MMA Icon Erin Toughill In Workout Gear Spars With Volleyball Star Emily Stockman

MMA icon Erin Toughill may have retired from the ring but she’s still training, teaching, and coaching. Toughill, 46, shared a video of herself wearing green jogging pants and a black shirt, sparring with professional volleyball player Emily Stockman on a blue mat. “Happy Monday,” she captioned the post. “Lots of learning, and having fun while I’m doin it 😁,” Stockman commented on the video. Here’s how Toughill stays fighting fit in her 40s.

1. “I was always an athlete"

Toughill started kickboxing when she was 18 years old. “I was always an athlete,” she told Fighter Girls. “I started playing soccer at 4 years of age and excelled in that. I played softball, basketball, a lot of sports. I would have received a scholarship after high school, but I went down the ‘wrong path’, which is what led me to fight, actually… I needed an outlet for all my aggression and anger that was building up in me over the years. I was an intense kid, I’ll just say that much. I was getting hurt and hurting people, and someone suggested taking some kickboxing classes to release some of my pent up ‘negative energy’.”

2. Cross Blocking Technique

Toughill is passionate about coaching the next generation and teaching moves such as cross blocking. “I love cross blocking,” she captioned a video. “I shared a nice story from my buddy this morning. Cross blocking is done all the time in boxing and MMA. The key when you are practicing these techniques is to do it with intention! You must brace as if you’re getting punched. Don’t get lazy. You don’t want your arm to come back and hit you in your own face. You also don’t want to have your arm right in front of your eyes blocking your line of sight. Make a strong cage… Remember: if you can see the chest, the head is right above. You want to do your best to maintain eye contact with your target 9/10.”

3. Autism Awareness

Toughill is proud to coach kids, especially those who are neurodivergent. “When we say boxing is for everyone, we mean it!” she captioned a post. “Over the years, I have trained a lot of kids and adults with autism, ADHD and other special needs. Learning and progressing in anything is a great feeling; It helps us build confidence, composure, self-esteem, self-trust, self-assurance, and it just feels good! You start to believe in yourself and your abilities, and that is so important for all of us ❤️🙏 #autismawareness.”

4. No Undue Punishment

Toughill absolutely believes there is a line that shouldn’t be crossed in the ring. “If you don’t trust your coach, you got NOTHING,” she captioned an Instagram post. “Here is a fight that was very close. In the corner, I told my fighter she was getting hit ‘too much.’ You can see her reaction; she was disagreeing. She said verbatim: ‘it doesn’t hurt.’ My fighter did not want to listen to me after that. I don’t want my athletes to take undue punishment. You’d be surprised how much pride comes into play in a coach/fighter dynamics. Guess what? We are here to save you from yourself!”

5. Advice For Rising Fighters

Toughill has sage advice for up and coming fighters. “It’s not easy being a woman in boxing, but that’s life; no one ever said it would be easy,” she captioned an Instagram post. “I do get asked a lot on what my advice would be to up and coming women in combat sports is. It’s pretty simple. My advice is: work hard, stay consistent, dedicated and let your work speak for itself. You must remain humble, coachable and maintain total respect. First and foremost, If you do not respect yourself, no one else will respect you. When you maintain that self respect, it will take you longer to level up, but that’s how integrity works.”

What does it take to ace, dig and forearm pass your way to the top? Hard work and a dedication to athleticism, as exemplified bu these amazing female volleyball players. Zhu Ting reflects on the support that ignited her passion for the game, while Sheilla Castro unveils the secret to her success through hard work and determination. Jordan Larson, Ekaterina Gamova, Annie Drews, and others, give you look into their training, fitness routines, and the sacrifices they've made to achieve greatness on the court.

1. Zhu Ting

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Zhu Ting opened up about her success in volleyball in an interview. She says that she had a lot of supportive people encouraging her. "My parents were very supportive of me taking up volleyball. My first coach in volleyball was probably the next person who influenced me and sparked my interest in the sport."

2. Sheilla Castro

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Sheilla Castro revealed the secrets for her success in volleyball in an interview. “I was one of the ones in school that studied all the time. In volleyball, that one that preps more. It’s not like I’m the best because I was born the best. I’m the best because I’m working hard to be the best.”

