Track Athlete Marileidy Paulino in Two-Piece Workout Gear is "Stronger Than Ever"

Volleyball

Jaqueline, a member of the Brazilian volleyball team that won the Olympics in 2008 and 2012, spends a lot of time playing. According to one study, recreational volleyball played with fewer players on a smaller court can be an effective training modality to stimulate decrease in LDL cholesterol and resting HR.

Running

Jaqueline enjoys running, both outside and at the gym. Here she is running on the treadmill. According to the Mayo Clinic, running is great for cardiovascular health, muscle building, and weight loss. “For every mile run, the average person will burn approximately 100 calories,” they say.

Cycling

She also bikes. In the same video she cycles on a stationary bike. The Cleveland Clinic explains that biking, a low-impact aerobic exercise, is great for building muscle, improving strength and flexibility, and improving balance. It can also boost mental health and help other health conditions, including arthritis.

Dancing

Jacqueline often shares videos of herself dancing. Dancing is a great workout for many reasons. Not only does it build strength and promote flexibility, but helps you lose weight and even promotes cardiovascular function. A 2016 study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine determined that people who engaged in moderate-intensity dancing were 46 percent less likely to develop heart disease or die from it than non-dancers. In comparison, moderate-intensity walkers were just 25 percent less likely to suffer heart health issues.

Strength Training

Jacqueline spends a lot of time in the gym strengthening her body by weight lifting. According to the Mayo Clinic, strength and weight training help reduce body fat, preserve and increase lean muscle mass, and burn calories more efficiently. Strength training may also help you:

• Develop strong bones
• Manage your weight
• Enhance your quality of life
• Manage chronic conditions
• Sharpen your thinking skills

She Does Intense Workouts

Mayer keeps her workouts intense. She described them in an interview with Equinox. “I work out four hours a day, six days a week. I have a two-hour training session starting at 9 a.m. I start with a warm-up before running intervals. My pace has to be fast and explosive. I’ll do eight two-minute sprints. Sometimes I do suicides—I’ll run for 45 seconds with a minute rest between, and I’ll do it 15 times.”

She Eats A Lot Of Protein

Mayer revealed to Equinox that she eats a protein-rich diet. “I eat every two hours so I never feel low on energy. My diet emphasizes a lot of protein and vegetables, and I eat small portions. I have an iron deficiency so I eat red meat about three times a week. I’m not big on fish unless it’s raw. I love sushi and eat it once or twice a week. I also eat a lot of chicken breast.”

She Learns From Failures

Mayer doesn’t let her setbacks define her. She tells Men’s Journal that she likes to learn from them. “Going into my first Olympic year, making it to the finals and then losing, and then losing by only two points … that was rough. But I knew I had so much more to learn. I hadn’t hit my peak yet, and the dream was still alive. When you have a dream, you have a dream.”

She Recovers

Mayer makes sure to recover, and shared her process with Equinox. “There’s an amazing recovery room with massage, a cold plunge, a Jacuzzi, steam room and sauna at the Olympic Training Center. I usually go after my morning training session. I do dry needling once a week. It’s not the same as acupuncture. The needle goes deeper and is attached to electric stimulation so it pulsates. I do it for about five minutes, usually on my IT bands because they tighten up a lot. It’s aggressive and leaves a little bruising, but it works.”

She Does A Variety Of Workouts

I strength train, focusing on my core and shoulders with push-ups, pull-ups and Russian twists. I do a lot of I’s, T’s and Y’s using the TRX and also for push-ups so I engage my core more than I would normally. My second two-hour workout is a boxing session at 3 p.m. I start with a 15-minute warm-up, which includes a series of rotational movements because my coach is big on getting full extension out of my punches. Next is two to four rounds of shadowboxing drills. It’s a time for me to think about my combinations and technique and drill them into my subconscious. Sometimes I’ll circle around the ring, moving forward, backward and side-to-side. All of those angles are really important when you’re throwing punches. I’ll finish the session with sparring or mitt work. I spar three times a week, usually six three-minute rounds at a time. Sometimes it’s technical work, and if I do a bag session, it’s for 10 rounds.