Over the past six week, Welsh television presenter Gethin Jones has been undergoing a special Speedo Swim Fit programme, bringing to life some hugely overlooked benefits of swimming as part of a work out. Tested for his fitness both at the beginning and the end of his programme at Bath University, he saw some huge results which he shared with Female First - check out the before and after shots below.
We also got the chance to put some questions to Gethin about the programme, his experience, his presenting on on Dancing With The Stars in America and more - read on to find out what he had to say.
For the past six weeks you've been involved in the Speedo Swim Fit programme - can you tell us a little bit about what that involved?
It was a six week challenge to discover how swimming can improve your overall fitness. I was tested at Bath university at the start and finish to measure the difference in my fitness; tests included the VO2 max test, strength and flexibility. After interrogating the swimming plan, I went back exactly 6 weeks to the day to complete the test again.
How much of a difference did you see in your fitness levels and body mass after completing the programme?
I was really surprised with the results in such a short period of time, there was a massive difference. In the six weeks, I trained in the pool 4 times a week on average, played two games of football and towards the end, went for a 7km run. It was the fastest run I've done in years. The test shows that I increased my aerobic fitness by 10% i.e. That's the VO2 Max test. My leg and arm strength increased by just under 10% and my flexibility increased by just under 20%.
What tips do you have for those who may want to look into getting fit through swimming?
The biggest misconception is that swimming is something you do on holiday, in the pool or in the ocean. This campaign was about proving that swimming can be used to get fit. The first session is the hardest, then about setting realistic targets and achieving my goals. I also found that filming my sessions really helped.
How can people get involved and do something similar to this programme you've completed?
Mastering a few simple techniques helped me to improve my technique massively using equipment like the pull buoy and central snorkel to isolate certain parts of the body. I was then able to swim for longer, faster and improve my fitness dramatically. Check out the plan; its more varied than I thought it would be and ended up being hard work but a lot of fun.
You're also now a part of Dancing With The Stars in the States, how much did you enjoy taking on that role?
After experiencing Strictly as a dancer a few years ago, it was brilliant to be back in the ball room. Everything was the same apart from the title of the show and the lack of Bruce; and yes I did manage to get my cuban heels on. I would like to say 'I've still got it!' but I think my dance partner would disagree.
What was it like working with Emma Slater on the All Access show?
Speaking of my dance partner, Emma was the one who had to guide me around the dance floor! She was an absolute dream to work with - a completely natural presenter. I was the only one who was pleased she was voted out early with her celebrity Redfoo (LMFAO) so she could co present with me.
Do you have any work or projects in the pipeline you can share some details about?
I am swapping the cuban heels for the Isle of Man TT, then looking forward to the Rugby World Cup and possibly some more dancing in the summer. Also, I'm continuing to develop a charity I've set up called Nai, which is the Welsh word for nephew which supports children with Autism.
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