3. Jordan Larson

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Jordan Larson opened up about what she’s learned from playing volleyball to UsVolleyball.org. “I think the biggest lesson it has taught me is how to be a part of a team. I have been a part of a lot of great teams and many talented players, but the ones that stand out the most are the ones who had to fight and grind to be the best. I think in life things don’t just come to you by chance, you must fight and grind your way to the top.”

4. Ekaterina Gamova

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In an interview on TV Centr, Ekaterina Gamova shared her approach to playing volleyball and what she’s good at. “Ability to see the court. Growth and jump. I can predict where the players will stand. I do not only need strength to play but also the head. The decision must be taken in a split second, and then you can understand it was good or bad. Volleyball pleases me because any action can be corrected in order to come to the desired result.“

5. Annie Drews

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In an interview with Commercial News, Annie Drews revealed how she started playing volleyball. "I started out with just some friends who play volleyball,'' she said. "Obviously, I come from a basketball family, but we have always been a sport-oriented family and volleyball just kind of happened for me. I'm thankful that it did and I haven't looked back.''

6. Kara Bajema

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Kara Bajema opened up about her career in an interview with Volleyball Magazine. “I wouldn’t have changed that for the world,” Bajema said. “To be introduced to some of the best volleyball in the world is a great way to start. And it was like, OK, this is where I am and this is the standard and this is where I need to get to. My choice to go to Poland was that I needed to develop myself a little bit and I needed to take a step back and I think that’s exactly what happened. I had a great coach (Stephane Antiga) who coached me and a good team alongside of me. I think I was able to grow myself and grow my game.”

7. Kim Hill

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In an interview with Jamthegym.com, Kim Hill opened up about how she prepared for being a volleyball player. “Not only does beach expand your game so much as far as ball control and seeing the game better, beach is so much easier on your body than the pounding of indoor. I highly highly recommend to younger plays to not only play beach but to continue playing other sports as long as you can. I know there’s a whole argument around early specialization but I played basketball and volleyball all through high school and I think that’s why I’m nowhere close to being burned out and I’ve been very fortunate as far as injuries go (knock on wood).”

8. Hannah Tapp

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Hannah Tapp opened up about recovering from an injury to VolleyballMag.com. “I’m doing PT regularly, which is, you’re just so used to, when you’re a professional athlete, you work out all the time, and your so used to just being strong, being fit. And then when you just kind of lose all that, you kind of get lost and you have to remember. You just have to remember it’s part of the process.”

9. Rachael Adams

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In an interview with SpaceNK, Rachael Adams opened up about a change she made to her diet. “Back in 2014 when I was playing professional volleyball in Italy, I decided to take the plunge and go dairy-free. I was 24 years old at the time and suffering from acne and heavy inflammation, despite trying literally everything up until that point to ease it. After researching ‘natural ways of curing acne’ I learned about the effect that diet has on our skin, so I eliminated dairy and boom, after a month my skin was 80% clear.”

10. Christa Harmotto Dietzen

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In a 2015 interview with SELF, Christa Harmotto Dietzen opened up about her fitness routine. "In pro sports, it's easy to just look out for yourself," Dietzen says. "But for us, it's about the women to our left and right." She says that she does things like shoulder raises and rotations to help.

11. Kelsey Robinson

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Kelsey Robinson makes sure to eat healthy. Especially during the Olympics. She shared that she likes breakfast bowls with ESPN. “When I'm in California I use fresh avocado or maybe some leftover salsa from tacos we've had the previous night," she says. "If I'm living and playing in Istanbul, I'll use tomatoes, cucumbers and a lot of herbs. It's fun to keep this recipe dependent on the local ingredients you have."

12. Misty May-Treanor

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In an interview with Women Fitness, Misty May-Treanor revealed how she achieved Olympic Gold. “The first Olympics that I played in was the Sydney Olympic Games with Holly McPeak. We finished 5th, so that certainly lit the fire to get back to another Olympics and do better. I believe that the hard work you put into something pays off, I spent many extra hours training because I had a goal and I didn't want to short change myself. My parents, sponsors, coaches, and fans also were factors in my being successful but I also had great teammates.”

13. Kerri Walsh

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Prior to competing in the 2016 Olympics, Kerri Walsh revealed how she stays motivated with her training with GQ. “I do have to keep reminding myself that it’s okay to be a work in progress. If I have a bad game it crushes me, but you can learn and grow a lot as long as you don’t stay in that place of devastation.”

