20 Amazing Bodies of Female Snowboarders

In the high-intensity world of snowboarding, it is not only the grit and spirit that pave the way for success, but also a rigid and personalized regimen that encompasses physical therapy, fitness, diet, and mental well-being. "20 Amazing Bodies of Female Snowboarders" sheds light on the behind-the-scenes preparations of twenty globally recognized female snowboarders as they spill their wellness secrets in interviews with renowned publications. From Chloe Kim's dedicated physical therapy sessions to Jamie Anderson's grounding yoga practices and Elena Hight's versatile approach to fitness, delve into the personal routines that enable these remarkable women to carve paths in the snow and in history.

1. Chloe Kim

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Chloe Kim talked about her wellness routine in an interview with Bustle. “To recover, I get physical therapy. When I’m in Los Angeles, my physical therapist, Vinh, takes care of me. When I’m in the snow, my physical therapist is Emilie. I always need someone with me on the road to ensure I’m good and ready to go.”

2. Jamie Anderson

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Jamie Anderson tells POPSugar that she loves to practice yoga. “Maybe I'm not doing like a full hour session, but just like a little meditation and some stretching and gentle movements…I know that when I'm practicing yoga regularly, I just feel a lot more grounded. I eat better and everything kind of falls into place."

3. Hannah Teter

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Hannah Teter talked about her workout routine in an interview with Sports Illustrated. “I’ve been circuit training since I was 13 years old,” she said. “It is so good for athletes. It’s really fast paced for the body and mind and you have to give it all you have at each station so training doesn't become monotonous.”

4. Torah Bright

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Torah Bright shared some of her skincare secrets in an interview with Women Fitness. “Skincare is more internal than topical for me. A good diet low in sugar and other inflammatory foods, high in good fats and veggies are what keep everything in balance for me. But I do love Osmosis skincare. Making sure I use as clean as possible ingredients but effective skincare is important.”

5. Kelly Clark

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Kelly Clark talked about how she approaches her career to CNN. “I don’t think you ever set out to break records or establish the standard, it’s a by-product of being passionate about what you do. To know that I inspire people to be great and push themselves to the limits of what they are capable of, that’s a huge success for me.”

6. Jenny Jones

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Jenny Jones is all about mindfulness. She talked about this in an interview with Hip and Healthy. “I think I really use visualisation techniques I have learnt for snowboarding with surfing, although I also think surfing lends itself to calming the mind and giving you focus as you’re usually surrounded by beautiful scenery, ocean settings and you’re away from all the distractions of technology.”

7. Elena Hight

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Elena Hight shared her fitness secrets in an interview with Women Fitness. “I do a lot of different types of training for snowboarding. I run, do yoga, surf, hike, bike, and have a strength and conditioning trainer that I work with. I have always wanted my training to benefit my snowboarding but also be fun so I try to incorporate as many different activities into my life as possible.”

8. Gretchen Bleiler

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In a 2013 interview with TODAY, Gretchen Blieler revealed that one of her favorite workouts are single-leg hamstring holds. “Push up on one leg and really push in to the heel and hold the other leg up for 5 seconds. Then you bring it down to be parallel with the other leg and hold for 5 seconds, and then you move it back up for 5 seconds. Do the whole thing for a total of 10 times. And then when you’re done, you switch it to the other leg.”

9. Aimee Fuller

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Aimee Fuller shared her diet secrets with Women Fitness. “I just try to eat as clean and healthy as possible,” she says. “I am a big advocate of yoghurt after training with nuts, my favourite is Total Greek and then I top it with Wyldsson Almond Butter. Other than that I just eat fairly normally, for sure in the winter I eat more, lots of good protein, steak and chicken with good carbs, sweet potatoes and quinoa and lots of veggies.”

10. Spencer O’Brien

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Spencer O’Brien works with a trainer to help her stay in shape. She talked about this process in an interview with Girls Life. “Any new workout with my trainer Damien is the toughest workout I’ve ever done. He makes me work harder than anyone, and every time I think I’m in awesome shape and he’s going to be super impressed, I am huffing and puffing and so sore the next day.”

11. Silje Norendal

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Silje Norendal shared her approach to working out with Garmin.com. “All the training I do is to get my body strong again after a long season, and ready for a new one. Working out has still helped me mentally in a lot of ways. I been focusing on the positives like getting my core and leg strength back. The gym has also been a place where I let go of all the sad thoughts around being hurt and been able to look forward.”

12. Anna Gasser

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Anna Gasser’s training partner, Clemens Millauer, talked about working out with her to Redbull.com. “Whenever we train together, Anna always knows before the start of the session exactly what she wants to work on,” says Millauer. “She can get really obsessive. Sometimes it might be just a tiny detail like finding the right tenth of a second for a grab. She won’t stop until she's nailed it.”

13. Sina Candrian

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Sina Candrian talked about her training process in an essay on the Horizonte Coffee Roasters website. “I am often asked what I eat when I get tired during training in and off the snow. I abstain from all energy drinks and protein drinks, because I believe that I take enough nutrients with my varied diet. Coffee is a perfect companion and a healthy stimulant for me. Coffee gives energy, wakes me up and accompanies me perfectly through the day. If it is a bit too cold on the mountain, there is nothing better for me than to flee to a restaurant and drink an espresso. Then I'm warmed up again and fit for the next jumps in the park.”

