Olympic Swimmers’ Shocking Training Secrets Revealed

I’m Jaden Patel, and I’ll be guiding you through the surprisingly intense world of Olympic swimming training with a dash of dry humor. As it turns out, winning a gold medal isn’t just about dipping your toes in the water; it’s about pushing your body to its limits. The Olympics recently shared a glimpse into the rigorous training techniques of certain swimmers, including French Olympian Clément Secchi, who took home a bronze medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Clément’s approach to navigating the water is all about speed – and by speed, I mean “hold your breath and hope for the best.” In a TikTok video posted by NBC Olympics, Clément is seen swimming through a pool filled with fast currents, a technique that’s equal parts mesmerizing and terrifying. As he captioned the video on his own TikTok, this form of training will either help you “swim fast” or “get wrecked.” No pressure, right?

But Clément’s training technique isn’t the only unusual method swimmers use to prepare for competition. According to SwimGym, athletes might shave before a competition since “body hair improves your sense and feel for the water,” ultimately helping with speed. They’ll also invest in a proper “racing suit” and focus on their “daily caloric intake,” as it’s essential to gain a lot of energy through nutrition. Because, let’s be real, swimming is hard – and eating a lot of food is the only way to keep up.

Take Olympic icon Michael Phelps, for example. His former coach, Bob Bowman, revealed in Sally Jenkin’s 2023 book The Right Call that the 40-year-old “consumed between 8,000-10,000 calories a day.” That’s a lot of food – and I’m not sure if I’d rather eat that much or swim that fast. Phelps himself has since changed his diet, telling E! News last June that he “probably eats cleaner now than I used to, and that’s just because I’m not eating as much as I used to.” He also confessed to consuming junk food during competition season, because who doesn’t love a good ice cream sundae?

Other celebrities have also shared their secrets behind maintaining their physique. Kaley Cuoco, for instance, loves doing treadmill workouts amid her postpartum fitness journey. “Putting that incline up is so good for your muscles, and for your circulation,” she told Today.com in an interview published on November 22. “I’ll also walk backward, which is amazing for your butt and legs. It pretty much works everything.” Because who needs a personal trainer when you have a treadmill and a willingness to walk backward?

Becky G, on the other hand, revealed how fitness played a major role in her transformative year in 2023. “I know at the end of the day who benefits from a healthier me the most – myself,” she told E! News. “Eventually, if you dedicate yourself to it, you will have lived your life longer with this habit than you ever did without it. At least, that’s the way I like to think about it.” Her go-to workouts? “If it’s a home workout, if it’s stretch, if it’s going outside for a walk – I try to be as consistent as I can be.” Consistency is key, folks – unless you’re Clément Secchi, in which case, it’s all about speed and a willingness to get “wrecked.”

Kelly Clarkson, meanwhile, credits walking in New York City as a major workout. “Walking in the city is quite the workout,” she told People in an interview published on January 3. “And I’m really into infrared saunas right now. And I just got a cold plunge because everybody wore me down.” Because who needs a gym membership when you have a cold plunge and a willingness to walk in the city?

Julianne Hough also prioritizes exercise, telling E! News that she always blocks out time for a walk with her dog. “I know that I can walk around the hills with my dog,” she said. It’s all about finding what works for you – whether that’s swimming through fast currents or walking with your dog.

In conclusion, Olympic swimming training is no joke – and neither are the caloric intakes of these athletes. From Clément Secchi’s intense training techniques to Michael Phelps’ massive caloric intake, it’s clear that these athletes are willing to push their bodies to the limit to achieve their goals. And if you’re looking to get in shape, you might want to consider taking a page out of their book – or at least investing in a good treadmill.

Sources: Celebrity Storm and E! News, NBC Olympics, People Magazine, Today.com, SwimGym, Sally Jenkins
Attribution: Creative Commons Licensed