Michael Phelps is by far the most celebrated athlete in the history of Olympics, with an unparalleled record. Having already won 18 Gold medals at the games before the Rio meet, the swimmer had nothing to prove this time. But Phelps took his career stats to another level by winning three Gold medals in the on-going Rio Olympics, which takes his individual gold-medal tally to 21.
Born in Baltimore, in Maryland, Phelps became the youngest Olympian to feature in a U.S Olympic swim team at the age of 15 at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. His real claim-to-fame moment came in the 2004 Athens Olympics where he won 6 Gold medals and also two bronzes. After 4 years, he broke the record for the most number of Gold medals in a single Olympics, winning 8 medals to surpass his country-mate Mark Spitz’s feat of 7.
The American further boosted his top-finish tally by 4 medals in London and is still going strong in Rio de Janeiro.
Phelps can be called a “superhuman” in the world of swimming, but what makes him so well-suited to the sport? Let us now have a look at why the greatest Olympian of all time is not a “normal human being”.
Physique is one of the most important aspects for any good swimmer, and the American has a body structure for which the word “perfect” is an understatement. With a height of 6 feet 4 inches, which is considered ideal for the water sport, he has a wingspan of 6 feet inches which enhances his capability to swim faster. It is to be noted that this feature is not normal, as the height of a human being is always equal to his or her wingspan. Due to this feature, his long arms act as powerful paddles – just like in a boat.
As quoted from everydaypowerblog, Phelps once said, “I like to just think of myself as a normal person who just has a passion, has a goal and a dream and goes out and does it. And that’s really how I’ve always lived my life.”
The celebrated swimmer has 14-size feet complemented by highly flexible ankles (double-joint), which can be compared to the work of the ‘fins’ present in aquatic organisms. In addition to that, his 6’4” frame is longer than most swimmers, and helps him to make every stroke under water more effective than his fellow swimmers.
When athletes are involved in rigorous training and physical exercise, their body produces a certain amount of lactic acid which slows down muscle contraction and causes fatigue. To be fit enough for more physical activities, the body needs a recovery time. It has been scientifically proven, as per the reports of scienceabc, that Phelps’ body produces approximately half the amount of lactic acid as compared to the amount his competitors make.
Much like other athletes, he loves and enjoys the sport he plays. The Olympic record holder once said, “Swimming is normal for me. I’m relaxed. I’m comfortable, and I know my surroundings. It’s my home.”
Also Read: Rio Olympics 2016: Michael Phelps butterflies to 20th Olympic Gold medal
The legendary diet of the legendary athlete
To support the strain the Olympian’s body has to suffer, he needs an equally complementing diet. An average person usually consumes around 2200 to 2700 calories a day according to the person’s body structure, while Phelps consumes a whopping 12,000 calories a day to maintain his body for daily practice. His six-hour training on a regular basis is enough to burn out his calorie intake in a single day.
Michael Phelps’ daily diet which had made much news during the Beijing Olympics in 2008 –
12,000 calories per dayBreakfast:3 fried egg sandwiches loaded with cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, fried onions and mayo2 cups of coffee1 five-egg omelette1 bowl of grits3 slices of French toast topped with powdered sugar3 chocolate chip pancakes
Lunch:1 pound of enriched pasta2 large ham and cheese sandwiches with mayo on white bread1,000 calories in energy drinks
Dinner:1 pound of pasta1 entire pizzaMore energy drinks
However, eight years on, Phelps has changed a lot and so has his diet. He puts in less hours in the pool in training. He has cut down on his calory intake to a fourth of what it used to be. His diet in 2016 –
3,529 calories per day1 large bowl of oatmeal1 large omelette with ham and cheeseFresh fruitCoffee1 foot-long meatball marinara sub from Subway2 plates filled with whole grainsLean meatsFresh vegetables
All said and done, it has to be mentioned that dedication and hard work are the two main reasons why Micheal Phelps is the greatest ever. He once said that he actually forgot the last day he didn’t train, which speaks a lot about his disciplined life. Phelps is a phenomenon who was born and built to swim.
I wouldn’t say anything is impossible. I think that everything is possible as long as you put your mind to it and put the work and time into it. – Michael Phelps
