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Seven-time Olympic champion Caeleb Dressel shared his training plan after returning from his eight-month-long mental health break. The moment arrived when the 27-year-old University of Florida student recently competed at the Florida-Virginia dual meet on October 13, first time since his break in 2022.
After abruptly departing from the 2022 World Championships, Caeleb Dressel lost immense muscle mass during his break. To swim like his peak 2020 - 2021 era, the swimmer needed to work on regaining his power and muscles to compete at the approaching US Olympic Trials in June and the 2024 Paris Olympics.
At the recent dual meet, Dressel’s performance showed traces of his peak form, from 2021, in the 200m race. He swam within 1:34.98, surpassing Jake Mitchell’s 1:35.06 that he posted for the official win in the event in the college meet. Dreessel’s impressive negative split, by going in 47.51 and returning in 47.47, created headlines post-event. The 15-time long course world champion won the event whereas his competitor Mark Szaranek achieved second place by clocking 1:36.82.
After winning the event, Caeleb Dressel revealed his training routine that enabled his comeback. In an interview with Swim Outlet.com, he shared that he needed a program to work on his muscles before starting to compete. Hence, he went to Tracy Caulkins, a former member of the University of Florida in 1984, who suggested training with his team in the weight room. Dressel shared that he would perform strength training three days a week.
Furthermore, the swimmer added:
“I took two weeks out of the water right after trials and then after that got back into normal practices. We were just getting in shape, so I was swimming Monday to Saturday just singling, and then I think the college guys got back September or August, I forget that's when I started my normal like with the team program”
Caeleb Dressel faced mental health struggles before and after the Olympics
Caeleb Dressel suffered depression and anxiety due to the constant pressure of competing at his best internationally. He first experienced pressure when he clocked 19s at a 50m race and could not recreate it in the finals of his last state meet.
Moreover, his aura as a top recruit for the University of Florida continued to pressure him to be at his best. In fact, when Caeleb Dressel won five gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics, he did not experience any happiness.
He was disappointed with his inability to clock any best times. Also, the absence of legend Michael Phelps from the Olympics led to people putting their expectations on him. These expectations and pressure triggered Dressel’s depression which ultimately led to him taking a break from the sport.
