Swimming

What did/do you enjoy more: racing Cielo back in the day or racing Caeleb Dressel now? 

These are two very different situations. With Caesar being a country mate, we try to have this kind of working together vibe, you know. And with Caeleb, I mean, he's just so much faster than what Caesar used to be. I believe he's so much more even talented and skillful. It's crazy. So it's a much-- it's a much bigger challenge, I think.

Comparing Caesar and Caeleb is like comparing apples and oranges. Caesar was a country mate, so working together was more natural, while Caeleb is much faster and more talented, making it a much bigger challenge.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/z1md0myo3jhdnb0orjp0.vtt

What are the physiological benefits of increasing lactate levels during race warmups?

Hmm. If you're Sprinter you're going to need that lactate a little bit higher than usual before you go to race. And that's why most printers when you're well-trained and you're an actual Sprinter, you're going to use that lactate as fuel right. Not to dive into the whole physiological explanation because I'm know I'm not a doctor. I'm not a scientist but it does help you. But first, you gotta find What threshold? It's it's best for you, myself. I like to walk behind a blocks between 10 and 13 points of lactate.

For sprinting, an optimal lactate threshold range is between 10-13 points. This will provide the most efficient energy source for the sprint.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/fpptoiu7uqt2yav7uawl.vtt

What should you do if you feel bad in the water during warm-up?

You just trust the process and you follow the plan, I had many opportunities before when I felt terrible warming up from my main, my big race. And the last one I remember was right before the 50 finals and the 2019 World Championship, right? So I remember to look at my coach at that time. She'll and she looked to me, like, dude, what are you doing? Why you look so Bad. And I didn't really know but because of maybe the food, maybe I didn't sleep. Well, maybe the jet lagged the time difference. I don't know, I wasn't feeling my greatest. So what happened is that? I was mature enough to understand that there was a possibility that can happen before race, but I'm still very much in shape. I have just one might win 1521 for kind of time the night before, so I knew I could do it. And it's not about how you feel so much how you feel is just some. It's very extra to the rest of the whole racing process. You just have to, you just have to emulate and do what your, what your body was trained to do and let your body in your mind, run free.

It's important to trust the process and follow the plan even if you don't feel your best. Mature athletes understand that feeling bad before a race is normal and can be caused by many factors, such as jet lag, time difference, and food. To succeed, you must still do what your body was trained to do and let your body and mind run free.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/cj81i5mpclyc4irpk60q.vtt

Meet warm up. What is the goal? Increase heart rate? Feel the water? Find some speed?  Or must it be specific for the event? 

Petrus, for me. It's about being awake and feeling ready for the race, regardless of what I do before during warmup. I know not always swim but what I always do our Fest which movements usually with medicine balls, very very explosive movements. Something between 4 to 6 reps of Phil jumps and even early when I get to the facility a little rope jumping and that usually makes me feel good to go.

I typically prepare for a race by doing explosive movements like medicine ball exercises and Phil jumps, as well as some rope jumping when I first get to the facility.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/afxgszwk9b8qeoegbdnv.vtt

Bruno, where I live, I get bullied a lot for shaving my body hair. You've already been through this. How have you dealt with it?

Hey, Arthur that stuff, man, I went through some bully myself in my high school years. And I used to get very frustrated with it, but I want to tell you something, man. Try to think of beliefs. As people that they're struggling inside themselves, when they pick on you for something that talks a lot more about their own insecurities and their own issues than their then honestly, anything about you. There's nothing wrong with you, man. You're doing your sport. You're doing the best you can you just doing what you love? Let the bullies just my opinion. I know it might seem Tough and the beginning, but try to be compassionate with bullies because as I said, they they just channeling all their struggle and insecurities and, and all their, like, mental Terrors into into, picking on you, you know, so, just keep doing what you're doing. Talk to your parents, talk to friends or trust, talk to people, you trust about it. People who think can help you, but don't let that ruin your day. Your, I am sure. And I know for a fact, you were much stronger than that. All right.

Try to be compassionate with the bullies, they are struggling with their own insecurities. Talk to people you trust about it so that it doesn't ruin your day, and know that you are stronger than the bullying.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/v63bku5papxlnazyawy4.vtt

Do you avoid sex before a competition? Why?

Absolutely not. Why? Because a happy swimmer is a fast swimmer.

No, because a happy swimmer is a fast swimmer.

https://assets.anyquestion.com/raw/upload/arpjne9ff7kg4k2jybal.vtt

Bruno Fratus answers your Swimming questions. See all the advice Bruno Fratus has and get answers to your own Swimming questions.

Ask Bruno Fratus on AnyQuestion

Bruno Fratus is a professional swimmer from Brazil. A sprint freestyle specialist, Fratus competed in the 2012 London Olympics and represented Brazil in front of a home crowd at the Rio Olympics. Fratus won several medals at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai and 2011 Pan American Games in Guadalajara. In 2012, he finished fourth in the 50m freestyle at the London Olympics and won a bronze in the 400m freestyle relay. He also underwent shoulder surgery in 2014 and had a great comeback year. At the 2014 Pan Pacific Championships, he won gold in the 50m freestyle and bronze in the 400m freestyle relay. At the 2015 World Championships in Kazan, he won a bronze in the 50m freestyle, and at the 2015 Pan American Games, he won silver in the 50m freestyle and gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay. In 2019, Fratus won a silver medal in the 50m freestyle at the World Championships, 2 gold medals at the Pan American Games. At the 2020 Olympic Games he won his first Olympic medal.