20 Amazing Bodies of Female Skiers

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.”

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.”

Alpine skier Isabella Wright is recovering from injuries and grateful for her team. Wright, 27, shared a picture of herself wearing black shorts and a tank top, her left arm in a sling. “Well, it wasn’t an easy one ❤️‍🩹but i learned a lot, I pushed through a lot, and I got to do it with a lot of good people by my side! it’s time to let the mind and body fully heal up 🍋A HUGE thank you to all my sponsors and my Team for the support through the ups and downs! it really does take a big support system and I’m surrounded by something much bigger than myself and i’ll be forever grateful for that 🫶🏽 thank you,” she captioned the post. Here’s what Wright’s training regimen looks like.

1. Snowbird, Utah

Wright grew up racing at Snowbird, Utah. “Skiing started out as a family activity—it was the best daycare for my parents,” she told Ski Magazine. That’s what sparked it—the mountains and the people and being a part of the Snowbird program. Snowbird’s program is the perfect mix. Most of the time training was too soft, so we would go and free-ski and huck cliffs. It was a huge part of the program, which is why I think so many great skiers in general come out of Snowbird, and why I loved it so much.”

2. Project Rock

Wright is thrilled to be part of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Project Rock. “He has built a platform and a brand for the #hardestworkersintheroom that gives people the opportunity to put on a Project Rock uniform, do the work, and have a fresh start everyday. Everyone has their own story, it’s what you do with what you have that speaks volumes. And that’s what makes him and this brand so special. He works to be his best self every day. Something I try to emulate both him and @lindseyvonn,” she captioned a post.

3. Slalom vs. Super-G

Wright loves the adrenaline high from skiing. “Snowbird is more of a slalom hill, so I grew up a slalom skier,” she told Ski Magazine. “But as I grew older, once I had my first taste of super-G and downhill, feeling those G-forces, it really sparked a need for speed. Speed skiers have this edge and mindset; you have to want to put yourself in a scary, risky situation. You’re going 80-plus miles an hour down this icy pitch and there’s so much adrenaline. Super-G is my favorite because it’s really fast but there are a lot of technical elements, too.”

4. Strength Training

Wright frequently posts videos of herself doing strength training at the gym. “Puttin in werkkk at my favorite gym🏋🏽‍♀️💪🏽 #usanacenterofexcellence. I wish my muscles would grow as fast as my calluses🥴 hehe! thankful to have so many people around me to push the limits each day,” she captioned a post.

5. Ski Family

Wright says her team is her family. “The difference is that your family on the road, they understand a part of the sport that no one else can understand because they’re doing it with you,” she told Ski Magazine. “The emotions, pressure, gratitude, and horrible days—no one knows those feelings better than your teammates. The bond is that you understand that person sometimes better than they understand themselves. You feel for them because you feel that you are them; it’s an unbreakable bond.”

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.”

Get into the training, mindset, and lifestyle choices of twenty remarkable athletes. From Simone Biles to Carli Lloyd, who believes in balance and occasional indulgence, each athlete brings their unique approach to their respective sports. Misty May-Treanor's rigorous exercises, Kerri Walsh-Jennings' focus on recovery, and Serena Williams' varied workouts all demonstrate the dedication required to reach the pinnacle of their fields. As they share their secrets to success, it becomes clear that physical fitness, mental strength, and self-care are essential components of their journeys.

1. Simone Biles

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Simone Biles isn’t just a great athlete, she’s also an advocate for survivors. She opened up about testifying against Larry Nassar on Today. “For so many years to go through everything that I’ve gone through, put on a front, I’m proud of myself, and I’m happy that I can be a leader for the survivors and bring courage to everybody speaking up, so I’m happy to be a voice for them.”

2. Misty May-Treanor

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Gold medalist beach volleyball player, Misty May-Treanor shared some of her favorite exercises in an interview with Women Fitness. “I love olympic lifting (cleans, jerks, snatches), squatting and explosive jump drills. I also implement track and hill workouts with a running instructor. Pilates helps me maintain a strong and healthy core since that is important in our sport. Since I am not the tallest player out there at times, my jump has to be strong from the very match to the very last match. Recovery is equally as important to the lifting as well and that comprises of massage, ice baths, and stretching.”

3. Kerri Walsh-Jennings

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Olympic gold medalist, Kerri Walsh-Jennings, opened up about her approach to training in an interview with Sports Illustrated Swimsuit. “When at home, we will have double and triple days all the time. When I get into competition, I want to be fresh and play good volleyball. It is like a mental game. For me, I am going to try something new, add another workout and see how I feel. You need to be humble enough to keep it and push through, or if to much, adjust. It is so important to listen to your body and sometimes the hardest work you have to do is chill out and recover and fine tune.”

4. April Ross

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Bronze-medal winning beach volleyball player, April Ross, opened up about her diet to Today. She says that there’s one thing she makes sure to cut out of her diet. "Sugar is so bad for your body. If you drink soda, the sugar causes inflammation. And it's bad for your joints, so, as an athlete, your joints are going to be more inflamed and you're going to be more prone to injury.”

5. Gabby Douglas

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Gabby Douglas tells HollywoodLife that she does a variety of things to keep herself in shape. “I’m used to doing the same thing every single day, whereas now I get to switch it up. Like, today we’ll do HIIT. Today we’ll do trampoline. Today we’ll do a dance workout. Today we’ll just dive in and it’s been fun even to be creative with myself, coming up with workouts that I find enjoyable because I believe you should be having fun when you workout. I love hard work and I love to sweat but at the same time though, you should love what you do.”