14. Cheryl Maas

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Cheryl Maas talked about how she approaches her career now to Pyramid Magazine. “Of course it’s different now, but I am also older and I am thinking more than I did when I was 19. Back then you just had a laugh and were happy to just snowboard for a living. I was always riding for fun and the love but once contracts get involved you realise what the money has to do with you. You can destroy yourself financially with injuries. I mean I’ve ripped off my shoulder and blew my ACL, so you really start to think that you need to get some dollars that reflect the risks you are taking for those companies that pay you. In later life we will feel that and won’t get pensions or a normal working wage. It’s not just fun and games, you have to look at the business side of things.”

15. Enni Rukajärvi

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Enni Rukajärvi talked about how she trains in an interview with This Is Finland. “There is actually a ski tunnel with a half-pipe that is open all year round at Vuokatti Sports Centre in Sotkamo. It’s also possible to practise jumping from water ramps, although that’s more useful for skiers and not as practical for snowboarders…The main things for me are to be able to ride as much as possible and improve my versatility as a snowboarder.”

16. Zoe Gillings-Brier

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Zoe Gillings-Brier talked about her training regime to Best Fit Magazine. “I usually train five or six times a week – one day I may swim and use that as a recovery session, sometimes I do interval training and alternate this with core strength exercises similar to those from Pilates. The days leading up to a competition I usually do training consisting of ‘on-snow’ training, which is just how it sounds. But when I am working out in the gym, I focus on lower body exercise and strengthen my glutes before working in my core, as I need core strength the whole way down. Strength is key in helping to absorb my landings.”

17. Kaitlyn Farrington

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Kaitlyn Farrington talked about the importance she puts on strength in an interview with DailyBurn. “It’s very important to be strong — especially when you fall. When you go down hard it’s easier to come back up if your muscles are prepared for it. You don’t get injured as easily if you’re strong, so you have to be on top of your fitness.”

18. Arielle Gold

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Arielle Gold shared her go-to workouts with Fit Bottomed Girls. “One of my favorite workouts is an hour of cardio, followed by a core circuit that includes bicycles, sit-ups, single-leg lowers, and planks. I do 30 reps of each, finishing with a 1-minute long plank, and I repeat that three times. I like starting a workout with cardio because it’s a good way to warm-up, and is great for helping me to feel like I am in the best shape possible.”

19. Hana Beaman

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Hana Beaman revealed in an interview with Bellingham.org that she has started picking up biking. “I’m only just getting to know all the different trails and fun people that are in the biking community here, but everybody is really cool and very intertwined with other sport circles. No matter where you live there are trails near you, and then you go out of town a bit and there’s even more. It’s almost like the neighborhood bar. There’s everyone’s regular ‘back-yard’ trail, but then you can always go out and explore the other options. Bellingham biking is really accessible and has a great variety.”

20. Mirabelle Thovex

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In an interview with Athlete Career Transition, Mirabelle Thovex talked about her approach to snowboarding. “My brother is my biggest influence, firstly, because he’s my big brother, but also because I have always been so impressed with the career he has. He’s a freestyle skier and has touched every aspect of the sport, succeeding at every point. I love his way of thinking, skiing and working.”

Some of the most prolific athletes in action sports are female. From Chloe Kim, Julia Marino, and Jamie Anderson killing it in the snowboarding world. To Lindsey Vonn and Julia Mancuso being some of the greatest skiers of all time. To Carissa Moore, Tia Blanco, and Alana Blanchard riding the waves as surfers. These women have broken barriers, won medals, and became household names. How do they stay so fit? Read on to see.

1. Chloe Kim

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Chloe Kim has won medals at the two most recent Winter Olympics for snowboarding. Kim shared her self-care practices with Allure. "I love taking a good bath…but just having conversations has been really nice: I'm talking to my parents and friends on the phone, going over the day with my coach, and meeting with my physical therapist. Being more open about how I'm feeling has been great for me, just so that everyone knows how they could support me best."

2. Lindsey Vonn

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Lindsey Vonn is a former ski racer. She shared her diet secrets in an interview with Women’s Health. Vonn says that in order to eat healthy, she sought help from a nutritionist. “If left to my own devices, I’d probably have mac and cheese and pasta and cereal. I need everything to be laid out for me, otherwise I divert quickly.”

3. Misty Copeland

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Misty Copeland is a ballerina who works with the American Ballet Theater. She opened up about her diet in her book, Ballerina Body. "Nuts have become my go-to snack. I keep a baggie or a small container of them in my purse and my locker at ABT's rehearsal studio because I've found that they satisfy my hunger and give me a quick spike of energy.”

4. Ronda Rousey

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Ronda Rousey is a very successful MMA fighter. She opened up about staying motivated to Train Magazine. “It's all about putting in the work and motivation. You have to stay motivated – force yourself to be motivated. To be the best for more than a day or a week, you have to be really driven to sustain that level and that’s difficult. Honestly, you have to make yourself get up and go train, even when you have every reason and excuse in the world not to. To reach your goals you’ve got to put in the hard work required to get there. That sounds simple, but it’s not. You have to be persistent and you have to keep that simple idea in mind at all times.”

5. Paige VanZant

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Paige VanZant is an MMA fighter. She shared her workout secrets in an interview with Vogue. “Every day is different,” she says. “It depends on what day of the week it is. We have lots of classes, wrestling, jujitsu. I do a lot of Pilates, yoga, CrossFit as well. I also try to include one relaxing workout through the week like hiking.”

6. Simone Biles

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https://celebwell.com/wp-admin/Simone Biles is one of the greatest gymnasts in history. She talked about living in the public eye with POPSugar. “Whenever I'm performing, or just on a daily basis, I try to block everything out. I also don't look at comments or anything just because I'm grateful and I love everything about myself, and I'm proud of who I am inside and out. That's definitely helped me not think about it."

