What does it actually take to outswim the biological aging clock when your body, joints, or cardiovascular system start pushing back? How does an athlete continue getting up on the starting blocks well into their 90s after serious heart procedures? Yes, I confirmed Yoshi said he has 7 stents.

In this episode, we sit down on the pool deck with 1952 Olympic Gold Medalist and Masters Swimmer Yoshi Oyakawa. At 93 years old, Yoshi is living proof of lifelong athletic longevity. But his secret isn't reckless grit or grinding through pain—it’s an ongoing masterclass in adapting your training, listening to your body, and completely reframing your relationship with competition.

Whether you’re recovering from a medical setback, fighting shoulder stiffness, or wondering how many more years you have in the pool, Yoshi breaks down the daily philosophy and training shifts required to stay fast, healthy, and on the blocks for life.

Inside this episode, you’ll discover:

• The Cardiovascular Boundary: How Yoshi structures his 600–700-meter workouts to stay fit without triggering breathlessness or cardiovascular overload.
• The Shoulder Longevity Choice: Why Yoshi refused to adopt modern stroke fads—and how sticking to his natural biomechanics preserved his upper body for over eight decades.
• The Pre-Race Mindset Reset: The subtle mental prayer shift Yoshi made that immediately cured race-day anxiety and unlocked peak performance behind the blocks.
• The Power Base Secret: The unconventional childhood dryland routine that built Yoshi’s legendary kick power and sustained his speed late in life.
• The Modern Technique Trap: The biggest equipment and stroke evolutions Yoshi has witnessed over 70+ years of racing—and which technical factors actually matter as you age.
• The Century Mark Goal: Yoshi’s mindset on competing into the 95–99 age bracket, and the pact he made with fellow Olympic legends to race at age 100.

Email us and/or find out more about the host at www.KellyPalace.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

Big news friends! After eight incredible years, over 325 episodes, 9 podcasting awards, and more than 1 million downloads, Champions Mojo for Masters Swimmers is officially evolving into Outswim for Masters Swimmers.

What does it mean to Outswim? It’s more than dropping tenths of a second on the clock. It’s what happens when you dive in and choose to keep moving forward:

• Outswimming the Obstacles: Pushing past time away from the water, injury, illness, fear, grief, and trauma.
• Outswimming the Limits: Rising above external expectations, self-doubt, and the competition.
• Outswimming the Clock: Finding peace, strength, and community as we actively outswim the aging curve and the competition.

What You Need to Know:

• No action needed: Your subscription, show feed, and back catalog remain completely intact. You don’t have to change a single setting in your podcast app!
• Same championship content: Expect the same deep-dive interviews with world-class coaches and Olympic champions, practical training takeaways, and weekly pool-deck inspiration. And most importantly how to swim better as we age.
• New digital home: Explore our fresh look and episode library at outswimpodcast.com (all previous links forward automatically).
• In this special announcement, host Kelly Palace shares the heart, purpose, and deeper meaning behind our new name.
  
  

When we launched in 2018, our mission was to bring you the mindset and mojo of champions. Over nearly a decade, we discovered that our most impactful conversations weren’t just about winning races—they were about how swimmers overcome life’s toughest obstacles.

To every listener who made those 1 million downloads possible—thank you. This evolution is for you.

Keep training, and let’s go outswim whatever holds us back!

Connect with the Show:

• Website: outswimpodcast.com
• Follow & Subscribe: If you love the show, please leave a quick rating or review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify!

Email us and/or find out more about the host at www.KellyPalace.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.

We talk with All-American masters swimmer and physical therapist, 55-year-old Margaret Conze, about the day she suffered a sudden stroke at a swim meet despite being in peak shape, and the split-second choice to call 911 that got her life-saving treatment in time. We also dig into the hidden causes behind unexpected health events in active adults, how she returned to racing even stronger, and what masters swimmers can do to train hard while staying health-aware.

• The subtle first warning signs at the pool—and why embarrassment cannot win in a medical crisis
• Trusting your gut when something feels off and insisting on immediate emergency care
• Visual changes, strange body sensations, and one-sided weakness as urgent red flags
• How a standard home blood pressure cuff can serve as a quick reality check
• The unexpected cardiac finding behind her stroke that affects up to 25% of people
• The "golden window": what it takes to stop neurological damage in real time
• The psychological and physical path from the ICU back to national top times
• Strength training essentials every masters swimmer needs for long-term joint health
• Using physical therapy as proactive maintenance rather than injury reaction
• Hand paddles and shoulder risk: why you can’t judge the strain until 24 to 48 hours later

Would you consider leaving us a five star review on Apple? That's like getting a best time for us. Kelly and our team would be so grateful.

Email us and/or find out more about the host at www.KellyPalace.com. Opinions discussed are not medical advice, please seek a medical professional for your own health concerns.