Caeleb Dressel is one of the most successful swimmers in US history. He holds multiple world, Olympic, and American records. His journey to becoming an elite athlete involves a combination of rigorous training, mental fortitude, and a carefully managed diet. After experiencing burnout in 2022, Dressel took a break to reassess his relationship with the sport and prioritize his well-being. Now, with a renewed passion for swimming and a new perspective on life, he is back in the pool, training for the Paris Olympics.
A Champion's Perspective on Time and Motivation
The birth of his son has given Dressel a different perspective. He is no longer racing for himself. He knows he has a different set of eyes that are looking at him now. It's a pressure that he welcomes.
Dressel finds motivation in pushing his body to its limits and seeing how far he can go. He enjoys the challenge swimming offers every day in practice and tries to hone in on ways to perfect that movement through technique. He views his accomplishments as a byproduct of his training and relishes the mental and physical challenges the sport presents. He believes in outworking his teammates and never letting self-doubt take hold, "Just don’t let your mind play tricks on you. Don’t let self-doubt answer for you".
Managing the Demands of Elite Swimming
Dressel acknowledges the demanding nature of swimming and the importance of managing its challenges. He emphasizes the fairness of the sport, where individual performance determines the outcome. He welcomes new challenges and constantly seeks ways to improve. After taking time away from the sport due to burnout, Dressel realized the importance of appreciating himself beyond his athletic achievements. He recognized the human element in his profession and the need to balance his athletic pursuits with his personal life. He enjoys taking care of his chickens, walking his dog, and making jokes with his wife.
The Warm Welcome Back
Upon his return to swimming, Dressel was met with overwhelming support from the swimming community. Feeling missed by the sport and welcomed back by teammates, the media, and fans, made it easier to return to what he loves. He feels grateful for the opportunity to give back to a sport that has taught him so much.
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Caeleb Dressel's Diet: Fueling an Olympic Dream
Dressel focuses on maintaining a clean diet, emphasizing whole, natural foods. He estimates that “90% percent” of his food intake is “super clean.” He and his wife raise their own chickens for eggs and had a cow butchered for meat, emphasizing their commitment to eating clean and raising their own food. They also have garden boxes where they grow squash, zucchini, cucumber, dill, oregano, rosemary and chili peppers. He typically eats five to six eggs for breakfast, along with fruit like blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and a banana. He might also have a bagel or toast with butter and honey.
He keeps his lunch light to avoid swimming on a full stomach. After his second practice, he has a pre-dinner snack like pistachios or leftovers. Dinner usually consists of seafood, such as salmon, with some type of green. He tries to avoid candy due to his sweet tooth, viewing it as a challenge to his mental discipline. However, he does indulge in sweets like Happy Cola gummies, Reese’s, Hot Tamales, Crumbl Cookies, and key lime pie in moderation.
A Typical Day of Eating
- Breakfast: Five to six eggs (over medium), blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, a banana, and a bagel or toast with butter and honey.
- Lunch: A light meal to avoid swimming on a full stomach.
- Pre-Dinner Snack: Pistachios or leftovers.
- Dinner: Salmon with some type of green, or meat from their cow.
Cheat Meals
Despite his disciplined diet, Dressel allows himself occasional cheat meals. He enjoys Reese's peanut butter cups and chicken wings. After the Tokyo Olympics, he and his teammates celebrated by indulging in various treats.
Caeleb Dressel's Workout Routine: Honing Explosive Power
Dressel's training regimen is intense, involving multiple practice sessions in the pool and strength training in the weight room. He typically wakes up at 5 AM and is at the pool by 6 AM for a long aerobic session. This session focuses on building endurance and increasing heart rate. After the morning swim, he spends about an hour and a half in the weight room. The afternoon practice is dedicated to speed-based work, with lighter yardage but higher intensity.
His lifting routine is designed to develop and maintain explosive strength off the block, so it mainly includes cleans, power cleans, jerks and snatches. He’ll usually end his power days with some box jumps and medicine ball throws to help build up his burst as well.
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Here's a typical power-building workout that Dressel uses:
- Hang Clean Pull: 3 sets of 5 reps
- Hang Cleans: 5, 5, 3, 3, 3
- Hang Snatch: 5, 5, 3, 3, 3
- Seated Box Jumps: 5 sets of 3 reps
- Box Jump to Backwards Overhead Med Ball Throw: 10 rounds
- Med Ball Slams: 5 sets of 10 reps
- Weighted Sled Sprints: 8 rounds of 20 yards
Dressel emphasizes the importance of strength training as a way to improve both physically and mentally. He sees the gym as a sanctuary where he can focus on self-improvement.
The Impact of Lifestyle on Sperm Health
Lifestyle factors, including diet, sleep, and exercise, can significantly impact sperm health. Dressel's diet, which includes honey, may improve sperm count and quality. However, intense exercise, like his rigorous training, can release stress hormones that might affect sperm production and quality. Chocolate milk, a post-workout recovery drink for Dressel, contains a high amount of sugar.
Stress and poor sleep can also contribute to unhealthy sperm. Dressel prioritizes mental health by journaling, powering down devices, and relaxing before bed.
Mental Strength and Training
Mental toughness is something Caeleb has demonstrated throughout his career. He believes in outworking his teammates and never letting self-doubt take hold, "Just don’t let your mind play tricks on you. Don’t let self-doubt answer for you". This mindset is a key element of his approach to both training and competition.
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Caeleb's training extends beyond swimming. He participates in other sports like baseball, volleyball, and basketball, which he believes provide significant mental benefits despite the energy it takes to keep up with them.
Rituals and Superstitions
Caeleb believes it was his father who first taught him to swim, although his memory is a bit fuzzy. He remembers crying the first time he was taught the butterfly stroke - luckily that’s not the case anymore. Despite exploring lots of different sports growing up, the individuality of swimming is what got him hooked.
A standout moment in his early swimming career came unexpectedly when he was just four years old. Not entered in a swim meet intended for his older sister, he jumped in the pool, swam 25 yards, and triumphantly declared, "I won, I won." This moment spurred his parents to enroll him in swimming properly.
Like many athletes, Dressel has pre-competition rituals. One habit that’s stuck with him since he was a kid is always leaving the strings of his tech suits hanging out, "I used to not even tie my strings as a kid, so I’m making progress”. This small ritual is something he’s never changed, and it seems to have worked for him up until now.