7. Tia Blanco

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Tia Blanco is a successful surfer. She is open about being a vegan. Blanco talked about why she adopted this lifestyle to LiveKindly. “I think that surfing, health, and yoga all go hand in hand and help me to be the best person I can be mentally and physically. I definitely would say eating a plant-based diet benefits my practice as a yogi and a surfer because I always seem to have a lot of energy throughout my workouts.”

8. Stephanie Gilmore

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Stephanie Gilmore is one of the most successful female surfers of all time. She makes sure to do a variety of workouts. Gilmore shared her favorites in an interview with the Irish News. “Core strength is important, and the best way I’ve found to activate and develop that is Pilates. Upper-body strength is also important for paddling.”

9. Carissa Moore

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Carissa Moore is a surfer. She shared why she believes in a balanced diet with Red Bull. “I like the way that healthy food makes me feel. But I do like a nice muffin or some chocolate. It’s about moderation. My nutritionist has helped me find things that are light and also taste good. Growing up in Hawaii, food is such a beautiful social thing. It’s a big part of our culture to enjoy what you’re eating. It’s also a big part of traveling and experiencing a new place. On comp days, bananas, trail mix and GoMacro MacroBars—the banana and almond butter flavor is my favorite—are my go-to meals.”

10. Serena Williams

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Serena Williams is considered the greatest female tennis player of all time. She’s won the US Open six times. Williams opened up about her fitness routine in an interview with Vogue. “I do the cardio exercises on Tonal, which is really helpful for me just to get my body back and used to calisthenics. I don't necessarily want a trainer in my room or in the gym with me, so just having the Tonal trainers is a relief. It's just something different from what I've been doing for the past 20-plus years, and it's refreshing. But I definitely listen to my body. My favorite type of cardio is running, but my body has to be fit to be able to run or else my knees will hurt.”

11. Venus Williams

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Venus Williams has won the US Open twice. She is a vegan, and shared her favorite meals with The Beet. “I'm not a big eater in the morning. I don't usually have a ton of time to make something because I'm rushing to practice or meetings. Sometimes I'll make a quick smoothie with fresh berries and a scoop of my Happy Viking protein powder, (probably the strawberry flavor, it's my favorite) and drink this on the go. If I'm craving something sweeter, I'll add two or three dates to the smoothie. I like to take it easy in the morning and don't want to feel rushed.”

12. Jamie Anderson

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Jamie Anderson is a snowboarder. She loves to cook a lot of her own meals. Anderson shared her favorites in an interview with Us Weekly. “I make my own gee, I’ll do like a lot of golden milk in the evening,” she said. “You use like turmeric and ginger and gee with organic milk and it’s a really healing erratic Ayurvedic supplement. And yeah, I like all kinds of random food. I love cooking so when I’m home, I’m into like stir-fries, and like today I learned all different types of Korean recipes, so I’m actually stoked to go make some more delicious food.”

13. Tyler Wright

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Tyler Wright is a professional surfer, and she wants to be an advocate for others. She talked about this to ESPN. “Surfing needs people who are going to get into boardrooms and have hard conversations. I'm asking for equality for women, equality for the LGBTQ+ community, equality for Black and brown and indigenous people. I honestly don't care about winning more world titles. But I know what gets me in the room."

14. Alana Blanchard

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Alana Blanchard is a surfer. She shared her fitness routine in an interview with Grind TV. Blanchard likes to do a lot of different things to stay in shape. “I try to change it up as much as I can. It just depends on where I am. Sometimes even jumping rope and doing some lunges or doing a workout on the beach can be fun and hard."

15. Anna Gasser

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Anna Gasser is a successful snowboarder. She trains with Clemens Millauer, and he talked about working with her to Red Bull. “Whenever we train together, Anna always knows before the start of the session exactly what she wants to work on,” says Millauer. “She can get really obsessive. Sometimes it might be just a tiny detail like finding the right tenth of a second for a grab. She won’t stop until she's nailed it.”

16. Julia Marino

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Julia Marino is a successful snowboarder. She shared with Outside Online that she loves to make fruit smoothies. “It’s not too heavy. When I’m done working out and pretty warm, I’m craving something light and colder that’s easily digestible.”

17. Rachel Atherton

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Rachel Atherton is a mountain biker. She shared her typical diet in an interview with GQ. “When it comes to training, we don’t fix a rigid schedule for the week (eg do X on Monday etc) as the programme is so fluid (for example, good weather equals time on the bike). My trainer, Nick Grantham, gives me a menu – there are some non-negotiables but everything else is adaptable.”

18. Vicki Golden

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Vicki Golden is a motocross rider who has won medals in the X-Games. She shared her training routine in an interview with Women Fitness. “I normally start my day off with 30 min on a spin bike to get my body warmed up. After so many broken bones its tough to get moving in mornings. Haha. Hop off the bike and drink 16 – 24 ounces of celery juice. Then I normally have a few slices of avocado toast and some turkey sausage. Load up my dirt bike and have some fruit on my way to go ride.”

19. Julia Mancuso

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Julia Mancuso is an alpine ski racer. She talked about what she loves about skiing in an interview with SELF. "I could beat most of the boys when I was 10 years old," she said. "It's just one of those sports you get into by having a good time. It's a fast sport, and it's really about making the smoothest turn, the fastest time out of the gate.”

20. Elena Hight

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Elena Hight is a very successful snowboarder. She shared how she trains for competitions in an interview with Strong Fitness Magazine. “I worked with a trainer and took up running for endurance. It definitely helped me become stronger than I had ever been, and taught me how much health and conditioning can make a difference in your performance.”

