Gretchen Walsh in Two-Piece Workout Gear Shares "Pre Meet Warmup"

Competitive swimmer Gretchen Walsh is an amazing athlete and a world record holder. On a video of her and her friends having fun, she posted a TikTok captioned, “pre meet warmup to Gracie #thatssotrue #uvaswimdive #studentathlete.” Even serious athletes know how to unwind and have fun, finding balance. Here’s what she does to stay in shape.

1. She celebrates her milestones

She celebrates her success. “If you told me three months ago what I was going to accomplish in the 100 fly this summer, I would not have believed you. Here’s to America, going 1-2 with @torri_huske, and my beautiful silver medal 🥈❤️,” she said on Instagram on photos of her with her medal, celebrating.

2. She travels

She enjoys discovering new destinations. On a photo series of her exploring Portugal, she captioned her Instagram post with “the sights have been seen 😎.” According to Allina Health, you should “take a vacation if you can, even if it’s a staycation. Time away from the stresses of work and daily life can improve your health, relationships, job performance and perspective. A well-timed trip can help you feel refreshed and more prepared to handle whatever comes when you return.”

3. She’s grateful

She’s grateful for the love and support she receives through her hard work, training and competitions. “Some of my favorite hugs from a whole 9 days full of them🤗🤗🤗,” she said on a slideshow of photos and videos on Instagram, showing how much the support keeps her motivated.

4. She’s humble

She’s proud of her accomplishments, but stays humble. “I still cannot find the words to describe all of the emotions of last night. World Record⁉️⁉️ I may have been shocked, but I am so grateful to my entire support system of family, coaches, and friends who all knew I could. Thank you for believing in me. Ready to go for one last 100 fly in Indy tonight,” she said on a slideshow of photos on Instagram.

5. She powers through

She pushes through tough times and mental blocks. “Ever since the last Olympic Trials, I have been struggling with a mental block in what used to be my best and favorite event - the 100 free. It’s been a long journey but after three years and two disappointing qualifying meets, I’m finally back on the right foot. I couldn’t have gotten to this point without the help of Christen. With her guidance and advice, I have learned how to navigate high pressure situations. When I used to get nervous, I would doubt myself and my training. My mind would prepare for the worst possible outcomes and trick itself into thinking that I didn’t know what I was doing. Now I have learned new strategies that get me out of this hole. I’m grateful everyday to feel like myself again doing the sport I love thanks to @coach_christen,” she said on Instagram.

Maureen Blanquisco is modeling workout clothes. In a new social media post the IFBB contestant shows off her incredible body in a blue exercise set, driving her followers wild. “To all my baddies out there! This color makes your tan complexion POP,” she captioned the series of Instagram snaps. “So gorgeous 🩷🥰” commented one. “OKKKAAAY SLAAY SLAAY,” added another. How does she approach diet, fitness, and self-care? Here is everything you need to know about her lifestyle habits.

1. Swimming

When Maureen was younger she was a swimmer. “I always loved competing and performing. I usually call it “performing” instead of competing. Swimming was an individual sport. If I wanted to win, it all depended on me. I never liked depending on a team. If we lost because of them, I would get very frustrated,” she told Muscular Development.

2. Gymnastics and Cheerleading

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She then moved on to gymnastics and cheerleading. “Cheerleading was fine until one time we fell during a stunt, and it wasn’t my fault. I said, I think I work better alone,” this is when she discovered weights. “I started lifting weights at age 18. That’s around the time you want to look and feel good, putting on makeup. I was doing fitness training anyway, so I started to look for something I could do competitively that fit that. I had always wanted to compete in beauty pageants, but at 5 feet tall I was too short. Then I saw the Bikini Olympia on YouTube, and the woman who stuck out to me the most was India Paulino. She was my first idol! I thought it looked so cool. The women looked amazing, and this was the closest thing to a beauty pageant I could do. I thought I could just go compete in the Olympia. I had no idea you have to turn pro first, then qualify, the whole long process. But in my head, I only had one goal, to go to the Olympia.”

3. Here Is How She Preps for Shows

“I started prepping for the Olympia right after the Boston Pro in March, so that was seven months. It was a very chill prep because I was eating clean, but I was eating more than ever in a prep. I was still dieting, but it was more calories, and I did have one cheat meal a week. Now I see this is the best approach for me: a longer prep but with more food,” Maureen said.

4. Her “Breaks” Involve Cardio

When she does go on vacation, she still exercises. “I did go on vacation to Hawaii with my partner the week after the Olympia. That was on my bucket list. I did cardio every day, but I took five days off from weights. I had a couple of treats, but nothing crazy,” she says.

