www.nbcolympics.com/.../newsid=255135.html
Interesting part of the article:
"Phelps has said Michael Jordan and Tiger Woods are the two superstars he'd most like to meet following his exploits in China, and he could be emulating one of them already.
Woods took time at the pinnacle of his career to remodel his swing to renew his dominance, and Phelps is speaking of completely switching the training program he has followed for the past decade.
Phelps said the changes suggested by coach Bob Bowman could help rejuvenate him mentally and physically after what he described as the most grueling period of his life.
"Bob said to me that he's going to take everything he's done coaching me and throw it out the door and try something completely different, just to see how it works," Phelps said. "We'll try a bunch of new things. If we're successful, great. If not, we can go back to what we've been doing."
Are Phelps and Bowman considering specificity training?
Former Member
I think Phelps would have a lot of trouble dominating the 100 fr, and I doubt he'd ever be able to compete at the same level in the 50. He doesn't have sprinter muscles- and I don't mean strength, just ability to apply strength in short bursts. I think pure sprinters with similar wingspan and stroke efficiency will always beat him in the 50 and usually in the 100.
I'd say Phelps owning the 50 is about as likely as someone like Cielo owning the 200.
I would not count Phelps out as a sprinter. I would say he probably would have qualified for the final in all of the sprints. If he had trained to sprint he more than likely would have won the 50 and the 100.
He has the body of a swimmer that could win any event he wished.
I think Phelps can improve in the 100 free, but can he improve more than the other guys who are faster than him right now? I'd actually like to see him take on the 400 free more than focus on the 100.
That's what I'm talking about! :D
I think Phelps would have a lot of trouble dominating the 100 fr, and I doubt he'd ever be able to compete at the same level in the 50. He doesn't have sprinter muscles- and I don't mean strength, just ability to apply strength in short bursts. I think pure sprinters with similar wingspan and stroke efficiency will always beat him in the 50 and usually in the 100.
I'd say Phelps owning the 50 is about as likely as someone like Cielo owning the 200.
Give Cielo credit, he went 1:35.6 at SEC's, admittedly the LC 200 is a much different beast than the SC 200 but he doesn't die as much as some would.
I have never been under the one-minute barrier in either the 100 fly or 100 ***.
Yes, my butterfly is slower than my backstroke. (No comments from the peanut gallery)
American record in 200 Back is 1:36.81
American record in 200 Fly is 1:39.70
American record in 100 Back 44.60
NCAA record in 100 Fly 44.57
:notworthy: to flipturns.
Favorite quote from the article:
"No breaststroke, no distance swimming, no open water swimming," Phelps said. "At least those guys will still be my friends."
Backstrokers and sprinters look out.
"No breaststroke, no distance swimming, no open water swimming," Phelps said. "At least those guys will still be my friends."
Too bad. A friend of mine was wondering whether Phelps would go for gold in all the 100s...that would be pretty cool. I would say it is impossible, but then again there are 14 golds that maybe say otherwise.
I agree. I would love to see him go for all the 100s. I don't think anyone has even attempted it at the Olympics before. Unofficially, isn't Brendan Hansen the only member of the Under One Minute x 4 club that we know of?
Pretty sure Jeff Commings is too.
Is he getting a sex change to compete as a woman? ;-)
I liked this from the article:
"If you're having fun, that's really all that matters," Phelps said. "You can still do everything and still be successful. You can do anything and everything. One of the biggest things I've learned over last four years is that anything's possible.
"I've had some pretty lofty dreams in my head. Those dreams and those goals are going to stay until they're accomplished," Phelps added. "It's not going to be easy getting there, there are going to be some bumps in the road here and there, but everyone has bumps in the road and it depends how you get over them."
My belief is that he will start focusing on the the sprints. That means while still having plenty intensity, it won't be the marathon workouts he's done in the past. I'm sure he'll put on some muscle as well for some added strength.
Where else could he go. If he goes to distance his workout will only get longer to be sure.