14. April Ross

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April Ross shared some of her favorite workouts with POPSugar. She says that she does a lot of ab workouts. "If you don't first have a strong core, it's hard to do anything else," she explained. "It's always a priority for me." Ross says that she loves hanging knee tucks in particular. “It's super painful, but that's one of the best ones."

15. Sarah Sponcil

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In this post on her website, Sarah Sponcil talked about her training regime. “When I get asked this question about training, there are two different sides of me. One is to stay in shape and continue completing my USA volleyball workouts. The other side of me wants to try new workouts and movements I've never done before or had the time to try. I've always loved challenging my body and throwing some curveballs at it every now and again to work the muscles that never get worked in my day-to-day beach. It's important to do both. Good balance is always a great recipe!”

16. Alix Klineman

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Alix Klineman opened up about her training process to The Zoe Report prior to the 2021 Olympics. “We train about five days a week,” said Klineman. “We have practice for a few hours a day, we lift weights for a couple hours, I see [a physical therapist] for my body and movement training, so that’s another hour of therapy or deep tissue massage. So, it can add up to four to seven hours of commitment [a day]. But, because a lot of these things are very physical, it can be very taxing.”

17. Jen Kessy

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Jen Kessy shared some of her workout tips with USA Today. “I see people at the gym and they’re sitting at their machine and they do five reps or 10 reps, and then they sit there, and they stay on the machine,” she says. “And for me, to burn as many calories and to be as efficient as you can be with your time, let’s say you have one hour. You need to pick three machines, or three exercises, so you’ve got your leg extension, your leg curl and your shoulder press, and then you’re gonna pick a cardio. I’ll do 10 shoulder press, then I go directly to the leg extension, do 10 there, then I go directly to the leg curls, I do those. Then, I’ll go to the bike and do a minute sprint. I do that five times, and then that’s one circuit. By the end of that, you’re toast. That’s one. So then, you do one more and then you do another one, just keep it moving. I’m trying to burn as many calories as possible and trying to be efficient.”

18. Sara Hughes

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Sara Hughes opened up about training for beach volleyball in an interview with VolleyballMag. “You have two options here: you can give up, quit, sulk, why did this happen to me, or you can get better and push it aside, move on, and keep going after what you want, and that’s what I decided to do,” Hughes said. “No matter what happened, I still want this more than anything. I said my peace with it and got back on the volleyball court.

19. Emily Day

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In an interview with AVP.com, Emily Day talked about her daily routine. She says that she makes sure to eat pretty healthy. Day shared her favorite breakfast in the interview. “I don’t start my days with coffee, because I’m fine if I can get up and get a workout in. Breakfast is always Greek yogurt with fruit and granola. Like every single morning, without fail.”

20. Sarah Pavan

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Sarah Pavan opened up about how she honed her volleyball skills as a child to VolleyballMag. “My dad was my club coach and my high school coach until I left for college. He helped develop my technical foundation. He’s very much like me. He’s a perfectionist. I wasn’t allowed to get away with anything or any shortcuts, I was forced to develop my skills at a very high level when I was young. We were in the gym together almost every single day between high school, club, and extra practices, too.”

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."

Beach volleyball professional player Kelly Cheng isn’t letting bad weather prevent her from going for gold at the Paris Olympics this summer. Cheng, 28, shared a video of herself wearing black leggings and a white shirt, playing volleyball inside with teammate Sara Hughes, both girls wearing knee pads. “We got lost looking for the beach volleyball courts in the rain….found knee pads instead 🫣,” she captioned the post. Here’s what Cheng’s wellness routine looks like.

1. Love of the Game

Cheng loves the partnership involved in a successful volleyball team. “I fell in love with outdoor beach volleyball because it's just you and one other person on the court,” she said on an episode of Wellness + Wisdom. “The chemistry that goes into a partnership is so important. It's so vital to know that other person both on and off the court.”

2. Sara Hughes

Cheng and volleyball partner Sara Hughes have high hopes for Olympic gold. "We have really good chemistry,” Cheng told Olympics.com. “Our styles of play complement each other really well," she told Olympics.com. "We're both at the same stages of life and on the same page with a lot of things. And I think that's just helped us fight hard together and fight for each other on and off the court, which I think is really important."

