Michael Phelps, defying logic? [Forum Archive]

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Michael Phelps, defying logic?

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Posted by: GOtriSports

I have been thinking a lot about Michael Phelps and what he accomplished at the Olympics. I am not sure how much you all know about his training but you can all assume it is INTENSE.

From what I read his morning workout usually burns about 4,000kcal, his afternoon workout burns about 2000kcal and his evening workout is another 2-3000kcal. How in the WORLD is that not over training? I mean heck when I tell people I hit the gym ONCE a day 6 days a week often times people tell me I am over training.

I have also read that he lives on a 12,000 calorie per day diet. Maybe this is how he does it but still I just cannot imagine how his body survives what he puts it through.

Another interesting thing I read about his workouts is that when he is finished they use a pin to prick his ear and test his blood for lactic acid levels, if it is too high they send him back to do some more cool down type stuff in the pool or with the weights.

Does anyone else think that this is crazy, or this guy is just a total freak!

Posted by: IainDaniel

Remember he is an elite athlete. You are not. There is a difference when it comes to training.

I am not sure on the accuracy of the calories burned, but have read he swims over 88km a week. Which equals 250 lengths of the pool a day. If you have swam any where competitively, you would know how ridiculous that is.

Posted by: jimmachak.com

I honestly did not know his training and diet were like that. WOW...

Posted by: GOtriSports

Quote:

Originally Posted by IainDaniel

Remember he is an elite athlete. You are not. There is a difference when it comes to training.

I am not sure on the accuracy of the calories burned, but have read he swims over 88km a week. Which equals 250 lengths of the pool a day. If you have swam any where competitively, you would know how ridiculous that is.

I understand that he is an elite athlete and I am not but still I have been wondering. IF I had the extra time during the day to spend training would I be able to train even half as much as he does if I eat say 6,000 calories per day?

And yes, I have done some swimming training for triathlons and I know how INSANE that amount of swimming is, and that is why I am wondering HOW is it possible haha

Posted by: fufu

Maybe, but he has been progressing slowly over 15+ years

Posted by: Merkaba

I've read 12k calorie intake.

Oh yea, and dont forget the fact that he's a freak. ok?

Posted by: rahaas

Quote:

Originally Posted by fufu

Maybe, but he has been progressing slowly over 15+ years

I've heard that too. He excelled in swimming at an early age, that's when they realized he was gifted and that's when the training started.

I like to swim myself but doing it (or anything else) for as many hours in a day for year after year like he does I'd go insane.

Posted by: rookie325

I was an all state swimmer in high school, as well as all state in water polo. I know swimming, I did it competively for 10 years. Michael Phelps is something that you will never see again. His form is impeccable, a pure machine.

Posted by: bigsahm21

1.) Like others have said, he's one in ten billion.

2.) He's done it for years and years, slowly building up to it, and his entire life is spent swimming and, most importantly, recovering.

3.) I'm guessing that it's much easier to "overtrain" doing intense weight-lifting than it is swimming. Not that swimming isn't an intense, taxing sport...I really have no idea I've never done it competitively but I hear it can be brutal...but it is an endurance sport all the same. I'm sure the majority of his training isn't done sprinting the lengths of the pool hours on end.

Posted by: Merkaba

<-----Swims like a rock

Posted by: P-funk

Lets see:

1) he is an elite athlete with superior genetics.

2) he has built up an enormous amount of training tolerance over the years.

3) He has a program mapped out that is (most likely) based on the quadrennial. So, he has periods where there is more intensity and volume and periods where there is less.

4) his coach manages volume and intensity, so if he is off on a certain day or run down...they are adjusting things.

5) all he does is train...so he has no work stress to worry about.

6) he has an incredible support staff taking care of him...massage therapists, chiropractors, doctors, etc...to ensure his health.

7) He is still a young guy and able to train with more volume.....Compare that to Dana Torres who is over 40 and still made the olympic team and swam amazingly. Yet, she also spent less time in the water training than she ever has preparing for an olympics and she spent more time training in the gym and taking advantage of a lot of recovery strategies (nutrition, massage, chiropractic care).

Everything in context.

Posted by: RexStunnahH

Kinda like the schwarzenegger of swimming?
I heard arnold used to just lift eat and sleep for a long time......

Posted by: fufu

Quote:

Originally Posted by P-funk

Lets see:

1) he is an elite athlete with superior genetics.

2) he has built up an enormous amount of training tolerance over the years.

3) He has a program mapped out that is (most likely) based on the quadrennial. So, he has periods where there is more intensity and volume and periods where there is less.

4) his coach manages volume and intensity, so if he is off on a certain day or run down...they are adjusting things.

5) all he does is train...so he has no work stress to worry about.

6) he has an incredible support staff taking care of him...massage therapists, chiropractors, doctors, etc...to ensure his health.

