How To Swim the 100m Fly According To The Fastest Swimmer In The World (Gretchen Walsh)

Gretchen isn't just fast, she's redefining what speed in the water looks like. I definitely think part of it is my genetics. From her phenomenal underwaters to NCAA dominance, I got to interview the fastest underwater swimmer in history. And we go beyond the medals and the world records to understand exactly what makes her the best in the world and what swimmers like you can learn from her approach. Walk me through the 100 fly. What are you thinking about? Do you go by stroke count? How do you feel it out? My start isn't that great. Maybe that's something I could work on. But she's now a veteran on the U.S. national team. And for Gretchen, representing Team USA isn't just about the race itself. It's about carrying the weight of a dream that started when she was a little girl and now living it alongside her idols. Listen to how she describes the deeper meaning behind wearing red, white, and blue. It's always been a dream of mine. So, I mean, it's really just a dream come true, to be honest. I feel like even my first team, it was so surreal for me to be up there with my idols competing for the same team. And it really is special competing for something more than yourself. So it's inspiring. It's really amazing to come back home and know that I have so many people cheering me on as well. It's easy to focus only on what happens in the pool. But the real magic of being on Team USA is what happens outside of competition. From bonding with teammates to adventures halfway around the world, Gretchen's stories remind us that the journey builds the champion, not just the medals and the training. I am lucky enough to call some of the people that I've shared national teams with my best friends. Even just from this summer, got to meet elephants. Those are my favorite animals in Thailand. That was really awesome. More so than anything, it's just been funny little things. Like when we don't pack right and the weather is freezing cold and we have to stuff paper up our sweatshirts to keep us insulated. It's all of the moments where you are learning a lesson. You're adapting and you're kind of going through something together that you really bond and get close with one another. Now we get technical. Gretchen's underwaters are a masterclass in hydrodynamics and what's possible when you refine a physical skill. It's legendary. The kind of skill that leaves other swimmers chasing bubbles by the 15 meter mark. She breaks down the biomechanics behind her dolphin kick and the small quirks that give her an advantage in and out of the water. I definitely think part of it is my genetics. I have very hyper-extended knees and elbows and it allows me to be very flexible, especially with the dolphin kick, that undulation. I can make a C one way and the other way because my knees are just weird like that. But more so than anything, I feel like I've seen videos of myself swimming where I notice like my head position. I'm not looking directly at the bottom. I'm looking slightly up. My arms are very still and streamlined. I have a really good streamline. I would say one thing that's kind of quirky about it is I don't put my pinkies in the streamline. Maybe that's something I could work on, but I kind of flare them out. I don't know why that is, but I think, you know, my start isn't that great. But once I dive in, I'm able to come up first at 15. And so that's kind of my strength. What's remarkable is how consistent she is on every wall. And not only that, look at the mechanics underwater. I filmed her for over an hour underwater, and it's clear that she's doing some things that most swimmers simply don't do. Look at her total body engagement. Look at the way her core is engaged, the amplitude of the kick, the flexibility of her ankles through her toes. And check out this underwater fast 50 that I filmed. She took just four strokes on the first length. And when she comes off the wall, look at how streamlined her body is. Her dolphin kick is incredible to watch in slow motion. So be sure to check out a full analysis video that I did where I break down exactly how she's swimming so fast and what you can learn from her. Now, if you've ever wondered how an elite swimmer thinks during a race, here's your chance because Gretchen doesn't just swim the 100 fly. She calculates it down to every kick, every breath, and exactly how many strokes that she takes. This is the blueprint for swimming that event and being the fastest in the world. I definitely go by stroke count. Everything I do is super technical and number oriented because I did the 100 fly long course most recently. I dive in. I do eight kicks. I don't breathe on the first stroke, but I breathe every single other stroke of the race. Sometimes I'll put my head down for the finish, but it's a game time decision for me. I take 17 strokes on the first 50, which isn't a lot. And I've been working on