3. Just Do You

Cheng encourages others to embrace what makes them unique. “My love of video games is what makes me ‘me' and I think everybody's interests are different and whatever you love, you speak more passionately about, you do better at it, and those are the things that you should advocate for and do,” she said on an episode of Wellness + Wisdom. “Don't try to be anybody else. If you see somebody else being successful in a field, but it's not your passion, then don't try to copy them just because they're doing it. Do what you love.”

4. Pulse Oximeter

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Cheng was diagnosed with SVT (supraventricular tachycardia) when she was 14, and now uses a pulse oximeter for reassurance. “MightySat gives me the data to know what my body needs and what is working for me in training,” she says. “It lets me know when I need more recovery, more hydration or when I need to get to bed earlier.”

5. Head Coach Husband

Cheng’s husband Jordan is unfazed by the criticism they both faced about him coaching her. “We’re not doing it because it’s easy and comfortable,” Jordan told Volleyball Mag. “I told Kelly, ‘Hey, if I’m going to coach you, it’s because I believe I’m the best fit and I believe I’m one of the best coaches out there and I believe I can help you win a gold medal.’ I’m not going to sabotage my wife’s career, I’m not going to sabotage my own coaching career that I’ve worked really hard on.”

To reach the pinnacle of FIFA Women's World Cup soccer, you have to be physically fit, mentally strong and dangerously determined. The women here are all of those things and more. How do they stay so in shape? Alex Morgan hydrates her skin. Megan Rapinoe is really into weight training. And Ashlyn Harris treats her body as a temple, eating plant-based 80% of the time. Inside you'll find these health tips and more from winners of the FIFA Women's World Cup.

1. Alex Morgan

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Alex Morgan has amazing skin, and shared her tips with Buzzfeed. “I think all my toiletries are a big thing. I always make sure to bring enough lotion for my face and body, because we go to a lot of dry places, like Salt Lake City, St. Louis, and Arizona. Combine that with being in the sun all the time, and keeping my skin hydrated is essential. It’s important to find the right moisturizer, serums, and, of course, sunscreen to moisturize and protect my skin.”

2. Carli Lloyd

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Carli Lloyd likes to cook, and shared some of her favorite meals with NJM. “I love cooking! It's hard because I'm not home very often. But when I am, it's fun to cook different recipes. I make some good baby back ribs and stuffed peppers! And we always grill fish, chicken and steak on the charcoal grill.”

3. Megan Rapinoe

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Megan Rapinoe shared her fitness secrets with Bustle. “Weight training is really big for me. Obviously, I run a lot playing soccer, but I also make sure that I strength train and pay attention to how everything’s working in my body, especially as I get older. I love Pilates, which is amazing for that. I feel like it strengthens you from the inside out. Rest is also really important. It’s how I get the maximum out of my workouts and how I make sure my body's recovering.”

4. Julie Ertz

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Julie Ertz tells Forbes that she now understands the importance of self-care, and wished she realized this earlier. “I would have loved to realize how important my alone time is for me to make sure I am in a good place. Sometimes just being able to reflect on my goals and relax helps me have a better plan or perspective going forward. It's all about finding what works for you. I've also become more comfortable talking to my support group to help me with those goals.”

5. Alyssa Naeher

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Alyssa Naeher told The Los Angeles Times that she has a lot of supportive people in her life. “Lean on your teammates. Lean on your family. Just focus on what you want. For me it was showing up every day and controlling all the things that I could control. And that was being a good teammate.”

6. Kelley O’Hara

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Kelley O’Hara likes to run to stay in shape. She talked about this in an interview with Women’s Running. “I love the way I feel when I’m done running. Nothing is better than the feeling after a grueling workout. And if I’m fit, I love the feeling of pushing beyond what you think you can do during a run.”

7. Rose Lavelle

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Rose Lavelle shared her wellness secrets in an interview with Well + Good. She says that rest days are very important to her. “Today, rest is vital and I can’t play as much as I did as the load is so much more,” she says. “Now it’s a balance, and I have to prioritize the off-field piece and everything that I’m doing to help best prepare my body to be able to perform on the field.”

8. Ali Krieger

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Ali Krieger shared her wellness secrets in an interview with Muscle & Fitness. She says that one workout she enjoys doing is using battle ropes. “Being explosive and power­ful, hav­ing good footwork and quality speed are es­sen­tial for me. Battle rope drills are one of the toughest yet most rewarding exercises I do at the gym. They are a full-body workout, making me feel every muscle!”

