Athleticism

Athleticism is a player stat that was added in v0.29 update along with weight, strength, and sanity.

Gameplay
Athleticism is a player stat that influences the stamina, underwater breath capacity and movement speed. Raising it allows players to sprint, sprint swim, cut trees for longer and fight longer before stamina depletes. Athleticism does not increase the amount of stamina, but rather reduces the rate that sprinting and swimming drain stamina. It does not allow the player to swim faster but it does increase run speed as of version 1.0. Athleticism has many benefits and is often regarded as being more beneficial than raising strength, though both can be raised at the same time if done correctly.

Raising Athleticism
To raise 'Athleticism, you need to have a healthy weight. Avoid having your weight go over 205 as much as possible.

There are two ways to raise Athleticism.
 * 1) Each cumulated 1 hour and 36 minutes spent sprinting gives one additional athleticism level
 * 2) Each cumulated 25 minutes spent diving without rebreather gives one additional athleticism level

The sprinting and diving counters can be raised simultaneously, by sprint swimming while diving. However, in the time it takes to gain a full level of athleticism from sprint-swimming, 4-5 levels will likely be gained from diving alone. Many more calories will be needed, and time spent eating and keeping energy up for sprinting takes time away from diving. It is unlikely grinding athleticism by sprint-swimming and diving at the same time is worth this trade-off, especially on hard survival mode.
 * Times spent sprinting and swimming are not combined, they are accounted for separately.
 * You do not need to 'sprint swim' to raise it while diving, swimming normally under water will raise the stat at the same speed.
 * Diving means, swimming under water, so you have to see the breath meter to know it will be progressing.
 * Sprinting everywhere is recommended.
 * Being over weight will negatively affect raising athleticism.
 * To grind athleticism, it's best to swim rather than sprint on land.

Effects and Formula

 * Overweight lowers Athleticism, up to 60% reduction at max weight
 * Effect:
 * Increases sprint duration by lowering stamina usage per second, max is twice base value at 10 athleticism
 * Increases underwater duration (without rebreather) max is twice base value at 10 athleticism
 * Formula:
 * Each cumulated 1.6 hour spent sprinting gives one additional athleticism level
 * Each cumulated 25 minutes spent diving without rebreather gives one additional athleticism level