Female competitive skiers live by the saying “a winter athlete is made in summer.” Champions such as Lindsay Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin, and Wendy Holdener swear by the importance of their off-season training routines and diets, and many of these impressive women also focus on mental health. That’s not to say they don’t know when to have fun, too. “You’ll drive yourself insane if you only eat what you’re supposed to eat every single day for the whole summer, so after a heavy workout I’ll splurge sometimes,” Vonn says. Competitive skiing is not for the faint of heart—so how exactly do these athletes train and eat? Here’s how 20 female skiers stay fighting fit and competition-ready.

1. Mikaela Shiffrin

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Mikaela Shiffrin, 28, eats roughly 3000 calories a day and never skips carbohydrates. "Pasta is my superfood!" she says. "Balance and moderation are the basis for my diet, though, so I also make sure to incorporate plenty of protein, fruits, and veggies throughout the day. They're essential in providing the energy I need, especially on race days that can last 12 hours. I wouldn't eat a 1,000-calorie bowl of spaghetti for dinner, but I've always loved pasta and think it's a good addition to any meal and a great base for pretty much any vegetable. It's also great when I have a nervous stomach before race day."

2. Lindsey Vonn

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Lindsey Vonn, 38, enjoys plenty of healthy fats as part of her diet and likes to work out in a fasted state. “I’m training probably nine months out of the year,” she says. “I eat foods that I like, but they’re more portioned, and the carb-to-protein-to-fat ratio is calculated in each meal. Now I’m eating like 50-50 protein-to-carbs at breakfast. Lunch is maybe 60-40, and dinner is usually no carbs. I eat a lot of fat in my diet—avocado, almond butter, olive oil, even bacon.”

3. Lara Gut-Behrami

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Lara Gut-Behrami, 32, is careful about her macros. “It’s not about controlling the amount of everything I eat or to measure it, count calories,” she says. “It’s about taking care of myself and my body; if I eat vegetables, proteins and good carbohydrates my body becomes healthy energy, I will feel fitter and my performances will improve. I eat chocolate, but very rarely a cake or ice-cream.”

4. Sofia Goggia

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Sofia Goggia, 30, loves no-skiing activities for exercise. “When training in Verona I always do a twenty minute warm-up session before breakfast, and then I train from 8 to 11.30 a.m,” she says. “For the second training of the day I focus on quality and rest. So from 4.30 to 7 p.m., I do activity that is ancillary to that which we train in the gym, namely strength, power and agility. I usually choose between skating, roller skiing and cycling. Secondary activities that are a good workout but that also allow you to switch off and have some fun.”

5. Wendy Holdener

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Wendy Holdener, 30, enjoys swimming and hiking. “When I’m not skiing, you’ll often find me doing other sports,” she says. “Ski racers benefit from being all-rounders on the sport front. I like to work on my own body. I really enjoy going swimming, either in the lake or in the sea. I’ve always loved sport, loved skiing, ever since I was a child. Becoming a ski racer has always been a dream of mine. I appreciate being able to spend a lot of time in the countryside, in the mountains. We get to see beautiful sunrises really often during our training sessions.”

6. Petra Vlhova

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Petra Vlhova, 28, enjoys motocross when she’s not skiing. "A lot of people think I'm just going for a ride,” she says. “It is not true. I practice balance, coordination, I strengthen my stomach, legs and arms, and of course, it's also about courage. It's a good workout and I'm glad I can do something I enjoy in preparation. I'm not the only one. Austrian Marcel Hirscher and Henrik Kristoffersen also ride. Some may argue that it is dangerous, but I can also break my leg by stumbling. At least that's how I see it."

7. Tessa Worley

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Tessa Worley, 33, says an athlete’s team is crucial to their success. “You also need to be surrounded by good, kind people; by people who can take the best out of you. I also think that you need to be happy with your own life,” she says. “That’s going to help you become a calmer athlete. No doubt, you need to have a strong team around. You know, being an athlete can be difficult sometimes. You need people around you, you also need to be able to overcome those tough moments, to stand up again and become a better athlete.”

8. Frida Hansdotter

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Frida Hansdotter, 37, tries not to overthink when she is competing. “My strength is that I don't think too much, it's the whole thing that counts,” she says. “However, this can also become my weakness. I can go really fast at times and I can end up in situations where I can't keep up. But if I minimize the mistakes, it usually results in a very fast time.”

9. Michelle Gisin

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Michelle Gisin, 29, loves golfing in the summer in Engelberg, Switzerland. “Engelberg is my home,” she says. “The mountains are just magical. The Erika slope in the stand is something very special. I often train here between competitions and get the finishing touches, for example, before my first slalom World Cup victory in December 2020. Since the course is completely covered with snow, the conditions are often almost like in the World Cup. When it's snowing so deep, there's no more beautiful place in the world. When I come home from my training sessions and competitions, I feel safe here; I can recharge my batteries.”

10. Ilka Štuhec

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Ilka Štuhec, 32, swears by certain items and exercises for working out while on the road. “Foam roller, elastics and good training shoes,” she says. “Hmm, while traveling… Wall sits, plank, hamstring work out (with elastics or Swiss (yoga) ball), sit up, push up. After that it’s all about improvisation and combinations.”

11. Ragnhild Mowinckel

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Ragnhild Mowinckel, 30, is open about the mental aspects of being a competitive athlete. “It really doesn’t matter how many hours I’ve spent in the gym or how many GS turns I’ve done before I get to the start of a race,” she says. “It’s all about that day, that run and that moment you push out of the startgate. For me as well as others; it’s all about having faith in yourself and your capability to ski. To trust your skills and forget about the rest.”

