An Insightful Conversation with Olympic Champion Kyle Chalmers on Training & Mental Health

Episode 495 of The Man That Can Project Podcast. This conversation between Lachlan Stuart and Kyle Chalmers, an Australian swimmer and Olympic gold medalist. They discuss various topics, including Kyle's training regimen, his approach to competition, and his experiences with health issues.

Kyle shares his philosophy on training, emphasizing the importance of focusing on small, fundamental aspects of his performance. He believes that by mastering these elements, he can achieve the outcomes he's aiming for. He also discusses his love for the challenge of pushing through pain during a race, viewing it as a mental battle that he often wins.

Kyle opens up about his health issues, specifically his experience with supraventricular tachycardia, a condition where his heart rate would suddenly increase. He had three surgeries to address this condition, which was eventually resolved in 2019. He also shares a moment when he experienced a heart rate spike just before a race, which greatly affected his performance.

In addition to his physical health, Kyle discusses his mental health. He talks about the pressure and expectations that come with being a high-profile athlete, and how these factors have affected his mental well-being.

He shares his experiences with injury and how it not only impacted his physical health but also his mental and emotional state. He mentions a period when he considered retiring from swimming due to the toll it was taking on his mental health.

However, Kyle found a way to reignite his love for swimming by changing his environment and focusing on enjoying the sport again. He emphasizes the importance of maintaining a balance between his professional and personal life, spending time with family and friends, and doing things he enjoys outside of swimming.

Kyle also highlights the importance of working with professionals, like psychologists, to manage his mental health. He believes in the value of regular check-ins, even when he feels he doesn't need them, as a way to address any issues that might be weighing him down.

The conversation ends with the host thanking Kyle for his time and wishing him luck for the upcoming world championships. Kyle expresses his hope that listeners can learn from his experiences and apply some of his insights to their own lives.