9. Crystal Dunn

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Crystal Dunn shared her skincare secrets in an interview with Cup of Jo. “After breakfast, I wash my face, mostly to make sure I’m nice and awake. I wait until training to apply lotion or sunscreen. Lately, I’ve been really into It Cosmetics tinted moisturizer. It’s really light for daily use and provides a lot of things besides moisturizer — like coverage, a hydrating serum and SPF. So, I feel like I’m getting sunscreen protection and I also get to look cute. If I go out at night, I’m usually wearing Bobbi Brown’s line.”

10. Ashlyn Harris

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Ashlyn Harris talked about her diet in an interview with Green Matters. “Having been a professional athlete for many years, my body is a temple; my body is an engine. It’s something I have to treat extremely well if I want it to function at the highest level. I’ve always been very thoughtful about what goes into my body, and over time that has evolved to where I am now, which is eating plant-based about 80 percent of the time.”

11. Christen Press

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Christen Press talked about how she approaches a soccer game to ESPN. “I find the ball and I think, Where's the ball going, and where do I need to go? It just puts me back in the game, and it's the simplest thing, but it's become sort of like my soccer mantra. I simply use the ball as my focus point and move back into position and the distracting thoughts disappear, and I'm right back in the game."

12. Mallory Swanson

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Mallory Swanson opened up about having young people look up to her in an interview with People. "I always try and take the time with fans because you never really know what that moment can do for someone, and how that moment can change the trajectory of their career or their school life or whatever it is. There have been some times where people have definitely cried and I've been like, 'It's okay. It's like me, I'm literally you.' So connecting with those girls and those fans is super for sure."

13. Tobin Heath

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Tobin Heath talked about the importance of highlighting women’s sports to E! News. "Women's sports has been put through such a narrow lens," Heath explained. "Our sports structures were created by men and for men because, at that time, men's sports was kind of the only thing that existed. We were completely being missed. So those lenses were very much through the lens of, like, what the patriarchy would want to see in women's sports, not what women's sports actually are and certainly not the fullness of it."

14. Allie Long

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Allie Long shared how she prepares for soccer season in an interview with Oxygen Magazine. “Every off season, I make specific goals and go to training with a purpose. There’s always something that I want to work on and I leverage the off season to work on my long-term goals by setting and achieving the short-term goals to get me there.”

15. Sam Mewis

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Sam Mewis opened up about her recovery process in an interview with Outside Online. In it, she talked about how she eats healthy. “As women, we’re trained so much by society to watch what we eat. But as an athlete and as someone who is trying to heal, recover, and be strong, I need to eat a lot.”

16. Emily Sonnett

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Emily Sonnett shared her training routine in an interview with US Soccer. “We don't often lift heavy weight, but we do get a lot of reps in. We've also did a lot of testing at the beginning of camp to measure our range of motion, agility, flexibility, etc. We really appreciate having that kind of feedback because of course we want to do everything that can help us win, always.”

17. Jessica McDonald

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Jessica McDonald likes to strength train to stay in shape. “Strength training has definitely helped improve my game,” McDonald told BarBend. “Since I’m older, I have to up keep my body in a different way than a younger player. Strength training has helped me with longevity. I feel quicker and stronger than I have before.”

18. Lindsey Horan

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Lindsey Horan talked about the importance fitness has on her life to Tonal. “Fitness was never the main component in my game when I was younger,” she says. “I wish it was. I wish I knew what I know now. I wish I knew everything that goes into fitness because it’s not just running. It’s not just kicking the ball and chasing it.”

19. Becky Sauerbrunn

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Becky Sauerbrunn is always trying to improve herself. She talked about this in an interview with Soccer.com. “For someone that’s just trying to find their stride in their game, that’s kind of harsh criticism to get, but I took it to heart,” Sauerbrunn said. “I did everything I could to try to counteract that…Don’t be afraid to push your boundaries. I think you need to discover more about yourself, and you need to do that by making mistakes.”

20. Abby Dahlkemper

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During the pandemic, Abby Dahlkemper made sure to stay fit. She talked about her goals with Yahoo Sports. “My goal during the quarantine is to maintain as much muscle mass and I can,” Dahlkemper explained. “I don’t want my body to go into shock after months away from the pitch and risk some sort of injury. These workouts are slightly simpler versions of what my teammates and I do during normal training sessions.”