5. She Doesn’t “Gain Too Much” During the Offseason

Marueen avoids overindulging in the off season. “I have a very clear mindset that if I gain too much, it will be a lot harder for me,” she told Muscle & Fitness. “In Bikini, it’s all about condition, and while you could be ‘too’ hard, you certainly can’t be soft, either.”

CrossFit athlete Bethany (Flores) Shadburne works hard to maintain her health and overall strength. “Try this barbell warm up out for shoulder to overhead movements! Stole this from the one and only @coachrandyf2 . And then some strict press and push press work in the last couple of slides 🙌🏽I usually do 2 sets of the warm up with just the barbell, 3-5 reps of each movement,” she said on Instagram while working out. Here’s what she does to stay feeling and looking so fit.

1. She focuses on her shoulders

She builds up to her shoulder workout. “Warm-up for shoulder to over head movements! Side plank lateral raise. Scap push up. Single arm plank hold. Scap pull ups. Overhead carry,” she said on a series of videos on Instagram. According to Harvard Health, “building strength, stretching, and improving posture will improve shoulder health and keep you in action. Your shoulders are a crucial part of your mobility and independence. You need them to be healthy and pain-free so you can drive a car, lift groceries, do housework, or pick up a child.”

2. She works her glutes

While working out with weights, she posted one of her favorite glute workouts with a barbell. “Landmine RDLs from the other day! These have become one of my favorite accessory exercises these days 🤪 They get my glutes feeling spicy,” she said on Instagram.

3. She has a routine

She thrives on having a routine. “The face you make because you are a homebody and love your routines. 🙋🏽‍♀️ anybody else?! Traveling is awesome and such a privilege but nothing beats being home and being in my routines! One of my favorites of course is my morning routine where I make my own cup of coffee ☕️ while wearing my toes spacers while walking on my rock mat,” she said on Instagram.

4. She warms up

She warms up her body for training. “A general warm-up flow 🤸🏽 This is something I pretty much do daily before any training day. Things have changed and morphed over time and I’m sure they will in the near and far future but this is what I’m currently doing. Some of it may make sense, some of it may leave you scratching your head. But these have helped put my back into a position to where I can live and lift. Goal with some of the glute specific exercises is get on the left side because most people, including me, stand more on the right side which can cause irritation within the back because we are twisted,” she said on Instagram.

5. She puts in the work

She posted videos of her doing a series of workouts, putting in the work needed to be successful. “Successory work 💪🏽 Split stance good morning x10 each. Bodyweight back elevated hip thrust x20. Weighted knee raises x15, last set straight into max set bodyweight. Try it out! 🤪,” she said on Instagram.

Kristina Nicole is sharing a motivating message to her followers – in her workout gear. In a new social media post the IFBB pro shows off her famous figure in a two-piece set. “Your job is not to rush the timing. Rather, to determine the type of person who will meet it at the doorway,” she captioned the post, quoting Brianna Wiest. How does she approach diet, fitness, and self-care? Here is everything you need to know about her lifestyle habits.

1. She Makes Progress in the Off Season

Kristina, who also goes by Kristina Mendoza, maintains that most progress is made in her offseason. “There’s a lot of calories going in. Training gets more and more intense as the calories go up,” she said, adding that she used to train legs twice a week, but now only does legs once. “I’m trying to bring my upper body up, be a little more symmetrical with the legs, so I have better flow and balance onstage,” she told Muscle & Fitness.

2. She Trains Hamstrings and Quads on the Same Day

Mendoza trains hamstrings and quads on the same day with adductors added in as well. “I like to burn them out a little bit before I get into the compound movements like the leg press or squat machine,” Mendoza explained. After a brief introduction, Mendoza then demonstrates each of the movements that she likes to work with.

3. Hydration

Mendoza prioritizes hydration. “water break,” she captioned this post. According to the Mayo Clinic, hydration is important for a variety of reasons. Water helps get rid of waste through urination, perspiration, and bowel movements, keeps your temperature normal, lubricates and cushions joints, and helps protect sensitive tissues.

4. Mastery Is “Mindset”

“Mastery is a mindset: It requires the capacity to see your abilities not as finite, but as infinitely improvable. Mastery is a pain: It demands effort, grit, and deliberate practice. Mastery is… never fully reaching mastery but always striving to get there,” she captioned a post.

5. Warmup and Stretching

Before lifting, Kristina warms up on the bike. “I like to start with lighter weight for the first couple of sets before I work up into my working sets,” said. She performs two to three lighter sets before doing one working set. She then follows that up with a “back-off” set with lighter weight and more reps.