American Caeleb Dressel is the first man to swim, without the aid of a polyurethane swimsuit, for 100 meters in less than 47 seconds. His persistence of 46.96 seconds in the World Cup Final in Gwangju was the fleeting culmination of nearly 20 years of reflection, analysis, and even an obsessive obsession with logging every incident from every training session into two parallel notes. In his adolescence he did not lack bouts of suffocation, hyperventilation and fainting caused by psychological stupor. About to turn 25, he looks a lot calmer. He appeared in the pool at the Tokyo Aquatics Center as an undisputed figure. His schedule includes no less than 13 races in a total of seven races: 50 and 100 freestyle, 100 butterfly, 4 x 100 freestyle, 4 x 200, 4 x 100 styles and 4 x 100 mixed relays. Before traveling to Japan, he answered EL PAIS on his mobile phone to answer a range of questions about his training.
The first question points to one of his indefensible weapons: the departure of the most brutal bride in history. A blow to the legs and hips is estimated at 106 kilograms of force, 28 kilograms more than the average Olympic swimmer, and this gives him an advantage of half a meter over others before entering the water. He says, “I watch athletics videos a lot, and I think there are a lot of similarities between swimming and jumping, or starting to run. I’ve talked a lot with Grant Holloway and other athletes from the Gators. His advice has helped me improve the water level.”
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Holloway is not just an expert. He is the favorite for gold in 110 hurdles in these games. Along with other athletes from the University of Florida, he shares with Dressel the gym under the stands at Ben Hill Stadium, swamp, in Gainseville. They both started playing football as a receiver, a position they almost claim to be some of the best sprinters in the United States.
“maximum speed under water”
When Dressel pushes himself up without running, his vertical jump is 110 cm. Many NBA players don’t go that far. When asked about his strength in his legs, he explained that he avoids specific exercises. “I never isolate muscle groups,” he says. “With Matt de Lancy, my strength coach, we have worked together for seven years and have never followed a leg or arm program. You have to strengthen the whole body at the same time.”
Few coaches have a more legendary aura than Greg Troy. the old Fitness Trainer From the University of Florida, trained as a history professor and turned gym-goer, Ryan Lochte made the world record holder in the 200 Styles at age 26, thanks to a combination of strength training and apnea exercises that gave him the approach to the state of cetaceans. The kind of drill that dressel harnessed the energy of his entry into the water to propel him like lightning beneath the surface in the first 15 meters of the pond.
“We do underwater work every Tuesday and Thursday,” Dressel says. “Each training is a challenge Troy presents to the group and it is up to us to tap into his great mind and the combinations that come to him. Swimming underwater is essential in both the 100 butterfly swim and the 100 backstroke. If you divide each event into two halves, the first half at the start and the second at the turn, then the What’s underwater is very important to get an edge.”
Dressel and Troy sliced each inch of the 50- and 100-meter runs so that the force from one support would smoothly transfer to the other, creating a series of harmonic pulses. The transition from snorkeling to freestyle or butterfly swimming deserves a separate chapter. This is a process that must be done with great care so as not to waste energy on the unstable element. We call that part where the body comes out to the surface Separationsays the swimmer. “Maximum velocity for underwater racing, on starting and cornering, occurs when you convert the thrust of your kick against the pole or wall into your swimming speed. It is essential to maintain this speed for 15 meters underwater to achieve optimal comfort when out and about.”
“I work on technology every day”
He admits: “I work on the basic technique every day.” “I in no way understood everything. A lot of the power I get in a stroke comes from rotating my torso and thighs to convert that into energy every time I hit the water. Every part of the body plays an important role in the stroke. That’s it The fun of sports. This always presents you with a new challenge and a new question.”
The swimmer born in the remote town of Green Cove in North Florida and owner of a one-of-a-kind butterfly and crawling classroom says he has no inclinations. “I don’t have a favorite style,” he says. “I just enjoy racing. I want to keep improving my craft. When I set a target I do it according to the times I practice in training. In this sport you reap what you sow. Swimming is a very fair sport. If I keep looking for ways to improve and focus day in and day out The times will be there. I had a great learning experience in Rio. I certainly wasn’t satisfied with my individual results. [fue sexto en 100 libre]. But it was an honor to represent the United States and I hope my country can be proud of these games.”
Caleb Dressel hates being compared to Michael Phelps. If the best swimmer of all time has an organism that is adaptable to endurance tests, it is the best machine for gaining speed over short distances. “I think we all have a natural talent and that gives us a general map of where to go,” he says. “I definitely don’t rule out the 200 free-kick or 200-stroke races. I want to become the best swimmer possible, not just the best sprinter possible.”
We hope in Tokyo you will crown the top of your exact memorial.
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