7) He is still a young guy and able to train with more volume.....Compare that to Dana Torres who is over 40 and still made the olympic team and swam amazingly. Yet, she also spent less time in the water training than she ever has preparing for an olympics and she spent more time training in the gym and taking advantage of a lot of recovery strategies (nutrition, massage, chiropractic care).

Everything in context.

I love it when you get all scientific on our asses.

Posted by: T_man

Comeon guys. There's only one explanation for this.

He's the last remaining mermaid.

Posted by: Zeus100

Quote:

Originally Posted by rookie325

I was an all state swimmer in high school, as well as all state in water polo. I know swimming, I did it competively for 10 years. Michael Phelps is something that you will never see again. His form is impeccable, a pure machine.

Until the next one in 5-100 years.

Posted by: nkira

Phelps is just amazing but at 40 Dana Torres is a blast.....

For any one who is interested in Phelps diet...-> BBC NEWS | World | Asia-Pacific | Food for fuel: Olympian Phelps' unusual diet

Posted by: nkira

The man himself says "According to an article in The Guardian, Phelps eats around 12,000 kcal each day, or about six times the intake of a normal adult male.[29] Yet according to Michael Phelps in an interview with 60 minutes, the estimate given by the Guardian is "not true" and he states he eats 8,000 to 10,000 calories a day when training. [30]"

Source :- Michael Phelps - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Posted by: CORUM

this elite athlete excuse is total BS. some people are naturally gifted, they pick things up quick they have natural abilities. but you are not born a elite athlete, they get elite by working at it. now him taking years to work up to that and hard work is belivable, but everyone goes back to elite athlete...... noone is born that way. look at all the fat ass kids that grow up and become huge and ripped up, when their genetics were to be fat asses. you want to consume 12000 calories a day bust your ass the way he does and do it.

Posted by: C6zo6

Quote:

Originally Posted by CORUM

this elite athlete excuse is total BS. some people are naturally gifted, they pick things up quick they have natural abilities. but you are not born a elite athlete, they get elite by working at it. now him taking years to work up to that and hard work is belivable, but everyone goes back to elite athlete...... noone is born that way. look at all the fat ass kids that grow up and become huge and ripped up, when their genetics were to be fat asses. you want to consume 12000 calories a day bust your ass the way he does and do it.

I agree with this...Anyone can do it, it's about ambition to do so. People are people.

Posted by: chiquita6683

Quote:

Originally Posted by CORUM

True that!

Posted by: OuiSwim

Being a swimmer too I don't think it's that farfetched. During our season I consume 6-7000 calories a day and I have two swim sessions. The morning one usually burn 2000 calories and the evening one burns around 2500 calories. Swimming is pretty intense, all the different strokes, it works practically EVERY muscle in the body. One day my eye lids were sore from our workout

Posted by: OuiSwim

Quote:

Originally Posted by T_man

Comeon guys. There's only one explanation for this.

He's the last remaining mermaid.

Lol he can't be that great.
His 50 split is around 20 seconds
Mine is 22.14, I'm catching his arse!

Give me 2 more seasons and I'll be ready. Look for my name in the swim section of your News Papers, I'm swimming for UWF next year!

Posted by: T_man

Quote:

Originally Posted by OuiSwim

Lol he can't be that great.
His 50 split is around 20 seconds
Mine is 22.14, I'm catching his arse!

Give me 2 more seasons and I'll be ready. Look for my name in the swim section of your News Papers, I'm swimming for UWF next year!

I run 100m in 11-12 seconds. that's 2-3 seconds off mr usain bolt. Can i beat him?? nevahhh. Can I make olympics?? Nevahhhh

Posted by: Fezz

Keep dreaming.

Posted by: OuiSwim

Quote:

Originally Posted by T_man

I run 100m in 11-12 seconds. that's 2-3 seconds off mr usain bolt. Can i beat him?? nevahhh. Can I make olympics?? Nevahhhh

Not with that attitude mate

Posted by: Merkaba

Quote:

Originally Posted by T_man

I run 100m in 11-12 seconds. that's 2-3 seconds off mr usain bolt. Can i beat him?? nevahhh. Can I make olympics?? Nevahhhh

haha...I was in the high 10's in my prime. The difference between 10.8 and 10.2 is staggering enough as far as training and genetics goes. Sub 10 must feel incredible.

Posted by: T_man

the top 100 athletes in 100m sprint are separated by 0.8 seconds or something. 2 Seconds is a long time!

I'm hoping to start some speed work this summer because I've now fallen to over 13 sec!! I never done speed drills, sprinting just came naturally and so I have like 2 billion stretch marks on my ass and knees because I sprinted like hell during my biggest growth spurt.
Did you do any workouts/drills to improve your speed? I could do with some

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