Michael Phelps Goes Live On Facebook, Discusses Race Strategy & More

Courtesy of Torrey Hart

Michael Phelps went live on Facebook this morning for just under an hour, continuing the series for which he’s reportedly getting paid $200,000.

He discussed a number of topics, but a couple stood out.

After watching noted rival Chad le Clos go take fifth in prelims at Worlds this morning with a 1:55.90, people were naturally curious as to what the GOAT’s thoughts were. He said that he could pick apart race strategies “left and right,” but in his personal opinion, one has to take out the famously brutal race conservatively.

Phelps said that you have to be in insane shape to take the race out fast and finish fast, so he prefers to keep his legs for the back half. He said that when he wasn’t in his best shape, he knew that he still could go out fast and just know that people wouldn’t catch him, but in hindsight would not recommend that strategy. Anyone who’s personally swam a 200 fly would surely agree.

Also of note was that Phelps wants to release a book. He said that there’s a lot about the last two years of his career that he’d like to share with fans, but he’s not yet sure who he would pick to write the book with. Bob Bowman wrote his book The Golden Rules with Charles Butler, so maybe he’ll be in the running.

Other Topics Covered:

• Phelps’ hardest set ever? This pyramid set: 4x25s, 4x50s, 4x75s, 4x100s, 4x125s, 4x150s, 4x175s, 4x-200s, then back down again, ending with the 25s on :14.
• Discussed his hopes for the Ravens this season (to win the division).
• Loved getting slimed at the Kids Choice Awards, but could not get the slime out of his nose.
• Picked Floyd Mayweather to win the McGregor-Mayweather fight, only because he’s actually a boxer.
• Thinks he hits golf balls 300 yards on average, but once hit one 350 yards.
• Discovery Channel shark race was COLD first and foremost. Despite criticism, he said the way they did the shark race was the best possible way, because swimming in a cage would have inhibited his speed.
• When asked about his “best opponents” to race, he couldn’t pick just one. He said that he and Lochte raced the longest together, but he wishes he had raced Ian Thorpe more often.
• He’s shocked by his haters’ “absurd” questions. Said to stop asking questions on the live stream if you don’t like him. Also noted that it makes him sad how much negativity is out there.
• Tips for new parents starting to teach their babies? Just make sure they know the basics. Michael Phelps swim schools — which are now in every state — teach the way he personally learned to swim, which involved not pushing too hard.
• He hasn’t talked to Ryan Lochte recently, but sees on Instagram that he’s enjoying fatherhood and wishes him the best in returning to swimming.
• How does Phelps handle negativity from others? He tries to only pay attention to positive people who are supportive of him and his family.

It’s always a pleasure to listen to Phelps get candid with his fans, and he ended the stream with this advice: “There are a lot of haters out there. Try not to give them the time of day.”

Until next time, Michael!