that. My distance per stroke was the main focus of the whole summer for me. And then when I turn, I do 11 kicks on my underwater, again, just to hammer home. I try to keep my easy speed on the first 50 to retain some energy for the last 50. I'm definitely a drop dead sprinter. I like to fly and dive. So anything I've got left, I give in that last little bit and hopefully to get my hands on the wall and 19 strokes coming home. What separates great swimmers from legends isn't just talent. It's curiosity, continuous growth and development. And Gretchen treats swimming like a science experiment, tweaking, adjusting, and constantly searching for those extra tens of a second, even hundreds of a second. Now, this mindset shows that even at the top, learning never stops. You continue to push and you continue to find ways to improve yourself. I think it's so important, especially at my age. I'm 22, and I feel like a lot of people's growth in the score takes place when they're 13, 14. You can make these big time drops still, but it gets harder and harder the older you get. So focusing on those super small technical details is so important and key for me to continue advancing in the sport. To do that, I just really listen to my coach. I think coachability is a huge part of how I've gotten to where I am today. I love kind of making these little tweaks, especially with the numbers, something that I enjoy doing. And I think it makes all the difference at the end of the day. Behind every gold medalist is a story of failure, frustration and persistence. Gretchen doesn't shy away from those moments. Instead, she shares how they've shaped her resilience. For young swimmers chasing their own Olympic dreams, her words hit home. Coachability is obviously important, but never give up is the biggest cliche ever. But my career has not been perfect. I've had a lot of setbacks, a lot of failures, some would say. And it's in those moments that I learn the most about who I am as a swimmer and how I'm going to overcome that. I think perseverance can be hard at times, especially the mental component of swimming is really tough. And so at times, I had to take little breaks from the sport, reflect on why I just love swimming, why I have a genuine love of the sport. And that's when I rediscover my dreams, rediscover my love. And then I'm able to come back to the pool with a newfound sense of motivation and drive and perseverance. So, yeah, I would just say never give up on your dreams because I was that little girl, you know, wanting to go to the Olympics in fourth grade, drawing myself in art class, winning a gold medal. So things can happen if you work for it and you really set your mind to it. Swimming isn't just for the young. It's a sport for life. Gretchen's perspective on how even master swimmers can improve is a reminder that technique and mindset matter at every age. This is interesting because I feel like I only coach or give advice to younger kids. So it's cool to see it from the other perspective of like master swimmers trying to get better too. I think that looking at my career, I've dropped more time than I ever thought I would in college. And to me, that was kind of like it's a never too late thing. I think that master coaches are just as important as a college coach or a club coach or whatever. So it's important to listen to them, listen to the details. I feel like as you get older, some things that people forget are paying attention to your length. I'm 6'1 and a half. My coach is always like, swim like you're 6'1. Don't swim like you're 5'2. And so I think that's something that's helped me and I know it helps other people too. So maybe that's a good piece of advice for master swimmers. Whether you're 12, 24, 55 or 75, there's something to take away from this approach. You can keep swimming fast as you get older and maybe even get faster because you've gotten stronger or you've improved your technique or found other ways to simply swim faster by improving some aspect of your training or your race preparation. And if you're looking to level up your own swimming, check out the resources I have linked down below. Whether you're reading my books, download the MySwimPro app or join me in person for a retreat where we get to work one-on-one to improve your technique and enjoy the sport of swimming. I'm here to support you to swim for life. Continue to dream big and give yourself grace because it's not the easiest journey, but it's a rewarding one. What you just saw is Gretchen at her best, but her story is only half the picture of the Walsh sisters because her sister Alex is also an Olympic medalist. And together, these Walsh sisters are rewriting what it means to dominate the sport for Team USA. Now, if you want to dive deeper into their journey from their backstory of becoming world class athletes, check out my other video on the Walsh sisters. Trust me, you don't want to miss it. I'll see you over there and happy swimming.