As much as you need food for nourishment, you also need physical activity that’ll make you feel one with nature. Swimming, among other undertakings, makes the perfect sense as it fulfills both. Basking in the sun, gliding in water, and breathing precious air – it’s very physical as it is natural. Athletes and swimming enthusiasts know how wonderful that feels like.
If you love to swim, it’s in these moments when you’re soaked and gasping for air that you feel most alive. Considering how swimming keeps your heart rate up and builds your endurance, it even ensures you’re alive in the healthiest, fittest way possible.
Here are 50 swimming quotes that’ll make you long for the beach, or any bodies of water, for that matter.
Swimming Quotes
In training everyone focuses on 90% physical and 10% mental, but in the races its 90% mental because there’s very little that separates us physically at the elite level. – Elka Graham
Only when the tide goes out do you discover who’s been swimming naked. – Warren Buffett
With so many people saying it couldn’t be done, all it takes is an imagination. – Michael Phelps
Live in the sunshine, swim the sea, drink the wild air. – Ralph Waldo Emerson
People ask me ‘what was going through your mind in the race?’ and I don’t know. I try and …let my body do what it knows. – Ian Thorpe
I wouldn’t say anything is impossible. I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and put the work and time into it. – Michael Phelps
Believe in yourself, not only in swimming but in life itself. You always have to have fun. You have to have an open mind. If you’re not enjoying it, don’t do it. Life’s too short. – Debbie Meyer
On matters of style, swim with the current, on matters of principle, stand like a rock. – I can’t really do the running on hard ground that I used to do. Instead, I go swimming as often as possible. – Jamie Dornan
Seven days of no swimming makes one weak.
I want people to see the passion I have for swimming and become more involved in the sport. – Ryan Lochte
My preference is swimming in the sea. I find the sea is more liberating, wild and good fun rather than plodding up and down a pool. – Jo Brand
Tonight was not about winning, it was about focusing on myself and what I was aiming to do. It’s the reason why I was able to swim so well. – Libby Lenton
I have been visualizing myself every night for the past four years standing on the podium having the gold placed around my neck. – Megan Quann
When the earth floods from global warming, the swimmers will rule the world.
Any time you can get up there and scare a few people, throw up some decent times, it builds up your confidence and also sends a message to other people. – Marianne Limpert
Susie had no talent whatsoever. She’s a little person who couldn’t even make a final at a state meet – coming and showing the world that on sheer guts and determination you can do anything you want! – Dick Caine
Do not fear mistakes. You will know failure. Continue to reach out. – Benjamin Franklin
You can’t put a limit on anything. The more you dream, the farther you get. – Michael Phelps
We swim because we are too sexy for a sport that requires clothes.
I concentrate on preparing to swim my race and let the other swimmers think about me, not me about them. – Amanda Beard
No man drowns if he perseveres in praying to God and can swim. – Russian Proverb
I know I’ve made huge gains in my confidence and knowing more about my racing and myself as a person. That has made me a better athlete. – Libby Lenton
I swam the race like I trained to swim it. It is not mathematical. I just let my body do it. It is a lot easier if you let your body do what it is trained for. – Ian Thorpe
The body does what the mind prefers. – Lenny Krayzelburg
I try and just relax and reflect on all the work I’ve done in the past season. That’s one of the most important things, remembering your goals and how to swim your races. It’s also important to get your mind off racing before you race sometimes. – Ian Crocker
I like to get into my own world. When I’m getting ready for a meet, I always have headphones on, listening to rap music to get myself fired up. – Michael Phelps
I’m really quite exhausted at the moment, but you never know, you are always surprised at what you can find sometimes, and maybe I will find something deep within to find the desire to swim fast. – Leisl Jones
Enjoy swimming for swimming’s sake. We have to spend far too much time in the water to not enjoy the process challenging yourself of moving through the water. – Jeff Rouse
While I’m swimming, I sing songs in my mind. – Alexandr Popov
I told myself there was no way I was going to let this training go to waste. It was my time, and I was ready to go. – Katie Hoff
It’s easy to forget when you’re an elite athlete that everyone else gets nervous as well. Even the best people in the world, at whatever they do, they’re still nervous. – Leisl Jones
It’s unbelievable I’m swimming so fast. I went in with no expectations. I just went out hoping to get a personal best. I went out there with a smile, just to have fun and see what would happen. – Jade Edmistone
I won’t predict anything historic. But nothing is impossible. – Michael Phelps
I enjoyed every bit of my swimming career. I think that’s the most important advice — to enjoy what you do. – Summer Sanders
The water is your friend…..you don’t have to fight with water, just share the same spirit as the water, and it will help you move. – Alexandr Popov
In most sports, they have a physical effect on your performance, in swimming only psychological. If you worry about what your rival is doing, you take your mind off what you are doing and so fail to concentrate on your performance. – Bachrach
Wins and losses come a dime a dozen. But the effort, nobody can judge effort. Because effort is between you and you. Effort ain’t got nothing to do with nobody else. – Ray Lewis
I can’t control what everyone else swims but if all goes well I know there are no limits. – Leisl Jones
A huge part of swimming for me is I love it, and it is so much fun. – Missy Franklin
I am not going to allow myself not to perform well just because I don’t feel well. I am bulletproof to the extent that a lot of things can be thrown at me, but it’s about how much I am prepared to let them affect me. – Ian Thorpe
Mainly, I like to have fun. Swimming is all about having fun, and I am a firm believer that you should keep swimming as long as you are having fun, but I can say that it becomes much more fun as you get older and learn more about the sport, life, and especially more about yourself”. – Scott Goldblatt
If you’re not on your ‘A’ game in our workouts every day, you’re going to get absolutely smoked. – Michael Phelps
I was so surprised. Then again, I was so relaxed in the water, it felt amazing. – Pieter van den Hoogenband
Swimming is normal for me. I’m relaxed. I’m comfortable, and I know my surroundings. It’s my home. – Michael Phelps
For myself, losing is not coming second. It’s getting out of the water knowing you could have done better. For myself, I have won every race I’ve been in. – Ian Thorpe
I used to beat myself up every day if I did not win an event. I am quite open about those things now and that has been a big change. – Leisl Jones
I’ve always been fortunate in that I’ve been able to put myself in my own zone and relax. It comes naturally. I’m lucky to be that way. – Michael Phelps
Swimming is a confusing sport, because sometimes you do it for fun, and other times you do it to not die. And when I’m swimming, sometimes I’m not sure which one it is. – Demetri Martin
I’ve just been enjoying the training a bit more. I’ve put too much pressure on myself in the past. Just relax and let it come. I just went out there to have a bit of fun tonight. – Sophie Edington
Share these 50 swimming quotes those who love to swim can enjoy.