This past weekend in Fishers, Indiana, USA National Team butterfly specialist, Tyler McGill, raced Michael Andrew after a Fitter and Faster Swim Tour event. Andrew, who just turned thirteen, had been looking forward to the race since Tyler posted a video offering Michael the opportunity to go head-to-head.
“I saw that this kid was breaking national age group record after record, and I thought it’d be fun,” Tyler explained on deck moments before the race.
The Fishers High School pool started Michael’s record run. He broke the first three at the Santa Claus Invitational back in December, 2011. Before he turned thirteen, Michael had twenty 11&12 NAG records under his belt.
Michael is tall. That’s the first thing you notice about him. He’s over six feet. His father and coach is 6’5, and his mother, Tina, is 6’2. “His growth plates are wide,” his father said. “He’s going to be tall. How tall? We don’t know, but he’s going to grow a lot more.”
While tall, Michael’s still very much a kid, long and stringy, elbows and collar-bones protruding, all sharp edges. He’s definitely got more development ahead of him.
The Andrew family, fresh off a vacation in Florida, was low-key as Michael and Tyler talked on deck.
“We’re going to race a 50 fly,” Tyler said, turning around, “a 25 free, and…”
“And we’re going to race a 25 breast,” Michael chimed in, smiling.
I asked Michael if he’d done his research, if he knew breast was not Tyler’s strongest stroke.
“No,” Michael shrugged. “I just like it.”
Tyler grinned. “It’s a 25 yard breast. I can do a 25.”
Each race happened in quick succession, almost like a lacate set in practice.
Michael’s 23.80 in the 50 fly was, perhaps, his best swim, only 13 one-hundreds off his best time. Tyler’s 21.67 was not fast, though after a long day of conducting a swimming clinic, he said, “you know, I’ll take it.”
After Michael’s 10.21 in the 25 free, he shook Tyler’s hand, then rolled his head from side-to-side. It was clear he wanted to go faster.
“That’s a little off his best,” his father gently offered. “He’s been a 9.7 in practice, but 25s aren’t the easiest to do… It’s ok, Michael. Good swim.”
Michael smiled, looked at Tyler, then back to us, “His (Tyler’s) underwaters are so fast.”
On deck before the 25 breast, you could see Michael getting ready, focusing. This was it, his last swim. Off the blocks, his reaction time was faster, and it appeared his underwater pullout had a little more ooomph. (I was shooting from underwater with a GoPro.) While Tyler got more distance with his pullout, on the surface Michael stayed with him stroke for stroke.
Tyler almost laughed when he saw his time, 12.61. “That, I think, may be my personal best in the 25 breast.”
As quickly as the races started, they were over and everyone was laughing and joking, discussing where to get a bite to eat. That’s when I noticed that Tyler and Michael has slipped away. They were up in stands, crouched over talking, just the two of them.
“That’s what this was really about,” Michael’s dad said, “a chance to talk and be friends.”
Bobo GiGi…. I’m curious, just like CHESTROCKWELL. His training is what David Marsh does for his elites, but elites who have had years of hard training under them, years of putting down a big base (except for Schneider). According to Michael’s dad/coach, he’ll slowly start to up the yardage always keeping an eye on quality + speed. Something tells me he’ll swim a great 400 IM by 16 or 17, a time that will wow, but I can’t see him focusing there when he can do the 50 & 100s. The sprints offer so much more in terms of relays & opportunities to medal at important meets along the way. Also, and this is way off in the future, if… Read more »
Even his 200’s of stroke are curious to me. The sprinting he has down, obviously, but will be be able to come home in the 200 breast/back as well without the “necessary” aerobic base. I used the “” because I’m keeping an open mind.
Chest – FWIW, he broke a NAG Record in the 200 breast as well, though the other strokes may be more telling. 200 IM’s haven’t been bad; not record-breaking but decent.
My guess is that they’ll probably spend the next year trying, expanding yardage, since he (probably?) won’t break many NAG Records as a 13-year old anyway. In that sense, I guess they’re being patient…
The type of training that Michael uses and Dr. Brent Rushall advocates is called “ultra-short race pace training” (USRP). It is most definitely aerobic training, in that it *does* tax the aerobic energy system. The aerobic energy system does not “turn off” the moment you stop moving. While you can never isolate a discrete energy system in training, you can stimulate the aerobic system at the levels its expected to perform in a race for longer than that race’s distance through USRP.
If you’re interested in learning more, you may want to visit the 55 page treatise on Energy Systems Training in the 21st Century (Item 39) here. If you’re not sure, check out of either of the summaries (Items… Read more »
Mel Stewart, do you think Michael Andrew will become in the future more a sprinter in the 50 free and the 100 free or an all-round swimmer until the 400 IM? Because when I see his results he’s great in every stroke.
This is a great question, and what I’m really interested in. If this kid comes out with a good 400 IM, I’m going to be incredibly impressed since his training up until now is the antithesis of what a “typical” 400 IM star does during these formative years. I’m not saying he needs to be doing 10k a day, but 2500-3500 three times a week is the opposite extreme. It will be fun to watch from the sidelines.
Don’t have much to add to what’s been said so far, but if there’s ever a reason to think maaaaaaybe this Andrew stuff might be getting overblown, this would be it. (An exhibition race? Don’t forget the $400 bathing suit!)
Coach Erik – “3” – I actually like that this will build his confidence. “Going to his head” is a negative way of putting it, but there’s a positive feeling when you put win after win behind you. MP, and I’m sorry for using him as an example, has a look about him in the ready room. I’ve watched him. He’s racing to win. His willpower comes off of him like a wave of energy that hits you in the chest. I’ve witnessed it with a lot of great swimmers; Gross, Popov, etc. That process — building confidence — starts very early in a swimmer’s career…
MEDIA: I’ve witnessed talented swimmers get immune to media, 99% of them. They know… Read more »
I hope there will not be a new big debate about Michael Andrew because it’s a little boring. And what happens? A new debate. Yes Braden I don’t understand all these criticisms. These are always the same. For the Speedo contract yes I know it’s a little soon but I wish him that.
As a swimming fan from France I follow Michael Andrew since 2 years with age group times but numbers are only numbers and I’m very happy to watch him since last year on videos. When I watch this video I don’t see a sad swimmer, I see a swimmer who plays in the water. And it’s great. I’m happy to follow his career thanks to your… Read more »
Thoughts, for what its worth…
1. I have no way to doubt GMM, was never that fast, but I can’t argue on most so I won’t even try. With your obvious background, if you think he is the real deal, he is on his way. We will have to check back in two years to see where he is to make a better assessment as observers in the Michael Andrew Experience.
2. 10 Year Speedo contract? Easy Bobo, that would be good for him financially… BUT, you start thinking too much about contracts, sponsorships, fame you lose sight of what is really important about swimming. He is obviously enjoying it, lets leave it at that, shall we?
3. The problem… Read more »
BOBO GIGI, we knew about the SI, AP, CNN & ESPN coverage long before the story broke. When a kid breaks 20 NAG records, the rest of the world responds appropriately…with praise and hope for the future. (I appreciate your sarcasm, btw. The debate is getting boring at this point.)
I captured and edited the video above… I’ve done this a lot since 2007, and it’s work, time-consuming when you produce video after video. Working on the video above was simply fun. There is nothing more exciting than seeing new talent emerge. Tyler completely understands. You want to support kids along the way because swimming’s a tough sport.
As for the family, it was insightful to spend time with… Read more »
I cannot help but notice how very wide MA’s underwater pull is. I know, I know…. armchair coaching. The kid is fast. That isn’t a common technique.