12. Federica Brignone

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Federica Brignone, 33, never skips a hearty breakfast. “That’s very important, breakfast is my favorite meal and if I don’t do it right I can be really nervous all day and without energy,” she says. “In my menu I start with a big cup of hot water with squeezed lemon, followed by a bowl with seasonal fruits, greek yogurt, seeds, whole grain, almonds and goji berries; all with a big cup of green tea and 1 espresso! I can also have eggs with plain bread sometimes. During the day, both if I train or if I have some free time, I enjoy having a Noberasco Bio Break to get some energy between meals.”

13. Ester Ledecká

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Ester Ledecká, 28, goes to bed at 8pm when she’s training. “We go to train on the glacier, and to catch the good snow, it’s still frozen in the morning, we have to get up at half past three in the morning and go up the hill,” she says. “And I’m not a big getter, so it’s a pain for me. The evening snow is already so slushy and the coaches don’t like it.”

14. Viktoria Rebensburg

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Viktoria Rebensburg, 33, works hard to be the best. “I try to get better at my sport every day, to surpass myself, to get even more out of myself,” she says. “That's what motivates me. I like competition in my sport, and I have had it since I was a child: in some situations I had to convince my parents that I could race. Of course, in my sport I also love the environment, the mountains and the snow. There's nothing quite like standing on the mountain - whether it's home, Canada or Argentina - and experiencing the vastness. For me that is freedom.”

15. Katharina Liensberger

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Katharina Liensberger, 26, believes winter athletes are made in the summer. “That’s true, summer time is a big chapter for me as a winter athlete because it‘s the time when I prepare myself for the upcoming season,” she says. “While I‘m presently finishing my customs training and education, my work-out training for physical conditioning has already started. Usually the ski training starts overseas in August and continues with training on the nearby glaciers as soon as there is enough snow there.”

16. Breezy Johnson

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Breezy Johnson, 27, enjoys the adrenaline rush from competing. “I always say that alpine speed skiing is about hearing that little instinctual voice tell you to slow down and then going faster anyway,” she says. “It’s so thrilling to see how far you can push the limits. And every time you decide not to listen to your instincts and you go faster, you feel a little bit like you’re defying death itself.”

17. Marta Bassino

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Marta Bassino, 27, emphasizes the importance of mental health in sports. “It doesn't surprise me, I've always said that between mind and body it's the former that makes the difference,” she says. “You can feel good physically and technically strong but if things don’t come together and you’re not mentally well, you won’t go anywhere. Personally, I have meditated for some years now and it helps me deal with the different situations life throws at you.”

18. Marie-Michele Gagnon

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Marie-Michele Gagnon, 34, practices yoga and learns from the competition. "They're doing a lot of ski-specific movements, more agility and movements utilizing body weight, whereas we're just lifting [weights] and getting super strong,” she says. “Once you get that strength, you need to keep it and refine details, and that's where I was seeking more ski-specific movements in our training."

19. Stephanie Venier

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Stephanie Venier, 29, doesn’t diet like most athletes. “Many people always think, we are winter athletes and we only go skiing in winter or on the glaciers in summer. But we have to work out all summer, indoor and outdoor,” she says. “I train at the Olympic Center Innsbruck/ Tirol. Whether mountain biking, cycling, running, strength training, intervals – all this is in the summer. I’m a untypical sportswoman. I don’t like fruits and vegetables that much, since I was a baby. My favorite food I enjoy anytime is beef/steak, rice, eggs, potatoes and a lot of chocolate.”

20. Kajsa Vickhoff

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Kajsa Vickhoff, 25, likes to workout before her ski training every day. “I try to wake up 1.5 hours before we leave for the hill, bike for 10 minutes and then mobility and stretching for another 10 minutes,” she says. “Then, breakfast, back to the room, brush teeth etc., put on the gear, drive with my service team to the hill, take out all of the skis, unstrap them, inspect the course, then warm up at the start with the other women and discuss the course.”

Extreme sports are not just about adrenaline-pumping stunts; they're also a testament to the remarkable physical and mental strength of the athletes who conquer them. In this article, we'll introduce you to 20 extraordinary female athletes who have pushed the boundaries of human capability in their respective sports. From skateboarders to surfers, climbers to snowboarders, these women share their secrets to maintaining peak physical condition, their approaches to nutrition, and their unique journeys in the world of extreme sports. Join us as we celebrate their dedication, determination, and the amazing bodies that enable them to achieve greatness in their chosen disciplines.

1. Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins Pastrana

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Lyn-Z Adams Hawkins Pastrana talked about motherhood in an interview with Cooler Lifestyle. She says that she doesn’t want to lose herself in being a mother, and is finding a balance. “A lot of people seem to think or act like their entire world has to now spin on the axis of their child, and that their lives have to completely change, but that’s never the way I’ve looked at it,” she said. “To me, it’s just another little buddy along for the ride. I bring Addy everywhere, she does everything with us, and I haven’t let having a child hold me back from anything. You can be a great parent and continue your life almost exactly as it was before (in my opinion anyway). Parenting can be challenging, and travelling with a child can be more tiring than before, but it’s worth it to have your sweet little buddy with you and continue what you love to do!”

2. Kelly Clark

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Kelly Clark shared some of her favorite workouts with Sports Illustrated. In it, she talked about how she works out when she travels. “I’m looking for parks to put my feet on swings and do TRX,” she says. “You can do full body weight circuits on a jungle gym and run cones in the park. I have to get creative and adjust.”

