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Home » Resources » What is the Ottermode Body Type?

What is the Ottermode Body Type?

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By Kyle Risley
Last updated November 26, 2021


As an affiliate of various sites, including Amazon Associates, I may earn a commission on qualifying purchases via links in this post at no extra cost to you. See Full Disclosure

Have you heard the word Ottermode floating around the gym or your friends talking about it? If you’re an athlete, you’ve probably heard about this body type before, even just in passing. 

You’ve probably seen people with an ottermode body type before and didn’t know that was what it’s called. Ottermode is typically associated with a swimmers’ body. If you’re interested in learning more about this body type and how to achieve it, you’re in the right place.

Ottermode

Table of Contents

  • 1 Ottermode Body Type
  • 2 Ottermode Examples
    • 2.1 Swimmers
    • 2.2 Underwear Models 
    • 2.3 Aesthetic Bodybuilders 
  • 3 How to Achieve an Ottermode Body 
    • 3.1 Resistance Training 
    • 3.2 Cardio Routine
    • 3.3 Macronutrients Should be at Maintenance or a Slight Cut
    • 3.4 Bring Down Body Fat Percentage to 12% or Lower
  • 4 Ottermode Workouts
    • 4.1 Ivysaur Intermediate Aesthetics 
    • 4.2 Joe Delaney Ibiza Shred 6 Day Upper/Lower
  • 5 Final Thoughts

Ottermode Body Type

The ottermode body type is a combination of low body fat, lean muscles, broad shoulders, and a well-defined abdominal section. A common example of the ottermode body type is a swimmer’s physique, which combines broad shoulders with a V shape torso and low body fat.

When striving to achieve the ottermode body type, the main thing is that you’ll need a meager body fat percentage. People with this body type have 12% body fat or less, depending on how much muscle mass you have. How your percentages will work out depends heavily on your height and weight.  

If you’re not as concerned with looking lean and are more concerned with simply looking massive, then check out our guide and how to go bear mode.

Ottermode Examples

Despite being associated with swimmers, plenty of other athletes and people strive to have this physique. Even some actors, like Brad Pitt, have achieved this physique to play their roles in movies. 

Swimmers

Arguably the most famous athlete with the ottermode body type is former Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps. When you see photos of Phelps, his body has very little fat and increased muscle tone. 

Michael Phelps Ottermode Body Type
Michael Phelps is a common example of the ottermode body type. (Source: Fernando Frazão/Agência Brasil)

Underwear Models 

It’s very common for male underwear models to have this low body fat and muscular look. The ottermode body type is very desirable within the industry because it is considered an ideal male body type. One model that showcases the ottermode body type in the modeling industry is Dewald van Rooyen.

Aesthetic Bodybuilders 

A lot of bodybuilders have very bulky muscles. While that’s very common in the industry, several aesthetic bodybuilders have the ottermode physique. Aziz Shavershian (Zyzz) is well known in the bodybuilding community for having no unnecessary fat on his body and firm but not bulky muscles. 

How to Achieve an Ottermode Body 

So, how do you achieve the appealing ottermode body type? It will take a lot of dedication and hard work, but it’s possible if you follow a strict regimen. 

Resistance Training 

One of the main components of the ottermode body type is having high muscle mass with clear muscle definition. To get this, you’ll need to do resistance training regularly. 

Resistance training works to build your strength by making your muscles work against some force or weight. Resistance training can be weight training or bodyweight exercises. 

Cardio Routine

Cardio is ideal for burning fat, and implementing a cardio routine will only benefit you on your journey to an ottermode body type. 

One of the most beneficial cardio routines to put in place is high-intensity interval training (HIIT). Each HIIT workout may vary slightly, but most involve 30 to 40 seconds of high-intensity movement followed by a shorter break. Then you’ll repeat this for roughly 15 minutes or so. 

HIIT workouts are a proven way to help you burn fat quickly compared to traditional cardio workouts. 

Macronutrients Should be at Maintenance or a Slight Cut

Working out will only get you so far in any fitness journey, especially when trying to have an ottermode body. Eating clean and healthy ingredients is only going to benefit you. As you track your macronutrients, you’ll need to keep them at maintenance or a slight calorie deficit. 

Keeping your nutrients in a deficit while you’re starting and then in maintenance will help you achieve the toned muscles you’re looking for. 

Bring Down Body Fat Percentage to 12% or Lower

The consensus for someone to qualify for an ottermode body type is to have 12% body fat or less, which results in a lean physique. This should happen as you continue to eat clean, track your macros, and work out regularly. 

Ottermode Workouts

There are plenty of exercises you can do to achieve the ottermode body type. Some of the most common exercises you’ll see in ottermode plans include a lot of chest workouts, deadlifts, and squats. While ab workouts are included sometimes, you’ll notice that they’re not as important as upper and lower body exercises. 

Ivysaur Intermediate Aesthetics 

The Ivysaur Intermediate Aesthetics workout is a three-week program that provides you with five workouts per week. It focuses on increasing your weight throughout the program to increase your strength. 

You’ll go through the first three weeks without trying to PR. From there, you’ll continuously add weight as you start repeating the three-week program. The program focuses on deadlifts, chin-ups, squats, rows, and other upper body exercises.  

Joe Delaney Ibiza Shred 6 Day Upper/Lower

The 6 day Ibiza Shreds is great program is by Joe Delaney. This is an upper/lower workout split designed for intermediate to advanced athletes who are ready for a ten-week program. The regimen breaks down into two upper-body days, two lower-body days, and one isolation day (abs) per week.

Joe Delaney created this program specifically for aesthetics and to encourage you to have fun while in the gym. This exercise program combined with a proper diet can help you achieve the ottermode body type reasonably quickly. 

Final Thoughts

The ottermode body type is an attractive body type that many males strive for. It is characterized by low body fat and lean muscle tone and is common among swimmers, male models, and aesthetic bodybuilders. 

If you’re ready to pursue the ottermode body type, it’ll take dedication and planning. Following a strict meal plan and workout regimen that focuses on a caloric deficit, upper and lower body strength, and cardio will help you achieve the ultimate ottermode body. 

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About Kyle Risley

Kyle Risley founded Lift Vault in 2016 to make finding great powerlifting programs easier. Since then, the site has grown to include hundreds of programs for strength, bodybuilding, Olympic weightlifting, and more. He currently lives in Massachusetts and continues to compete in powerlifting.

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