I just finished reading about him in the book, Gold in the Water. Do you know where he's regularly swimming and if he's still coached by Jochums?

I hope he gets Gold this year - I'll be rooting for him.

Neat! And best of luck to him on his training and racing. The men's IMs at the Olympic Trials sound like they're going to be scarily fast this time around. Wish they'd go back to letting each country send 3 swimmers in each event instead of just 2 for the Olympics.

I agree! Only two per event bites for the USA! We could really show those Aussies if we got three "Team USA" per event! ;-) Go get 'em Michael Phelps!

"a thing of beauty is a joy forever"

John Keats, Endymion book 1.
great reading

G'DAY Mac,
if there were three per team you'd miss out on a medal altogether - OZZIE,OZZIE,OZZIE.............

It's always fun to run into world class swimmers at your noon workout, but I would'nt put too much emphasis on his view on weight training. It absolutly helps triathletes, especially those of us that are aging and losing muscle mass and speed. I can site numerous examples of top swimming programs where weights were a major part of the training cycles, and for all distances. Yes, there are many who swim fast without weights, but I always wonder if they could have gone even faster.....

Interesting, a month ago, I would've said : "So What?" but I just finished reading "Gold in the water" on the suggestion of many on this forum and am just awe by Wilkens(if you havn't read it, DO IT!). You can't imagine how happy I am to learn that he will be at the Olympics, I'll sure cheer for him. Oly are a lot more interesting when you know a bit about the athletes competing.

Man, I'm jalous! I would love to see him swim and train, it must be really inspiring.

Those anyone knows if the US trials are already done or when they are?

Thank's

Richard

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Richard

"You're only young once, but you can be immature forever" - Larry Andersen

Funny, Tom seemed to think that weights might be beneficial for aging athletes, but that it wouldn't help them get faster.

I'll bite. I'm a 45 year old sometime age group winner, strong swimmer, often the fastest runner in my AG. How will weight training absolutely help me?

As for swimming programs that included weight training, can you know that the athletes wouldn't have been faster by *not* lifting? Tom said that the extra lifting would hurt his in-pool training, and so was not worth it. I've seen at least one study (Costill at Ball State, I believe) that measured performance of collegiate swimmers who lifted and didn't lift, and found no benefit in lifting.

Ken Lehner

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"Go yell at an M&M"

Olympic trials are July 7-14, 2004. (US Swimming's going late this year)

Men's 200/400 IM field- current world record holder Michael Phelps; Erik Vendt, who swam the second fastest 400IM ever in 2002 at Pan Pacs; Wilkens, who won bronze in Sydney; and rising star Kevin Clements, who finaled at Worlds last year, and then turned in a breakthrough sub-2:00 200IM at Nationals

If you're a swimming fan, 2004 is going to be an exciting year.

"I'll bite. I'm a 45 year old sometime age group winner, strong swimmer, often the fastest runner in my AG. How will weight training absolutely help me?"

i found that out the hard way this year. injury prevention. obviously very anecdotal, but as i get older my strength seems to get more sport specific. if i do any movement that's weird or quirky i appear more likely to get injured.

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Dan Empfield
aka Slowman

Hi All,

Just a quick note of thanks for enjoying my book, "Gold in the Water."

And...of course a bigger thanks for mentioning it on Slow Twitch.

In the past month, I've had a half dozen athletes/friends from California to Florida send me links to these discussion boards.

Tom Wilkens is indeed training for the 2004 Games. He will focus on the 200/400 I.M. (no breaststroke this time). He continues to swim with Dick Jochums at Santa Clara. He's old; his competition is young. He's crafty; they're brute. He's become the sport's Elder Statesman. Last summer, I watched Michael Phelps talk to him almost reverently...then proceed to destroy him en route to setting a world record in the 200 IM. So the Trials I suspect -- hope -- will be an operatic clash of generations.

If Tom is the Elder Statesman, Jochums has become the unpredictable Rock Star that people admire but tiptoe around. It's fairly funny. I keep up with them because I still swim at SCSC (though my sagging stomach suggests otherwise). Sometimes I manage to get out of bed in the morning solely to stand on deck and feel the vigor and passion. If you ever...EVER...want to know why it is important to pursue greatness, ask Dick Jochums.

Again - Thanks for the attention and all the interesting reviews/comments. It's most appreciated. I'm midway through my next book -- a historical-fiction novel that's about as removed from Olympic swimming as you can get...until you get into the passion/motivation/drive that fuels the characters. I think I'll throw in a drowning just for some continuity.

Cheers, P.H. Mullen, Author of "Gold in the Water"

phmullen@goldinthewater.com

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P.H. Mullen

I would tend to agree. You have only so much energy and focus to devote. The better you get the harder it is to improve. At that level flawless form and the highest level of conditioning require all your focus and energy. The additional resistance of paddles is probably all that is required for "weight lifting" because of the additional resistance through the exact movement for your sport. However, for us normal joes the benefit of weight lifting at least part of the year is body composition. Unless you incorporate some heavier lifting ( squats, deadlift, bench press) at least during some portion of the year I guarantee that as you get into your 40's and 50's although you may maintain the same weight your body composition will change. The best way to keep your metabolism ramped up is to maintain your lean body mass. A great time for this is during the off season when your doing your less intense longer easier work outs. During the competitive season I would not. It takes to much away from your ability to train hard. However if you like the skinny arm skinny leg, doughy potbelly look forget lifting for the long haul.

Again, I'm 45. Having had foot surgery one month ago, I had swimming as my only form of exercise (not counting walking with crutches, which is some exercise in itself). I did about 18 workouts in three weeks, and was amazed at the muscle mass I added to my upper body, and at the return of some speed after many years off. Maybe I'm a fluke, but I have no problem with maintaining muscle mass (upper body and legs) with merely training the three sports.

Ken Lehner

P.S. If you ever go three weeks without any weight bearing exercise on one leg, be warned: you won't be able to walk the next day if your first run is a hilly 4 miler...

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"Go yell at an M&M"