3. Steph Davis

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Steph Davis shared her secrets to staying in shape for rock climbing with ForksOverKnives.com. “It helps to have strong tendons, a good strength-to-weight ratio, and good flexibility. And if you’re interested in long routes and climbing in the mountains, you have to have a lot of endurance to hike uphill with a pack on for hours just to get to the climb. [You can train] by climbing outside, climbing in a gym, doing finger-specific training, bodyweight calisthenics, weight training, or gymnastics training. I also like to trail run a lot.”

4. Maya Gabeira

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Maya Gabeira makes sure to eat healthy. “Each surfer eats in a different way,” she tells Women Fitness. “I see people who do not want to eat a specific kind of food and some with intolerance. I eat in a natural way, removing industrials or un-naturals products. But what is always present in my diet is a well-prepared broccoli, with a lot of proteins, vegetables and asparagus. I also have many kinds of fruits and nuts in my diet.”

5. Lizzie Armanto

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During the pandemic, Lizzie Armanto kept in shape by doing yoga at home. She shared this video of herself doing poses with her loved ones on Instagram. She captioned the post, “In all the mess of things happening, one constant is finding new ways to challenge myself. Using the living room to practice yoga, definitely fits that bill. There's so many house things to be distracted by. Luckily I have @axelcrusher & @mami_tezuka to be quarantined w/ and theyre game for most activities. & thanks to @dollieduke83 for the daily classes.”

6. Sasha DiGuilian

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Sasha DiGuilian talked about her diet in an interview with Men’s Journal. “I believe in everything in moderation,” she says. “I focus on fueling my body with a high-fiber, vegetable diet and lean protein - chicken and salmon, mainly. Though, I do enjoy red wine and cookies. I am not very strict with myself, especially when I am training hard. I follow a more encompassing - rather than eliminating - diet; making sure I have enough protein and greens throughout the day, more than anything else.”

7. Jamie Anderson

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Jamie Anderson loves to cook healthy foods. She shared some of her favorite recipes with Us Weekly. “I make my own gee, I’ll do like a lot of golden milk in the evening,” she says. “You use like turmeric and ginger and gee with organic milk and it’s a really healing erratic Ayurvedic supplement. And yeah, I like all kinds of random food. I love cooking so when I’m home, I’m into like stir-fries, and like today I learned all different types of Korean recipes, so I’m actually stoked to go make some more delicious food.”

8. Angel Collinson

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Angel Collinson talked about her wellness routine with SGB Media. She says that balance is something that is important. “Balance offers more energy to do what you want to do and is motivating. It’s different for all of us. We all have a fire that burns inside of us—our fuel source if you will—wanting to accomplish things and do things. Sometimes the fire rages and sometimes it flickers. For me, it’s figuring out how to nurture the fire best because when you are feeling ‘fired up,’ you have the energy to do whatever you want, and inspiration comes naturally. When my fire is running low, I find that I have to do other things to get motivated.”

9. Chloe Kim

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Chloe Kim shared some of her favorite exercises with Bustle. “I do a lot of strength training. My trainer, Roy, is incredible, and I feel much stronger than I ever have. I’ve also been working on my cardio a bit because I’m sick of being out of breath after a run. To recover, I get physical therapy. When I’m in Los Angeles, my physical therapist, Vinh, takes care of me. When I’m in the snow, my physical therapist is Emilie. I always need someone with me on the road to ensure I’m good and ready to go.”

10. Rachel Atherton

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Rachel Atherton talked about the evolution of her workouts with Muscle & Fitness. She says that her coach, Dan Robert, helped change her outlook with fitness. “We started focusing on quality over quantity and training very specifically to our sport. It was so exciting to be in the gym, and all that time training really makes you believe in yourself. That was the pinnacle.”

11. Isabelle Hanssen

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In a post on her website, Isabelle Hanssen talked about her approach to being an athlete. “Being an elite athlete encompasses far more than mere training and competition,” she writes. “It is a way of life. Every choice you make, from your attire and personal presentation to how you invest your time and who you spend it with, contributes to shaping your unique individuality and character.”

12. Mimi Knoop

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Mimi Knoop notably tore the ligament in her ankle in 2018. She talked about how she recovered from it in an interview with Men’s Journal. “Injuries will happen; it's the reality of being an athlete,” she says. “It's important to approach injuries with patience and figure out what your treatment options are. You don't want to rush it because it's easier to heal right the first time than to deal with a chronic injury that never goes away.”

13. Paige Alms

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Paige Alms makes sure to eat healthy. She tells Men’s Journal that she likes to make salads. “My go-to meal is a big, lush garden salad with kale, arugula, lettuce, cilantro, mint, parsley, tomato, cucumber, daikon, carrot, blueberries, apple – whatever is in the garden or in the fridge ... Add some BBQ chicken breast or venison, or some fresh fish from a friend. That’s pretty much my favorite meal - light, fulfilling and it makes me feel good!”

14. Amelia Brodka

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A skateboard isn’t the only thing Amelia Brodka likes to ride. She also loves to surf and snowboard. She is seen doing all three in this Instagram video. Brodka captioned the post, “Christmas boarding trifecta with @alec_beck & @sierranevada 🏂🛹🌊 I’ve wanted to skate, surf and snowboard in the same day for as long as I’ve lived in California but ironically the opportunity presented itself while in NJ for the holidays!”

15. Aimee Fuller

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Aimee Fuller broke down her fitness routine in an interview with Women Fitness. “I work in the gym 3x a week in the offseason,” she said. “As well as 1 or 2 jogs and a bike ride per week! That way I am keeping my explosive strength firing in the gym and working up a good base fitness through cardio.”

