Speed

Don’t let my accomplishments fool you—I failed swimming lessons twice. Failure taught me that success isn’t given; it’s earned. I was often told to “train more” to earn it. At my peak, I was swimming nine times a week, averaging 6,500 meters per session, plus two weight training sessions weekly. I had success, becoming the 2007 World Champion, but the following year in Beijing, I didn’t even make the final in the same event. I knew something had to change. So, my coach and I tried something different—I swam less and lifted more. Each year from 2008 to 2012, we decreased my swim volume, and I got faster. In 2009, I posted my fastest 100m Free time of 47.27. In 2010, I became the first person to break the 48-second barrier without a bodysuit. In 2011, I returned to the World Championship podium with a silver medal, and in 2012, I earned my ultimate achievement—an Olympic medal. Then, I stopped swimming for seven years and focused on lifting, adding 20 pounds of muscle. At 35, I returned to the water and was amazed at how good I felt. My stroke was better than ever, and I wondered, "What if?" With less than a year until Tokyo 2020, I came out of retirement and teamed up with my former coach. We devised a bold plan: swim even less and lift even more. We focused on quality meters in the pool and strength and power in the gym, knowing that water is 830 times denser than air and requires serious strength to move through it. In just six months, I swam under the Olympic "A" Qualifying time in the 50m Free with a time of 21.97. At Trials, I won the 50m Free and qualified for my fourth Olympic Games. In Tokyo, I led off our 4x100m Freestyle relay with a time of 47.99, becoming the oldest swimmer by five years to swim under 48 seconds. I proved that by focusing on quality meters and getting stronger, you can get faster. Now, I'm sharing my favorite workouts, tailored for all swimmers, in my training app. Join today and become your own hero!