Lionel Sanders says he’s finally ready to train like a swimmer

While much of his last video posted on YouTube is focused on the “Dual in the Desert” (yes, they know that’s the incorrect spelling – it’s what was written on the trophy!), Lionel Sanders’ intro to the video offers some important insight into his new approach to swimming. Sanders describes himself as a “pro YouTuber with a swim minor” who is ready to make a dramatic change in his training approach.

“Part of swimming is racing,” Sanders says. “I’ve been doing 12 years of coming to the pool, telling coaches ‘I’m a triathlete, I need threshold freestyle 24/7. I can’t be doing anything other than threshold freestyle all the time. If I do threshold freestyle all the time, with really bad form, I’m going to get better at swimming.’ I’ve told to coaches for 12 straight years. I’ve encountered a lot of great coaches over the years, and I’ve never listened to them. I’ve told them what to do.”

“So, finally, after retiring from triathlon and becoming a professional YouTuber, I feel confident enough to come to the pool and say ‘Coach, I’m a swimmer. I’m on the long term – I’ve got all the time in the world. Give me the swim program,'” Sanders continues. (We’re pretty sure he’s joking about retiring from triathlon – he’s set to race Ironman 70.3 Indian Wells-La Quinta next month.) “Why do we triathletes think that we don’t have to pay the dues that Lucy Charles (-Barclay), Alistair Brownlee, Sam Laidlow, Aaron Royle, Ben Kanute [have done] – why do we not have to pay the dues that these people paid?”

“Long story short, I’m a swimmer now,” Sanders says. “I want the kick sets. I’m over on the racks, doing sprint sets …”

So, on a weekend when the rest of the athletes in his training group were off to a swim meet, Sanders decided to take on his videographer, Talbot Cox in three races – 100 m free, 100 m IM and 50 breast stroke.

We’ll let you watch the video to see who takes the day!