16. Laura Enever

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In an interview with The Sunday Morning Herald, Laura Enever shared her day on a plate. She says that she loves coffee and a smoothie first thing in the morning. “My daily morning routine is coffee and a green smoothie at home before I head out for my first surf. It consists of banana, kale, plant-based protein powder, greens powder, essential oils, honey, ice and water.”

17. Ingrid Backstrom

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In an interview with Ski Magazine, Ingrid Backstrom talked about her skiing career, specifically when she skied in Denali. “I got the opportunity to ski Denali and it was super tough mentally. My brother died the year before, but I thought it was important to take the opportunity when it came. It was a huge learning experience for me and really hard, mentally, but I’m glad I did it.”

18. Janina Kuzma

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Janina Kuzma talked about how she prepares for competitions with Stuff.co.nz. "I've been competing a long time. Experience prepares me for these events. I know I'm a great competitor ... I know how to keep my cool and even if I'm having a bad day I know I can throw it down when it comes to my competition run."

19. Shauna Coxsey

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Shauna Coxsey talked about her diet in an interview with Women Fitness. “I definitely think about what I eat, but I don’t actually follow a specific diet. I have tried a few different diets in the past, but I don’t enjoy being strict with food. I think that I’m lucky because I really enjoy good food, I like to feel healthy and I love cooking. However, I also enjoy dessert and I love baking too. I am conscious about getting a balanced diet and having a good relationship with food. I don have to ensure that I have enough protein when I am training a lot and I’ll have smaller pieces of cake if I want to lean up for a competition.”

20. Anouck Jaubert

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In an interview with Planet Grimpe, Anouck Jaubert talks about how she approaches climbing. “It's difficult to describe the run, because when I'm at full speed I don't have time to know what's happening! I felt like I was going fast and my only intention was to speed up! I obviously knew that we were side by side... On the last movement, I had to quickly let go of my left hand to go to the buzzer and unfortunately I didn't have time to grab the grip correctly to trigger the movement.”

From Leticia Bufoni's plant-based diet to Elissa Steamer's unwavering self-belief, these female skateboarders not only defy gravity but also break stereotypes. Vanessa Torres's holistic recovery approach, Nora Vasconcellos's love for surfing, and Alexis Sablone's unique skateboarding philosophy add depth to their remarkable careers. Alana Smith's bravery in coming out as non-binary inspires while Mariah Duran finds balance through meditation. Mentorship from legends like Tony Hawk fuels Lizzie Armanto's journey, while Jenn Soto navigates the challenges of adulthood and skateboarding. These remarkable athletes redefine boundaries and inspire us all.

1. Leticia Bufoni

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Leticia Bufoni shared her training process with Sports Illustrated. She says that while she isn’t a vegan, she eats a lot of vegan and plant based options. “In the morning, I always do oatmeal and banana and granola. And then post-workout, I do vegan protein. And then I come home and I eat tofu, rice, beans, salad. I don’t eat meat or chicken so I do a lot of tofu, Impossible Burger, Beyond Meat. I do a lot of Brazilian style food, which is rice, beans, salad.”

2. Elissa Steamer

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Elissa Steamer talked about her career in an interview with Solo Skate Magazine. “I feel pretty good about what I’ve done and the way I handled myself. I don’t feel that I really compromised too much. I think I never really did anything I didn’t want to. There are random things that you have to do to keep the money flowing in, like go to a photo shoot for a catalogue or something, but other than that, I handled myself pretty well. I don’t have any regrets.”

3. Vanessa Torres

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In 2016, Vanessa Torres notably tore her ACL. She talked about her recovery process with Men’s Journal. “PT has been going really well, but I've also journeyed outside of just traditional physical therapy. Since this injury, I've realized how important whole body wellness is in healing. I do cross-training with my coach two times a week, work with two separate chiropractors and see an amazing acupuncturist/masseuse.”

4. Nora Vasconcellos

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In addition to skateboarding, Nora Vasconcellos also loves to surf. She talked about this in an interview with Nixon.com. “I love surfing. We're at that time of the year where summer swells start picking up and I'm like, ‘Ah, my shopaholic mind wants to go to the surf shop and buy new boards and set everything up.’ I'm such a surfboard nerd. I'll use whatever. I'm not super picky. But I do love surfboards. A year or two ago, Alex Lopez made me a fish that I've been riding and it's been my go-to board, especially for small days or shitty days. It's really fast.”

5. Alexis Sablone

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Alexis Sablone shared her Sunday routine with The New York Times. She says that she makes sure to practice skateboarding in her free time. “I’m always on the lookout for things to skate when I’m biking around, and I pass this terrifying spot every day at a church on the way to my studio. I keep a little notebook; that’s just what skaters do. Training with a contest in mind is about performing under pressure and about being super consistent with just a handful of tricks, whereas street skating is about finding strange things in a city. It was hard to get excited about only doing the same five tricks over and over, but I did that for about two months before the Olympics.”

6. Alana Smith

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Ahead of the 2021 Olympics, then 20-year-old Alana Smith came out as non-binary. They opened up about this process with ESPN. “I came out as non-binary this year, which was big for me. Going into the Olympics, I just wanted to be my authentic self. I felt that if I was holding that back, I was not being my full self. I just wanted the world to know who I was. I've been in the public eye from such a young age when it comes to skating. I just felt like it was something I wanted to describe to the world, because growing up as a kid, I didn't see a lot of people like me in whatever way that it was -- whether it was how I identify my sexuality [or] also just the things that I've been through in life, whether it's my past with family trauma or suicide. I wanted to share things that are super vulnerable and sensitive about me to the world to hopefully help the kids that needed it like I did.”

