growth is modest. Think of swimming as a base builder; it improves endurance and shapes the muscles, while resistance work adds the mass.

What the research says

Studies on aquatic training show that the gluteal muscles fire at about 45‑60% of their maximum during freestyle strokes. That’s enough to tone, but not enough for dramatic size gains. Swimming paired with targeted strength moves—like goblet squats, Bulgarian split‑squats, and hip thrusts—creates a “muscle‑pump” effect that many athletes swear by. The combination also protects joints, since the water slows down impact while the land exercises supply the overload needed for hypertrophy.

So, if your goal is a perkier, firmer backside, plan a weekly routine that mixes pool time with two to three glute‑focused strength sessions. Keep the swim workouts varied (mix freestyle, breaststroke, and kick drills) to hit the muscles from different angles. Over weeks, you’ll notice tighter glutes, better posture, and a boost in overall power.

The posts below dive deeper into technique tweaks, specific swim sets for glute activation, and sample strength circuits. Browse the collection to see how other alumni pair water work with land drills for a balanced, results‑driven approach.