Emily Seebohm

Aerobic training is important for 50 and 100-meter races, but lactate tolerance is also key for the latter. To improve one's 200m time, it is best to swim a strong first 50, an easier middle 100, and a powerful last 50.
 
Transcript: "For me personally, I only ever trained for the 200. And that way, I could always do the 150. Obviously, I didn't have that top speed that a 50 needs, but being able to be good at the 200 gave me the chance to be-- have a really strong 100 and also be really solid in the 50. So I think aerobic training is super important. But it's a matter of for 50 and 100, I think especially 100, lactate tolerance is so important because for me, I always found lactate built up really quickly towards the end and I just wasn't able to hold on. But the way that I found of raising my 200, which was basically a strong first 50 easier middle 100, and then a really strong last 50. I found, for me, that way, the lactate wasn't that bad and I could really moderate the effort that I was putting into it."

I didn't excel at school because I was so focused on swimming and it took up a lot of my time, so I chose to finish school in grade 10 instead of trying to make up the work.
 
Transcript: "I really didn't excel at school because for me swimming was my passion, it was my love, and I wanted to give it 100%. And I felt for schooling I just couldn't also give that 100%. So for me obviously I was at the Beijing Olympics. And I was in grade 10 at school, so I missed about 100 and something days of school due to training camps and the pre-Olympic camp and obviously the Olympics itself. So I really didn't have just enough time to do my schoolwork or to be able to maintain it. So for me personally I took the choice or my parents and I took the choice of finishing school at grade 10. I would have to have repeated grade 10 and then also done 11 and 12 over 3 years, so it would have just been a really drawn out process. And I think for me personally, I just felt that my swimming was something that I wanted to be 100% all in on. So I did find that really hard. I was in learning support and all those types of things to try and help me but I just couldn't keep up with the work."

I wanted to train under Michael Bowl, but due to a relationship I was in at the time I chose another coach. When that relationship ended I decided to join Michael Bowl and have absolutely loved it. He is so caring and nurturing but also tough and strict which I love.
 
Transcript: "I've always wanted to train under Michael Bowl. I just really connected with him on teams. I found him. Super easy to talk to really enjoyed spending time with him. So he was kind of, like, my second coach choice. And when Matt Brown, the coach that I was with, for 11 years left and moved to Melbourne. He was kind of like my top pick of coaches, but at the time I was dating one of his swimmers and I just I knew that that wasn't gonna work out and in Squad relationship, I didn't want that. So that was the reason why I didn't go to him first. I should have in 2015. But yeah, I didn't choose myself. I chose. I guess the relationship that I was in over that and that's probably like one of the regrets that I have but knowing like coming to him late in 2019 was kind of the perfect thing. For me, he's exactly what I needed. He was so caring and nurturing but also tough and strict and gave me, you know, the hard sets that I love and I just absolutely loved working with him. And I just feel like he really tries to understand you really kind of gives you all the tips that you need to be better. Not as it just a swimmer, but a person as well. And I absolutely loved that he is so caring and And really wants to make you a better person as well as a better swimmer. So I loved working with him and will continue to work with him because there's nowhere else. I'd rather be honestly."

The most important aspect of training to be an elite 200 backstroker is having the endurance to hold on in the last part of the race. Focus on endurance training and you will have an advantage over those who die off at the end.
 
Transcript: "I think the most important aspect of training to be an elite 200 backstroker is your ability to hold on the back end of your race. I know that a lot of people always can go out really strong in a 200 but I think if you can hold your your shit together, in better terms of words at the end of the race. That is so important. I think that a lot of people Tend to die off in that last little bit of a 200, but if you can keep and maintain that endurance training a long way through your programs. I think that's super important because people tend to really die in that last and over 200. And I think that's where you can make some serious ground. That's where I've made my ground up in the years. I think I've turned at times at the third 54th or six or something can come back and been able to Plow passed a few people on the way back because they're dying so hard. So if you can focus on that I think that's super important."

I was most impressed by William Yang winning the 100 free, as it surprised me. Other amazing swims include World Records by Zac and Arne, Mollie O'Callaghan at a young age, Bowen Gough making the team this year, Lani Pallister, and Cody Simpson.
 
Transcript: "Hey, [INAUDIBLE],, this is such a tough question because there was so many amazing swims. I think the one that impressed me the most was probably William Yang winning the 100 free. I didn't see that one coming, so that was a surprise for me. But I know that he's been working really hard with Bobby Hurley who is an old swimmer, who I swam with, so it's amazing to see that result for him and for Bobby obviously as his coach. I think obviously the World Records by Zac, by Arne were amazing, but I think we all could see they were coming. Mollie O'Callaghan, amazing, great to see her swimming so well at such a young age. And there were a few other ones like Bowen Gough that miss the team last year that made the team this year, so that was really good to see as he's a training partner of mine, as well as Lani Pallister, and also Cody Simpson. I mean, it's hard to pick just one that impressed me the most, but I would probably say William Yang."

British
 
Transcript: "I won't lie. I feel like my accent is very bogging. And I feel the British accent is very sophisticated. So maybe the British."