6. Serena Williams

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Serena Williams is considered one of the greatest athletes of all time. One of her secrets for staying fit is doing a variety of workouts. “For me, it's so important to mix it up,” she told Fitness Magazine. “I ran, and then I biked. Then I did elliptical. That didn't work out so well, because it was boring, so I tried yoga. I started dancing because I couldn't train when I was sick. We started making up moves, and it was fun. Now I run for 10 minutes, and then I dance.”

7. Venus Williams

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Tennis legend Venus Williams opened up about her decision to go on a plant-based diet with The Beet. “When I was diagnosed with Sjögren's syndrome back in 2011, I had to make some major lifestyle changes in order to put my health first. After trying everything the doctor suggested, I continued to experience muscle and joint pain, and constant fatigue. But when I started exploring a plant-based diet to help reduce my inflammation and support my immune system, I loved the way it made me feel, so I kept going.”

8. Julie Johnston ErtzUS Women’s Soccer Team star, Julie Johnston Ertz opened up about her exercise routine with Prevention. “I think core is really important,” she says. “Cause it’s the center of your body. C​​ore machines are great but I do everything on the floor. If I’m doing a plank, I like to do step outs with my feet. I like to elevate even a little more."Alex MorganIn addition to taking care of her body, Alex Morgan also takes care of her mind. She shared how she manages any anxiousness with The Beet. “I tell myself: ‘Take a breath and enjoy the journey I'm going on now.’ It's overwhelming to think about going somewhere in the future, so I am living in the now and remembering to breathe.Candace ParkerWNBA champion Candace Parker talked about how she approaches basketball with SBNation.com. “I think simplicity has always been difficult for me. I think physically because you know, I’ve been versatile and have played multiple positions. I think simplicity was always, you know, me dribbling and me doing this and whatever. And now I’ve just learned that simplicity is key, doing things with the least amount of motion is going to benefit me greatly. So I think that is the biggest thing to me is just yes, I can dribble and do that, but it’s more beneficial for me to be able to do it with less motion.”Nastia LiukinOlympic gymnast, Nastia Liukin, shared some of her wellness tips with Today. "I think the most important thing to know is, you'll never regret a workout when it's over. And it's just hard to tell yourself that before you've done it. But just try to remember how you feel after your workout, and know that when you feel good, you look good, and you have more confidence, and so I think that that's really important."Shawn JohnsonWhile expecting her first child, Shawn Johnson and her husband Andrew East did a lot of workouts together. She told Us Weekly, “We always thought [when we were] dating that we were going to be that couple that works out together, but we really can’t work out together because he says I’m too intense. And then I got pregnant, and then we’re matched now, my intensity. So we work out now that I’m pregnant, which is funny.” Adds the gold medalist, “Hey, gymnasts are intense.”Jordyn WieberGymnast Jordyn Wieber told StyleCaster that she struggled with insecurities growing up.“The older I got, the more I realized my body can do amazing things that not a lot of other kids at my school could do,” Wieber says. “So I tried my best to embrace that, and once I made the Olympics team, I was like, ‘Woah! OK. Now I know where you are all the time.’ I started to appreciate my muscles a lot more rather than thinking my body was not as good as the other girls in my school because I looked different than them.”Carli LloydCarli Lloyd opened up about her diet to NJ.com. She says that while she eats healthy, she also believes in indulging once in a while. “Well, I rarely eat carbs, like pasta, pizza or bread, or fried, greasy foods. They just don't make me feel good. But I do enjoy stopping at my favorite pizza place in Philly!...Only every now and then, and only in moderation.”Lindsey VonnLindsey Vonn tells Women’s Health that when she was competing in skiing, she wanted to break the mold. "I was always just myself,” she says. “You can be strong and feminine and opinionated and wear makeup and do all those things at the same time. You don't have to be the stereotypical athlete. You can be different. There's no limit to what opportunities are out there [for you], you just have to go get them."Lindsey JacobellisLindsey Jacobellis opened up about what exercises she likes to do on the road in an interview with Women Fitness. “On the road workouts can be challenging when gyms are hard to find, but not impossible. 1. Walking lunges with dumbbells 2. Single leg RDL (Russian dead lifts) 3. Hanging leg raises 4.Traditional or wide leg back squats 5. Bent over single arm rows (These exercises can be done when there are limited weights to work with in a hotel gym.)”Mirai NagasuFigure skater Mirai Nagasu opened up about her mindset for competitions in an interview with TeamUSA.com. “I just want to believe in myself, and, I know it’s the cheesiest thing to say, but believe in that 5-year-old girl who started this dream,” she said. “I know I’m mentally strong. I went to the Olympics when I was 16 and ended up in fourth place, beating all these people who were beating me consistently. I know it’s within me. I just have to pull it out at the right moment.”Carissa MooreCarissa Moore shared some of her favorite workouts in an interview with Balance The Grind. “I work out with my trainer three times each week, and we do a lot of circuit training. I don’t actually use too many weights; it’s mostly body weight. I train to make sure I can get in the water and do what I love every day. I love burpees, skaters and mountain climbers. I do intervals, like 45 seconds on, 15 seconds off. My regimen is always changing, because I get bored if it’s the same workout. Each week I go to Pilates once and I usually go for a run twice.”Tia BlancoTia Blanco shared some of her favorite wellness products with POPSugar. She says that she owns a juicer, and puts it to good use. “I love to go to the farmers' market and load up on a bunch of local produce in season that is great for juicing," she says. "I always find myself juicing celery, lemon, apples, and parsley. Sometimes I will do shots of turmeric and ginger to spice things up."Louise HazelLouise Hazel opened up about her diet in an interview with WhoWhatWear. "I grab a banana and a bottle of water and a bowl of gluten-free muesli with almond milk. I recently found out that I am lactose intolerant using a DNAFit test, and I would recommend this to anyone who is taking their health and fitness seriously. It will give you a blueprint from which to make informed decisions about your diet and fitness regimen."