“That’s Why I Swim in the Dark”: Michael Phelps Revealed a Special Technique That Guaranteed His Victory Despite Sudden Adversities in the Pool

The iconic Michael Phelps underwent rigorous training methods during his quest for Olympic medals in swimming. He is one of the finest swimmers on the planet who trained 365 days a year during his prime. When someone prepares that long, understandably the level of meticulous detailing which goes into the process is high. Every minute detail brushes off a few seconds during a race. Phelps, like others, had his fair share of training methods that stood out.  

Heading into every race with a positive mindset is the key to success. But, Phelps’ training methods were distinct and unique. And he often challenged himself to get better inside the swimming pool, including coloring his goggles with a sharpie and swimming in the dark. 

Michael Phelps’ famous goggles technique

Like bodybuilding legend Arnold Schwarzenegger visualized his way to winning contests and achieving greatness, Phelps visualized to the same effect. In fact, he took it to the next level and blinded himself to prepare for future adversities. The method worked wonders. 

“I have some goggles that are pretty much colored in with a Sharpie,” said Phelps. It helps swimmers to turn before hitting the wall as they count the number of strokes or use various other methods. Phelps mastered his turns and underwater swimming. 

Wanting to be perfect in every department, he adopted this training method to better his chances of victory. He continued, “We do it so you can really feel your stroke. It’s weird, sure, but we want to be ready for literally anything that comes our way. I never want to leave that comfort zone.”

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Notably, swimming with their eyes closed can help swimmers balance their strokes from side to side. Visualizing at 12 under coach Bob Bowman, this method had a significant impact during the famous 2008 Beijing Olympics. 

Goggles filled with water!

To every swimmer, certain events can disrupt their rhythm. One of them is their goggles filled with water. It is a messy situation, and a swimmer cannot know if they reach the wall, or if the pool is murky. But, the 200-meter butterfly final saw Phelps adopt his stunning training routines. Notably, he also broke the world record, memorizing his strokes while swimming in the dark. 

“If I didn’t prepare for everything that happens, when my goggles started filling up I’d have probably flipped out. That’s why I swim in the dark,” said Phelps. It became instrumental to his success. Imagine if he did not undergo this training, would the world have seen Michael Phelps winning eight gold medals?

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To sum up, all swimming coaches widely use this training method to prepare for the worst outcome. But Phelps used it to perfection and created history. Another striking tale from the Flying Fish!