7. Mariah Duran

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Mariah Duran revealed in an interview with SELF that she has started practicing meditation. “I try to meditate as best as I can, whether it’s for five minutes or for however long. Just take a minute, just breathe and not focus on the future or the past. Just be present and calm myself down. It could be waking up in the morning and not picking up my phone for the first hour and just taking control of the day, or writing down in my journal something that’s been on my mind. Or just reading too.”

8. Lizzie Armanto

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Lizzie Armanto talked about her mentor-like relationship with Tony Hawk and other skateboarders in an interview with DewTour.com. “Personally, from my experiences, having that support has definitely helped me and given me the confidence to figure out new tricks and figure out how to get past a lot of different obstacles in life to get to where I am today. Tony’s really cool. He’s super reachable. He’s there if I ever have questions or need advice about anything. He’s been through so many ups and downs, so he has a lot of experience to share with me. He’s super fun to skate with and it’s inspiring to watch him do what he does. He’s obviously still really good at skateboarding, but he’s also really good at his job. I really trip out on the way he uses Instagram, and the way he uses his voice and reputation to empower others, the way he uses his foundation to help get skateparks built everywhere. It’s really cool to see that firsthand. He sees the bigger-picture things, and is able to see things before they happen, if that makes sense. I feel like his gut instinct is pretty spot on with a lot of things. It’s just cool to have somebody like that in my corner.”

9. Jenn Soto

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Jenn Soto talked about how she balances work and skateboarding with Complex. “I’m trying to, first and foremost, keep skating every day because, my brain, I need that. Growing up when you fantasize or romanticize your dreams and shit, you have a picture in your head but it’s not colored in. You just have this vague outline, so I [had] no idea what came with being a full-time skateboarder. I have so much time on my hands. I’m not 12 years old. I can’t skate all day every day like I used to, so with that I have to find the balance of not working myself or breaking myself off because I’m tired.”

10. Samarria Brevard

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Samarria Brevard is a vocal supporter of the Black Lives Matter movement. She talked about how she decided to use her voice in a 2020 interview with Skateism. “When the BLM protests began I thought, ‘I have to do something, what do I do?’ Really wrapping my brain about what I could do. Then I had a moment of clarity and thought ‘Be the change that you want to see in the world’. So, I’ve been trying to get my shit together and really become the change that I want to see. I try to pass that on with the few people that I do see every day.”

11. Candy Jacobs

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Candy Jacobs makes sure to keep skating. Even when she caught COVID and had to miss the Olympics. "I try to just be active and I try to do a kickflip every day in my room," she said to ABC at the time. "I try to work out as much as I can when my body is like feeling up for it. But I'm noticing the first two or three days I was super active, and then at one point -- it's also from lacking outside air -- your body just is going on standby mode."

12. Mimi Knoop

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Mimi Knoop talked about how she approaches injuries and treatment to Men’s Journal. “It's important to approach injuries with patience and figure out what your treatment options are. You don't want to rush it because it's easier to heal right the first time than to deal with a chronic injury that never goes away.”

13. Poppy Starr Olsen

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In addition to being a skateboarder, Poppy Starr Olsen is also a children’s book author. She talked about what she wants kids to take from her book, The Colourful World of Poppy Starr Olsen to Penguin.com. “You can do anything you set your mind to, and it doesn’t just have to be one thing. I’d love kids to be inspired to be completely themselves. But I also want them to know that they can work really hard for something while having fun and being kind at the same time. I hope they realise that if you don’t win sometimes, it’s not the end of the world. Being an awesome person is being a winner in my eyes!”

14. Yndiara Asp

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In addition to skateboarding, Yndiara Asp loves to swim to stay in shape. She enjoyed a trip to Dubai, and made sure to hit the beach. Asp posted these photos on Instagram of herself wading in the ocean. She captioned the post, “Black and white or color? ✨ Beach in Dubai ... And in front of the beach there is this perfect track.”

15. Breana Geering

Breana Geering spends a lot of time outside. One thing she does to stay in shape is going kayaking. She shared this set of photos on Instagram. In the first, she is seen in a kayak. Kayaking is a great way to get outside, spend time by the water, and work on your upper body and balance.

16. Jordyn Barratt

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After the 2020 Olympics were canceled, Jordyn Barratt talked about how she was dealing with it to Celeb Secrets. “I’ve been trying to keep [things] a little lighter now because it’s still so far out and I don’t want to get too overwhelmed or caught up in it. I’ve been having a lot of fun with surfing, and riding my dirt bike, and to have Clif Bar be one of my partners and to pretty much have an unlimited supply of Clif Bars has been amazing.”

17. Julia Brueckler

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Julia Brueckler loves to surf. She even took a surf trip with Tony Hawk and shared these photos on Instagram from it. In them, Brueckler is seen riding the waves. She captioned the post, “Some shots from our @birdhouseskateboards trip to @bsrsurfresort - couldn’t stop smiling 🏄‍♀️ Thanks again for a great day @tonyhawk!”

18. Hunter Long

Hunter Long opened up about the impact of being a female skater to Tomboy.com. “I was kind of just one of the boys hanging out and having fun at the park. But now that I do it competitively on an international level I realize how difficult it is to make a living or even just get to events as a female in the sport. Times are changing for sure but it would be amazing if they changed a little faster because I would totally love to have the opportunity to give skateboarding 100% of my attention, especially as we head to the Olympics.”